Religious and spiritual festivals are celebrated all over the world. Thousands of festivals are held by different religious and spiritual sects; some of these festivals transcend the barriers of religion and become universal in celebration. People from all walks of life come together to celebrate them. In this blog, we will talk about such festivals, which are celebrated across the world.
Christmas
Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Though it is a Christian festival, it is celebrated universally and is regarded as a public holiday by many countries, making it an important part of the winter holiday season. For Christians, the main purpose for celebrating Christmas is the belief that God descended on Earth in the form of a man (Jesus) to atone for the sins committed by humans. For others, it is a mixture of pre-Christian, Christian, and secular themes and customs. The origin of why it is celebrated on December 25 is still unclear, but one possible explanation is the existence of a popular holiday in the Roman Empire that celebrated the winter solstice as an epitome of the resurgence of the sun, the good and noble, over the evil, and many Christian scholars have since made the connection between the ‘rebirth of the sun’ and the ‘birth of the Son.’ It could also be connected to the pagan holiday known as Yule.
Each country has its unique traditions when it comes to celebrating Christmas. Christmas is a national holiday in Korea, as a significant population of Koreans is of Christian belief. South Korean Christians celebrate Christmas like the Western cultures but with more focus on the religious aspect of it rather than the prolonged joyous celebrations attached to it. Christmas is primarily a family holiday in the West, where families gather from far and near and celebrate together. In South Korea, it is more of a romantic holiday, like Valentine’s Day, and the rush to make it back to hometowns - such as during more traditional festivals like Chuseok - is not present. There is a distinctly American influence on Korean society. Therefore, traditions such as caroling, decorating houses, and shops, hanging Christmas lights, or eating Christmas cake can be found in Korea; however, they are not as pronounced as in North America and Europe. Also, unlike the West where the festive mood sets in as early as November, only closely around Christmas do Koreans start with their preparations.
A very famous tradition of Christmas is giving gifts to loved ones. While you can meet Santa Claus on the streets of Korea, clad in a red or blue Santa suit, giving out sweets and candies to children, the tradition of exchanging presents is commonly not found. Despite the absence of it in tradition, however, it is gaining high popularity among the younger generations. Even still, a gift of money is more common among Koreans. Unlike in the West, where cooking Christmas food is a tradition, Koreans opt for dining out, and there are Christmas buffets available at restaurants and bars. Families in Korea like to celebrate by enjoying a day out in the theme parks or catching a special Christmas show.
In Asian countries, most non-Christians celebrate Christmas in the same manner as Koreans. As an Indian non-Christian, I can relate to these celebrations. For urban India, Christmas is a day of eating out or partying, or visiting parks and other recreational spaces. Traditional Christmas food, like in Korea, is only available at certain restaurants, and ingredients need to be pre-booked from certain stores if one wishes to prepare the food at home, but the tradition of giving gifts is greatly followed here. Every child, teenager, and adult looks forward to opening presents left under the Christmas tree by Santa Claus.
Eid al-Fitr
Eid-al-Fitr is celebrated by Muslims worldwide. It marks the end of the month of Ramadan, during which Muslims have to fast from dawn till sunset. According to lore, the Islamic prophet Muhammad arrived in the holy city of Medina and found people celebrating on two specific days. These days were filled with joy and recreation. The prophet decided that these two days were fixed by Allah for his disciples to celebrate. That is how Eid-al-Fitr and Eid-al-Adha came to be celebrated.
On the night of the first sighting of the crescent moon, Eid-al-Fitr is ushered in. If the moon is not sighted after the 29th day of the previous lunar month, the festival is celebrated the following day. Depending on the country, the duration of the festival varies between one to three days, during which not just Muslims, but people from other sects as well, join in the revelry and enjoy the special Eid delicacies. The Eid prayer is either done according to the Sunni or Shia procedures.
It is a major festival of many Asian countries – especially middle-east, south, and south-east Asia. For example, in Indonesia, it is one of the major national holidays and is commonly known as Lebaran. People take their time off work and return to their hometowns, a process known as mudik, to celebrate the festival with their families. Families take part in activities, such as having a special Lebaran meal, wearing traditional clothing, and visiting the graves of relatives to clean them ritually.
One of the best things during Eid is the delicious food available. Depending on the country you are in, the food ranges from mouth-watering kebabs to soft candies to flavored rice to melt-in-the-mouth cakes.
Holi
Holi is a Hindu festival that is mostly celebrated in India to commemorate the victory of good over evil, eternal love, and mark the start of spring. It is also known as the festival of colors because people throw colored powder, known as gulal, on friends and strangers alike. Although it is predominantly celebrated in India and Nepal, it has now moved to other parts of Asia and the West. If you ask an Indian child what their favorite festival is, irrespective of their religion, the most common answer would be Holi, as on this day, parents do not put any restraints on their children, so they are free to play and enjoy their own way.
That Luang Festival
This Buddhist festival is centered in Vientiane, the capital of Laos. Pha That Luang, or The Great Stupa, which is the shrine that houses a relic of Buddha, is the site of this festival, which is held in November during a full moon. Buddhists travel from far and near for this occasion. Devotees and monks offer incense and candles to Buddha, and there are fireworks on display along with traditional music and dance performances.
There are too many religious and spiritual festivals around the world for a single blog to cover. But, one thing that unites them is joy. These festivals bring warmth to families, friends, and strangers alike. They spread the message of oneness, humanity, and compassion for all. Let us celebrate them and make each other smile, without any boundaries or borders.
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Written By: Basabdatta
Edit By: Vera
Checked By: Aury
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