Holiday Traditions from the Land of the Ancients
With Christmas next week and the holiday season in full force, I thought it would be fun to take a look at the holiday traditions that can be found in the Middle East. The Middle East is where several major religions began so it is not surprising that the holiday season is very much celebrated by those who live there. Celebrating in the winter is a way to remember in the darkest times that light is still there!
Of course, the Middle East has many other religions such as Islam, Druze and others but these don’t have significant Christmas holiday traditions. Some of them have winter holidays that they celebrate and others do not.
Christianity is of course, the biggest religion to celebrate the holiday of Christmas. The Christian religion names Bethlehem in Israel as the site of the birth of Jesus Christ to his mother Mary and father Joseph. There are a few unique traditions practiced by the Middle Eastern Christians such as the sowing of seeds and tending them so they sprout to symbolize new life, making bonfires and sometimes fasting. The distinct culinary traditions that the Middle Eastern Christians enjoy include slow roasted meats, rice, stuffed cabbage and zucchini, spiced cookies, fruitcakes, semolina pancakes and rice pudding.
It is tradition among Catholic Christians to continue the holiday of Christmas for 12 more days after December 25. The holiday season stretches until January 6 to what is known as Epiphany when the Magi were said to have visited the infant Jesus. So that also means more days to feast and enjoy time together!
Another major religion found in the Middle East is Judaism. Judaism does not traditionally celebrate Christmas but they do have a holiday that falls during the winter season. Hanukkah or the Festival of Lights. The holiday reaches back to the time of the Greek occupation of Jerusalem in 164 BCE when a small flask of holy oil was found in the Temple and was said to miraculously burn for eight days and nights. Hanukkah is celebrated by lighting the menorah, reciting blessings and sometimes giving gifts. With all that oil, fried foods of course are traditionally eaten during the season including doughnuts and potato pancakes known as latkes.
