Muggle advertising unilaterally claims that Christmas is ‘the most magical time of the year.'
Here at Witch Weekly, we know that Christmas is as magical as you make it, but not necessarily different from the rest of your (no doubt gloriously packed) year. This issue, we’ve included a special on how other magical communities spend their holidays.
Whilst here in the UK, the biggest festival is by far Christmas, it isn’t by any stretch of the imagination the only festival celebrated.
With the recently renewed stirring from the Welsh separatist faction, there has been a resurgence of the celebration of Saturnalia, a Roman festival which seems to be the only lasting effect the Romans had on the local Druid communities. For two thousand years, these communities have been celebrating the end of the year and the winter solstice by partying as if it were AD 99. Paying homage to Roman times when masters and slaves would trade positions for a day, the magical folk spend the festival pretending to be muggles, both by avoiding the use of magic, but also by forgoing their usual robes for jeans and sweaters.
Across the pond in the Americas, the wizarding community more or less divested themselves of Christianity after the church turned on them during the Salem Witch Trials.
Whilst many continue to celebrate the gift-giving spirit of Christmas, significant segments of the population celebrate Chanukkah or Kwanzaa. A relatively new holiday, Kwanzaa was first celebrated in 1965, born from the Civil Rights and Black Power movements of the time. It’s a celebration of African-American culture, community and faith. Each day of the week of Kwanzaa celebrates a different principle: Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity), and Imani (Faith). African-American wizards put their own spin on the celebration by devoting the day of Kuumba to encouraging creative progression in the magical arts and the day of Kujichagulia to practicing the native magic of their ancestors.
Magical Jewish communities celebrate Chanukkah just like their muggle brethren--by lighting candles on the chanukkiah. Each candle representing a day that the Temple’s lamps remained lit after its sack by the Greeks, and eating fried foods (representing the oil of the lamps), with a little magical addition. To celebrate the defeat of the Greek occupation of Judea by guerrilla tactics, children (and the adults who are game) prank each other by laying traps for those unlucky enough to not notice them. Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes has even come out with its own line of Chanukkah merchandise tailored for the holiday.
As you celebrate Christmas, Saturnalia, Kwanzaa or Channukah in your home this holiday season, submit your photos or art to Witch Weekly by tagging us in your post on tumblr!
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Beyond the Yuletide: Other Wizarding Holidays to Celebrate in December
LUMOS
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