2 . Winter Solstice Celebrations From Around the World

The winter solstice (冬至), the longest night of the year, falls on December 21 or 22 in the Northern Hemisphere and June 20 or 21 in the Southern. Since ancient times, people all over the world have celebrated this important astronomical occurrence in different ways. Here are some solstice traditions both new and old to help light your way to longer days.

Soyal

Soyal is the winter solstice celebration of the Hopi Indians of northern Arizona. Ceremonies and rituals include purification, dancing, and sometimes gift-giving. On the day, Hopi welcome the protective spirits from the mountains.

Saturnalia

The ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia is perhaps the most closely linked with the modern celebration of Christmas. This festival happened around the time of the winter solstice and celebrated the end of the planting season. There were games and feasts and gift-giving for several days.

Midwinter in Antarctica

Even Antarctica gets its share of solstice celebration, thanks to the researchers staying there over the long, dangerously cold season. While those of us in the Northern Hemisphere are enjoying the most daylight hours, in the Southern Hemisphere they are celebrating Midwinter. Festivities include special meals, films, and sometimes even handmade gifts.

Dong Zhi

Dong Zhi, the “arrival of winter”, is an important festival in China. It is a time for family to get together and celebrate the year they have had. The holiday generally falls between the 21st and 23rd of December. It is thought to have started as an end-of-harvest festival. Special foods, such as Tang Yuan and Jiaozi, are enjoyed. Friends and family members occasionally express their blessings and care to each other through gifts.

8 . Celebrate!

In Mexico, children often get pinatas (皮纳塔) on their birthdays. Their parents put chocolates and other sweets inside the pinata and hang it on a tree. Then the children hit the pinata with a stick. It breaks and the sweets fall out onto the ground.

A business birthday shows that a company is successful. Many businesses in the USA celebrate important birthdays, like 10, 50 or 150 years. Companies hold parties and send cards. Sometimes they make TV advertisements. It is a good chance to advertisements. It is a good chance to advertise the business.

As well as a birthday, many people in Southern and Eastern Europe also celebrate their name days. In Greece, name days are more important than birthdays. People have big parties and open their houses to anybody who wants to come. People bring small gifts, often flowers or a box of sweets.

In Muslim countries across the world, people celebrate Eid. Eid means festival or celebration. During Eid, people visit family and friends, as well as people who are sick or in hospital. They give presents, such as sweets and food. Children receive toys, too. Children often wear special traditional clothes during the Eid celebrations.

In China, people often celebrate birthdays by eating with family or friends, and the last dish of the meal is always noodles. The noodles are long and thin. You have to eat them in one piece. You can’t cut them. In Chinese culture, long noodles mean you will have a long life.

On April 20th, the 13th United Nations Chinese Language Day themed “Chinese Language: Together for a Bright Future” took place,     1     was a series of events in celebration of the third International Chinese Language Day.

Beijing Dance Academy launched     2     online event to mark the day, featuring six original dance works of different styles, such as ballet, contemporary dance     3     classic Chinese dance. Six art schools from five     4     (country) joined in the online event with dance works created for the special event.

One of the highlights was a new dance piece, titled Together, which was created and     5     (perform) by Beijing Dance Academy and dancers from Brazil, South Africa and Poland. It     6     (inspire) by the classic Confucius philosophy of datong, referring     7     great unity and grand harmony.

Language Days seek     8     (celebrate) cultural diversity as well as to promote equal use of all six     9     (office) languages. The date for the Chinese day was selected from Grain Rain (谷雨),the sixth of 24 solar terms (节气), when the weather is mild and it always rains     10     (gentle).