Happy Holidays to you. That's right, holidays. There are at least ten by January 1.

December 5th is Ashura when some Muslims celebrate when Musa or Moses and his people obtained victory over the Egyptian Pharaoh.

December 8th is Bodhi Day, when Buddhists celebrate Buddha's attainment of enlightenment under the Bodhi tree.

December 16th is Las Posadas involving the re-enactment of Mary and Joseph searching for lodgings.

December 20th starts Hanukkah celebrating the Maccabees’ recapture of the second Temple from the Syrian Greeks in 165 B.C.

On December 21st, many Christians celebrate St. Thomas’ Day in honor of the Apostle.

Dec 21-25 is Pancha Ganapati, a modern Hindu festival celebrating Lord Ganesha.

December 22nd is the Winter solstice marking the day with the least hours of daylight.

Christmas falls on the 25th, and celebrates the nativity, or birth, of Jesus Christ.

On December 26th is the start of Kwanzaa, an African-American celebration that goes through New Year's Day. It is an important part of sharing African heritage and culture with family.

On January 1, Lutheran churches and others celebrate the Feast of the Circumcision of Christ, a demonstration that Christ was fully human.

You see, there's so much to celebrate this holiday season. We can be so inclusive by greeting everyone with "Happy Holidays". However, if you wish me a "Merry Christmas", assuming I'm Christian, I'll look you right in the eye and wish you a "Joyous Kwansaa", since we all came from Africa.

Gordon Clay
Brookings, OR