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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>Thank you very much!. I see you have been busy, as usual. I understand what Advent is, but I cannot quote scriptures about it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>Wan<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'> Ohio-Communities-of-Faith [mailto:ohio-communities-of-faith-bounces@nfbnet.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>carolyn peters via Ohio-Communities-of-Faith<br><b>Sent:</b> Sunday, December 5, 2021 8:00 AM<br><b>To:</b> ohio-communities-of-faith@nfbnet.org<br><b>Cc:</b> carolyn peters <drcarolyn-peters@att.net><br><b>Subject:</b> [Ohio-Communities-of-Faith] These are the 14 religious holidays believers celebrate in December - Deseret News<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><br><a href="https://www.deseret.com/2018/11/27/20577947/these-are-the-14-religious-holidays-believers-celebrate-in-december">https://www.deseret.com/2018/11/27/20577947/these-are-the-14-religious-holidays-believers-celebrate-in-december</a><o:p></o:p></p></div><div id=article><div><h1 style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:0in;mso-line-height-alt:14.55pt'><span style='font-size:28.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'>Here are 12 religious holidays believers celebrate in December<o:p></o:p></span></h1><div style='margin-bottom:17.4pt;text-align:start;max-width: 100%'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:18.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'><a href="https://www.deseret.com/authors/herb-scribner"><span style='color:#416ED2'>Herb Scribner</span></a>Nov 27, 2018, 12:19pm MST<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width: 100%'><strong><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'>Note:</span></strong><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'> <em><span style='font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'>This article has been updated to reflect this year's dates for these holidays.</span></em><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width: 100%'><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'>December has finally arrived, and with it comes an abundance of colorful lights, vibrant wreaths and a bunch of family parties.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width: 100%'><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'>Most of these celebrations are inspired by Christmas and Hanukkah, the two major religious holidays celebrated by Christians and Jewish believers, respectively, in America.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width: 100%'><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'>But, <a href="http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/06/02/interfaith-marriage/"><span style='color:#416ED2'>with an increasing amount of interfaith marriages</span></a>, many American families have had to figure out <a href="http://www.interfaithfamily.com/holidays/hanukkah_and_christmas/Christmas_Hanukkah_and_the_Interfaith_Family.shtml"><span style='color:#416ED2'>how to celebrate both holidays</span></a>, according to InterfaithFamily, a support website for interfaith families.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width: 100%'><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'>“Though the character of Christmas has changed significantly in modern times, Christmas has never been, forgive the expression, a small potatoes holiday like Hanukkah. As Jews are increasingly accepted into the mainstream of majority-Christian cultures, and marry into Christian families, there is no avoiding the primacy of Christmas.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width: 100%'><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'>But those aren’t the only religious holidays this month that some families may have to celebrate together. In fact, the<a href="http://www.interfaith-calendar.org/2020.htm"><span style='color:#416ED2'> Interfaith Calendar organization</span></a> lists a number of religious holidays for the month of December. Here are 12 holidays with a little explanation on each.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width: 100%'><strong><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'>Dec. 6: Saint Nicholas Day — Christian</span></strong><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width: 100%'><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'>This holiday honors the birth of Saint Nicholas, the saint who serves as a role model for gift-giving and is <a href="http://www.interfaithcalendar.org/calendardefinitions.htm#S"><span style='color:#416ED2'>commonly known as Santa Claus</span></a>, according to Interfaith Calendar.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width: 100%'><strong><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'>Dec. 8: Rohatsu (Bodhi Day) — Buddhist</span></strong><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width: 100%'><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'>This holiday celebrates the historical Buddha’s decision and vow to sit under the Bodhi tree until he reached spiritual enlightenment. It’s celebrated through meditation and is embraced similar to how Christians celebrate Christmas <a href="http://www.doityourself.com/stry/bodhi-day#b"><span style='color:#416ED2'>to honor Jesus Christ</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width: 100%'><strong><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'>Dec. 8: Immaculate Conception — Catholic</span></strong><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width: 100%'><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'>In the lead-up to Jesus’ birthday celebration on Christmas, Catholics celebrate the day of Immaculate Conception to honor his mother Mary, who they say was preserved from original sin <a href="http://www.interfaithcalendar.org/calendardefinitions.htm#i"><span style='color:#416ED2'>for her entire life</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width: 100%'><strong><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'>Dec. 10 to 18: Hanukkah — Judaism</span></strong><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width: 100%'><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'>This is the eight-day Jewish festival of lights, which celebrates the Maccabean revolt in Egypt. Eight candles are lit with a menorah to honor the holiday.