This weeks Student Blogging Challenge is about Celebrations! I’m going to explain a holiday from Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and, Judaism. Then I will have a poem I wrote about Christmas. First I will just list the holidays my family celebrates.

• Christmas
• Halloween
• Easter
• Canada Day
• Thanksgiving

These are the holidays I will go over. Holi which originates from Hinduism, Ramadan which originates from Islam, Christmas which originates from Christianity, Vesak which comes from Buddhism and, Hannukah which comes from Judaism. 

Holi,

Holi is a festival celebrated primarily in India and Nepal at the start of spring. It lasts one night and one day. It is known in the western world to be the festival of colour. The night of Holi involves a Holika bonfire to celebrate Vishnu a Hindu god’s triumph over evil. On the day of Holi people go out and throw coloured powder at each other on the streets. Recently kids go out in groups and use coloured water in water guns and some kids have found other creative ways to get each other colourful. Holi sounds really fun!

Ramadan,

Ramadan is a month of fasting celebrated by Muslims around the world during the ninth month of the Islamic Calendar (April, May or June). It involves fasting for all daylight hours. Once the sun sets many families of feasts. Muslims believe Ramadan will cleanse them. 

Christmas,

Christmas is a christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Although, Christmas is celebrated by many non-Christian families around the world especially in the western world. My own family falls under that category. Christmas involves giving gifts to family and friends. Parents of younger children tell about a magical man from the North Pole who rides around on a sleigh pulled by nine reindeer comes down everyone’s chimney and gives kids who have been good gifts and kids who have been bad get coal.

Vesak,

Vesak celebrates the birthday of Siddhattha Gothama or the Buddha. It involves Buddhists going to their temples and hoist the Buddhist flag. It is normally celebrated in April or May.

Hannukah,

Is an eight day jewish holiday celebrating the rededication of the temple of Jerusalem. It involves lighting candles on this special stand with 1 bigger candle in the middle and four smaller candles on either side. Every day you would light one of the smaller candles until they were all lit.