Diversity Dateline

Holiday or Observance        Religious Group          Date                                                                                       

Bodhi Day	Buddhist	December 8, 2024
Hanukkah/Chanukah	Jewish	December 25, 2024 (evening) – January 2, 2025 (evening)
Christmas Day	Christian	December 25, 2024
Kwanzaa	African-American Culture	December 26, 2024 – January 1, 2025

Bodhi Day is a Buddhist holiday that commemorates the day Gautama Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment. On each of 3 watches he discovered the cycle of birth, the Law of Karma, and importance of living by the Noble Eightfold Path, and the Four Noble Truths, finally reaching Nirvana. It is observed in the traditional Zen and Pure Land schools of China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

Hanukkah/Chanukah is a Jewish festival commemorating the recovery of Jerusalem and rededication of the Second Temple at the beginning of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire in the second century BCE. It is observed for eight nights and days.  The festival is observed by lighting the candles or a candelabrum with nine branches, commonly called a menorah or hanukkiah. All the candles are lit together on the final night of the celebration.

Christmas Day is an annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25^th. It is a religious and cultural celebration among people around the world.  It is celebrated religiously around the world by a majority of Christians, as well as culturally by many non-Christians.

Kwanzaa is not affiliated with any religion.  It is celebrated throughout the African community as a cultural message of unity. Many traditions are included in individual family celebrations during the 7 days and nights of observance. Each night one of the seven principles (Nguzo Saba in Swahili), the values of African culture, is discussed.