When you hear fall or winter holidays most people here in the Midwest will think of the common ones celebrated all across America, like Halloween, Christmas, or Thanksgiving. But there are other holidays really important and commonly celebrated that you might not even know about.
The last four months of the year there are busy in terms of holidays; in the fall there is Mawlid, Diwali, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Day of the Dead. In the early winter season there’s Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and Christmas.
These holidays are all important to specific people for specific reasons, but a lot of these holidays are not common knowledge and almost completely ignored in America for their roots in other parts of the world.
Mawlid, also known as Mawlid al-Nabi, is an Islamic celebration and can be considered a holiday. Mawlid is celebrated by Muslims and marks the birth of the prophet Muhammad, according to The Conversation. Mawlid is a realy important holiday that stands as a symbol of freedom for Muslims and is a time for them to stand together and celebrate.
Diwali is Hindu festival and associated with Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, according to Oxford Language. Diwali is a festival of lights and one of India’s most celebrated holidays. The celebration is to show how light can overpower the dark, according to UCF. It is also marks the New Year in the Hindu calendar.
Day of the Dead, also known as Dia de los Muertos, is a Mexican holiday celebrated in multiple places in North and South America. Day of the Dead reunites the living and the dead and give offerings to their passed loved ones, according to Day of the Dead. In recent years, Day of the Dead has become a lot more known about and is even taught in some Spanish classes across the U.S. It’s a very special holiday for Mexican culture that’s been carried through generations.
Kwanzaa is a celebration of African-American culture. Traditions differ from family to family, but typically consist of songs and dances, storytelling, and a large traditional meal, according to The History Channel. Kwanzaa is a very important holiday of African Americans and is a way to embrace their culture in a holiday celebration.
Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that celebrates the rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem after it was taken by the Greeks, according to News Observer. Hanukkah is celebrated by 3% of Americans, according to Pew Research, which is roughly 10,217,927 million people in America alone. Hanukkah is also well known across America even if its not celebrated by many.
These holidays are so important to the people who celebrate them. A lot of them hold traditions and religious backgrounds in them that people have no idea about. Just because these holidays aren’t common in the Midwest doesn’t mean people don’t celebrate them. Non-traditional holidays like these still exist, are celebrated, and are talked about, even if they aren’t as popular in America than they would be in other parts of the world.