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width: 100%'><strong><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'>Dec. 12: Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe — Catholic</span></strong><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width: 100%'><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'>This is a primarily Catholic holiday celebrated by Mexicans and Americans of Mexican descent that honors the reported appearance of the <a href="http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/lady-guadalupe-day"><span style='color:#416ED2'>Virgin Mary in Mexico City</span></a>, according to Interfaith Calendar.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width: 100%'><strong><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'>Dec. 16: Posadas Navidenas — Christian</span></strong><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width: 100%'><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'>This is a primarily Hispanic Christian holiday that commends <a href="http://www.interfaithcalendar.org/calendardefinitions.htm#P"><span style='color:#416ED2'>Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem</span></a> to give birth to Jesus, according to Interfaith Calendar.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width: 100%'><strong><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'>Dec. 21: Solstice — Wicca/Pagan</span></strong><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width: 100%'><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'>Solstice is the point in the year "when the earth is most inclined away from the sun. It is the most southern or northern point depending on the hemisphere," according to Interfaith Calendar. Pagans and Wicca believers will celebrate that event through Yule, in which believers also honor “<a href="http://www.interfaithcalendar.org/calendardefinitions.htm#S"><span style='color:#416ED2'>the winter-born king, symbolized by the rebirth of the sun</span></a>,” Interfaith Calendar explained.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width: 100%'><strong><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'>Dec. 25: Christmas — Christian</span></strong><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width: 100%'><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'>Christmas is a primarily Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. Many will attend <a href="http://www.interfaithcalendar.org/calendardefinitions.htm#c"><span style='color:#416ED2'>church, have family parties and exchange gifts</span></a>, according to Interfaith Calendar.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width: 100%'><strong><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'>Dec. 26: Zarathosht Diso (Death of Prophet Zarathustra) — Zoroastrian</span></strong><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width: 100%'><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'>Unlike many of the other holidays in the month, Zoroastrians <a href="http://www.interfaithcalendar.org/calendardefinitions.htm#z"><span style='color:#416ED2'>honor the death of their prophet</span></a>, Zarathustra, who founded Zoroastrianism, one of the world’s oldest monotheistic religions.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width: 100%'><strong><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'>Dec. 27: Feast of the Holy Family — Catholic</span></strong><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width: 100%'><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'>Catholics use this day to honor <a href="http://www.interfaithcalendar.org/calendardefinitions.htm#h"><span style='color:#416ED2'>Jesus, Mary and Joseph</span></a>, according to Interfaith Calendar.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width: 100%'><strong><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'>Dec. 28: Holy Innocents Day — Christian</span></strong><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width: 100%'><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'>Christians solemnly honor the <a href="http://www.interfaithcalendar.org/calendardefinitions.htm#h"><span style='color:#416ED2'>deaths of children killed by King Herod</span></a>, who was attempting to kill Jesus, according to Interfaith Calendar.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width: 100%'><strong><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'>Dec. 31: Watch Night — Christian</span></strong><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width: 100%'><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'>For Watch Night, Christians will thank God for the safety they received <a href="http://www.interfaithcalendar.org/calendardefinitions.htm#W"><span style='color:#416ED2'>during the year</span></a>, according to Interfaith Calendar.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width: 100%'><strong><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'>For more on world religious holidays, </span></strong><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif'><a href="http://religiouslife.princeton.edu/religious-holidays"><strong><span style='font-family:"-apple-system-font",serif;color:#416ED2'>head to Princeton University's website.</span></strong></a><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>Sent from my iPhone<o:p></o:p></p></div></div></body></html>