The Festive Season is Not just About Santa

Literacy Tools for Teaching About All the Other Cultures Celebrating Right Now

We are now well into the festive season with many people already enjoying a well-earned holiday. I have also already heard my fair share of ‘People can’t say Christmas anymore’ and ‘We shouldn’t be afraid to say Merry Christmas!’ Although, I agree with the second, I have never real seen or heard any evidence of the first. However, I do know the reason for people saying Happy Holidays is because there are about 12 other ones being celebrated within these few weeks. And it is just so much quicker to say ‘Happy Holidays’ than ‘Merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah, Happy St Lucia’s Day, Happy Kwanzaa…..’ .

I am also well aware that I am not the first to share this piece of news about other holidays. But I am one of the first to use this opportunity as a shameless plug (actually, also probably not)! As the creator of SpellMe, the spelling app that helps with spelling (catchy, right?!), I have spent some time creating 13 sets of word lists, one for each of the festivities. Each set contains words related to the cultural events, split up into 7 different word lists, one for each grade from Kindergarten to Grade 6. The 91 word lists are there to supplement the already quite large (and growing) list of structured literacy/phonics based word lists the app contains. You can check them all out now or use the app to make your own lists. But I did also want to give some info on each of the celebrations, as I am genuinely interested in them, and wanted to share what I had found.

Below is a summary of the different festivities, organised by date, stating what the celebration is, who celebrates it and when.

Early December

👞 St. Nicholas Day

What it is: A favorite for children in Europe, this day honors the saint known for secret gift-giving. Kids leave their shoes out the night before to be filled with treats, coins, or small gifts. Culture/Religion: Christian / European (Popular in Germany, Netherlands, Belgium). When: December 6th.

🪷 Bodhi Day

What it is: A peaceful commemoration of the day Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha) attained enlightenment while sitting under the Bodhi tree. It is observed with meditation, reading sutras, and eating a traditional meal of rice and milk. Culture/Religion: Buddhist. When: December 8th (Japan/Secular calendar) or varying lunar dates.

👸 St. Lucia’s Day

What it is: A festival of lights that brightens the dark Nordic winter. It features a procession led by a girl wearing a crown of candles, symbolizing light in the darkness, and eating saffron buns. Culture/Religion: Scandinavian (Sweden, Norway, Denmark) / Christian. When: December 13th.

Mid-to-Late December

🪅 Las Posadas

What it is: A nine-day celebration reenacting Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter (posada) in Bethlehem. Each night features processions, songs, and parties with piñatas. Culture/Religion: Mexican / Latin American / Catholic. When: December 16th — 24th.

☀️ Soyal

What it is: The winter solstice ceremony of the Hopi people. It marks the time when the Kachinas (spirits) come down from the mountains to help bring the sun back to the world. Culture/Religion: Hopi (Native American). When: Winter Solstice (around December 21st).

🕎 Hanukkah

What it is: The Jewish “Festival of Lights,” celebrating the miracle where oil meant to last one day burned for eight. Families light the menorah, play dreidel, and eat fried foods like latkes. Culture/Religion: Jewish. When: Eight days (varies based on Hebrew calendar, usually Nov/Dec).

🎄 Christmas

What it is: The celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, as well as a secular season of giving. Traditions include decorating trees, exchanging gifts, and family feasts. Culture/Religion: Christian / Global Secular. When: December 25th.

🕯️ Kwanzaa

What it is: A celebration of African American culture and heritage. It focuses on seven core principles (Nguzo Saba), including unity and creativity, ending with a feast and gift exchange. Culture/Religion: African American / Pan-African. When: December 26th — January 1st.

🥳 Hogmanay

What it is: The distinct Scottish celebration of New Year’s Eve. Famous for massive street parties, fire festivals, and “first-footing” — the tradition of being the first person to cross a friend’s threshold after midnight for good luck. Culture/Religion: Scottish. When: December 31st.

January & February

🦁 Guru Gobind Singh’s Birthday

What it is: A celebration of the birth of the tenth Sikh Guru, a warrior-poet who founded the Khalsa brotherhood. It is marked by parades (Nagar Kirtan) and community service. Culture/Religion: Sikh. When: Varies (typically January 5th or based on the lunar calendar).

🔥 Lohri

What it is: A popular winter folk festival that marks the passing of the winter solstice. It is celebrated by lighting bonfires, singing, dancing to drumbeats, and eating festive foods like sesame and jaggery. Culture/Religion: Punjabi / North Indian. When: January 13th.

🪁 Makar Sankranti

What it is: A major harvest festival marking the sun’s journey into Capricorn. It is famously celebrated by taking holy dips in rivers and filling the sky with thousands of kites. Culture/Religion: Hindu / Indian. When: January 14th.

🏮 Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year)

What it is: The most important holiday in Chinese culture, marking the start of the lunar year. It involves family reunions, red envelopes for luck, dragon dances, and the Lantern Festival. Culture/Religion: Chinese / East Asian. When: Varies (between January 21st and February 20th).

Where can I find these?

If you are interested in checking out the word lists or getting your child or student to use them for spelling practice, you can register for a free SpellMe account, and go to the word lists page, click on the button below and you’ll see all the current lists.

During this festive period, I will be highlighting a different festive list each day as “Festive Word List of the Day” on the SpellMe landing page, and will be sharing it on social media, too. I will be adding new lists continually over the next 12 months, so look out for more, like Easter, Ramadan and others during those times. I hope you enjoy them, and I would love to hear how you are celebrating.

Wishing you all happiness and good fortune during this period, whatever you celebrate and wherever you are.

A version of this article was originally published at https://spellme.app on December 15, 2025. Main image from Gemini.