With the arrival of December the holidays are in full swing, which means a plethora of different festivities from various cultures will be celebrated around the world! Whether you celebrate Las Posadas, Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa or any other holiday, the ability to see how others share in the joy of the holiday spirit during December can be a great learning experience.
Access Books Bay Area believes in the importance of bringing awareness to different cultures and their holidays through the power of literature in order to represent communities across the Bay Area. By exploring different holidays that are celebrated worldwide during the month of December through storytelling, students can learn about the many cultures that surround them, and connect with their own heritage in a way that makes them feel seen. In the spirit of the holiday season, please join us as we celebrate holidays from around the world and share a fun book recommendation for each festivity.
This month we were delighted to partner with Amigos de Guadalupe Center for Justice to celebrate Las Posadas (read more about this holiday below) by providing book bundles for 125 children living in temporary housing. Each bundle contained new Spanish and English books chosen to reflect the language and culture of the families in this community. Thanks to our partners at Women@YouTube, each book set was festively wrapped and tied with bows to be gifted to the children at Amigos de Guadalupe’s Las Posadas celebrations! To help us continue programs like this, please consider donating to our fundraiser or contacting us about corporate sponsorships and volunteer opportunities.
Las Posadas
Las Posadas is a nine day Christmas celebration that honors the journey Joseph and Mary took to arrive in Bethlehem before baby Jesus was born. It is celebrated chiefly in Mexico, Latin America, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and by Latin Americans in the United States between December 16-24. Las Posadas in Mexico feature hot food and drinks, sweets, music, and piñatas. To celebrate the rich and historic traditions of Las Posadas with the children in your life, Celebrate Las Posadas is a great bilingual book to introduce to children of any age, as it explores the customs and traditions of this spirited holiday.
By Marisa Boan
Ages 4-12
Christmas
In the United States, we have many different traditions and ways that people celebrate Christmas due to our multicultural nature. This annual holiday commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ as families and friends come together for traditional Christmas meals, decorate their homes and trees, and share their most memorable stories with each other, whether it’s through personal anecdotes or favorite fables from books that have been passed along throughout each annual gathering.
For this holiday, consider starting a new tradition with your family and friends on Christmas Eve called “book flood”. In Iceland, “book flood” is celebrated on Christmas Eve and revolves around giving and receiving new books, often accompanied by delicious treats like hot cocoa, chocolates, or even a special beverage. A great story to get you started on your first book flood is Tamales for Christmas, which can be enjoyed by children.
By Stephen Briseño and Sonia Sánchez
Ages 4-8
Chanukah
Chanukah or Hanukkah, which is also called the Festival Of Lights, is celebrated by Jewish communities around the world. Hanukkah commemorates Jews' triumph over invaders who outlawed their religion, and a miraculous lamp that burned for eight nights, even though it only had enough oil for one night! Hanukkah celebrations revolve around a mix of prayers, games, food, songs, and of course, the lighting of candles on the menorah. As family and friends come together to celebrate, consider picking up Eight Nights of Lights: A Celebration of Hanukkah to enrich your holiday with meaningful stories that can be enjoyed by all.
By Leslie Kimmelman
Ages 4-8
Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa is a holiday that was created in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, where African-American and African history, culture, and community are celebrated. It lasts for a week, where each day honors one of the seven principles of Kwanzaa. Some of these principles include faith, purpose, unity, and creativity. The way these principles are signified is through the lighting of the kinara which holds seven candles that differ in color: one black, three red, and three green. Each night, family and friends gather to light up a candle to highlight the principle of that day with various activities carried out afterwards. One of these activities may be reciting the sayings or writings of great Black thinkers and literaries. This is a great time to get cozy with the children in your life and enjoy a good book about Kwanzaa together. A book to share with them would be The People Remember: A Kwanzaa Holiday Book for Kids, as they will be introduced to the values, traditions, and history of this holiday in a fun yet engaging way.
By Ibi Zoboi
Ages 4-8
Learning about new cultures can be exciting and eye-opening, as it helps us connect and empathize with each other. Being able to celebrate alongside others and share in the joy of their respective holidays helps build community despite the differences each culture may have. December is a beautiful time to celebrate with family and friends, and has a way of bringing us close to those who may differ from us.
At Access Books Bay Area, we wish you a joyful holiday season surrounded by loved ones. Our mission is to support K-8 students living at or below the poverty line by providing high-quality, culturally relevant books and transforming school libraries to inspire reading. We emphasize the importance of diverse cultures and holidays, using our recommended books to raise awareness and represent the Bay Area's communities.
Click to Give! Donate here to support Access Books Bay Area.