Celebrate December.

In some parts of the world, December brings blustery winds and piles of snow. In other places, rain pours down all month. Some countries have warm climates in December. Below the equator, it's summertime! No matter the weather in December, people everywhere are celebrating.

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CHRISTMAS

DECEMBER 25

Christmas is one of the most well-known holidays in December. On the 25th, Christians everywhere celebrate the birth of Jesus. They go to church, spend time with their families, decorate their houses, and exchange gifts. Lots of families decorate a Christmas tree with lights and ornaments, and put presents underneath it. Christmas is a time to share a special meal with family. Around the world, kids help their families prepare feasts of all kinds of food.

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Has someone ever tried to kiss you under the mistletoe around Christmas? If so, they were taking part in an old Scandinavian custom. The mistletoe was the plant of peace, and if enemies met under it, they called a truce until the next day. Bring back an old tradition. Grab your enemy and call a truce under the mistletoe.

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Different countries have different Christmas traditions. Houses and yards in the United States, England, and Australia get decorated with all kinds of twinkly little lights. In Eastern Europe, kids go house to house on Christmas Eve singing carols and collecting holiday sweets. If you live in Greece, you might set up a goblin security system. Greek tradition says that goblins like to cause trouble in houses around Christmas. Each day, to keep them away, families dip a cross wrapped in basil into holy water and shake it in each room. Kids in Mexico celebrate the holiday with pinatas filled with candy. When one kid breaks the pinata open, candy rains down on everyone. In Croatia, people plant Christmas wheat on December 13. On Christmas day, it is trimmed, wrapped in a bow the colors of the Croatian flag, and put under the Christmas tree or in a corner of the room. If the wheat is strong and green by then, the new year will be joyful and good.

ST. LUCIA'S DAY

DECEMBER 13

If you are a girl in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, or Norway, on December 13, St. Lucia's Day, you might get the chance to be Saint Lucia herself. On this day, Scandinavians celebrate the life of Saint Lucia, a brave young woman who died for her religious beliefs. One girl in each family pretends to be Saint Lucia for the day. She wears a white dress, a red sash, and a crown of candles and brings her family Saint Lucia buns and coffee for breakfast.

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SINTERKLAAS

DECEMBER 6

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Do you have a wooden shoe? You'll need one to celebrate Sinterklaas in the Netherlands on December 6. Sinterklaas is the protector of children and lives in Spain. He records every kid's behavior in a book with the help of Zwarte Piet, the chimney sweep, who stocks up on gifts. Sinterklaas, his white horse, and Zwarte Piet travel by ship to the Netherlands. On the night of December 5, Dutch kids put out a wooden shoe, along with a carrot and water for Sinterklaas' horse, and Sinterklaas leaves a big bag of presents by the door. Families celebrate together and share traditional food like big chocolate letters and pepernoten (dime-sized cookies which taste like gingerbread).

HANUKKHAH

DECEMBER 11 TO 19

Get those dreidels out and start spinning. For one week in December, Jewish families celebrate Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights. A long time ago, a Jewish temple was destroyed. When the people returned, they wanted to light the holy light there, but they had only enough oil left for one night. Somehow that oil lasted for eight days! To celebrate, families gather to light eight candles one candle each night--in a candle holder called a menorah. The shamash, the ninth candle, is the head candle. It's lit every night and lights all the other candles. Kids play games with spinning tops called dreidels. Everyone exchanges gifts and makes special foods like doughnuts and potato latkes with applesauce or sour cream.

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KWANZAA

DECEMBER 26 TO JANUARY 1

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African-Americans celebrate a holiday this time of year called Kwanzaa. From December 26 to January 1, families gather together to celebrate life and African culture and to give thanks for what they have. Each night they light a candle in the kinara, or candle holder. The seven candles stand for the seven principles of African values. The black candle in the center is lit first, the other red and green ones after it. Families exchange gifts and have a Kwanzaa Karamu, or feast.

So what are you waiting for? This December, go find a reason to celebrate!

Art by Jimmy Holder