Neighbors share holiday traditions infused with cultural history

Date: 12/14/2009

By Amanda Butcher

Special to Reminder Publications



We all know of cultures around the world that celebrate holidays differently than we do, but some of these traditions are celebrated in our own town.

About 4,800 miles away is Athens, the capital of Greece. Here in East Longmeadow, I talked with a Greek family who told me that special hymns are sung every Sunday at church and Christmas pageants are put on. Their holiday season is a long one, beginning with the Nativity Fast in mid-November, during which no meat is eaten for 40 days, and Christmas is not celebrated until Jan. 1.

When January first comes at last, children in Greece and East Longmeadow alike receive gifts from their parents and godparents. Their Santa Claus is based on a fourth century bishop, Saint Basil (also known as Saint Vasilis). He was a wealthy man who gave everything away to the impoverished and children, earning him the nickname "Defender of the Poor."

Named after Saint Basil is a cake called Vassilopita, in which a coin is baked. Each guest sharing in the celebration is given a piece, and the person who gets the piece with the coin is said to have good luck for the rest of the year.

Approximately 1,000 miles away from Athens is Warsaw, Poland. On Dec. 24, children sit at the windowsill, waiting for the first star to appear in the heavens, a sign which would indicate that the celebration could start.

A few days before, the family had prepared the Christmas Eve banquet. No part of this seven-course meal could be meat because it is said that animals become human-like on Christmas Eve, and children who have been good can understand them speak.

A little over 4,000 miles away here in East Longmeadow, my family also watches for the first star. When it finally appears, we begin our dinner and celebration with Wigilia. Wigilia starts with a very special tradition where the family shares op atek (a wafer) with each other, wishing health, happiness, and luck for the year. At dinner, a seat is always left empty for an unexpected guest or in memory of a departed loved one.

I also talked with a Jewish family, who told me that their holiday season begins the 25th of the Hebrew month of Kislev, and it is the first night of Hanukkah. Each of the eight nights of Hanukkah is celebrated with gifts and with lighting a candle in a menorah in memory of the time the early temple was kept lit for eight days with only one small jar of oil.

Playing with the top-like toy called a dreidel also has historical significance. When study of the Hebrew Torah was banned, children would sit outside of the synagogue, sort of like sentries. When soldiers came by, they would begin to play with their dreidels and the unsuspecting soldiers would pass by, and study of the Torah would continue. The modern game of dreidel is played for chocolate coins.

Hoping for the coin in the vassilopita, sharing op atek, and playing dreidel for chocolate coins are just three of the many, many holiday traditions that are celebrated in East Longmeadow and around the world. And the one universal holiday tradition is spending time with family.

I wish everyone special times with your families and very happy holidays!