Seeking light in a dark time of year

+ King Herod, solstice rituals, holiday spices US Edition - Today's top story: Yule – a celebration of the return of light and warmth [View in browser]( US Edition | 25 December 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( The festival spirit is everywhere – from Christmas carols at stores and malls to the sweet aromas of freshly baked goods and other holiday treats. With its diversity of traditions and practices, this is my favorite time of the year, for which, as the senior editor of the religion and ethics desk, I start to prepare – with the help of my colleague Molly Jackson – months in advance. The winter solstice has just passed, and for some, after welcoming the return of light, it’s a time for rest and reflection. As Brandeis University sociologist Helen Berger, who studies pagan rituals, explains, it is a time of “[celebration of the returning Sun]( and having the time and inclination for reflection during a dark and cold time.” For others – from Iran to Azerbaijan to the U.S. – the [celebration of solstice, known as Yalda](, is a time of welcoming Ahura Mazda, the Zoroastrian lord of wisdom. Many people in the U.S. and global African diaspora, meanwhile, are preparing for the [weeklong celebrations of Kwanzaa](. Elsewhere, people are celebrating the birth of Jesus, marked with their unique cultural and religious traditions. Many of the Nativity scenes around the world [will showcase varied practices]( in the materials, the gifts to baby Jesus, or the people and animals present at the manger, as University of Dayton scholars Kayla Harris and Neomi De Anda found in their research. Food, of course, will be central to these activities. My favorite at this time of the year is the plum cake, or the Christmas pudding. I learned only recently from an article written by Texas A&M University historian Troy Bickham how this iconic pudding, with ingredients from former colonies, is a [reminder of the lasting legacy of the British Empire](, which my homeland of India was once a part of. Highlighting these myriad traditions and histories, which speak to our uniqueness but also our collective connections, is what makes the work of our religion and ethics desk so meaningful. As I retreat from work for a few days, I’ll be looking at the lights from my Diwali celebration, glowing alongside my neighbors’ Christmas décor, much in the way [Christmas trees and menorahs sit side by side]( during the holiday season. [ [Understand what’s going on in Washington and around the world. Get our Politics Weekly newsletter.]( ] Kalpana Jain Senior Religion + Ethics Editor/ Director of the Global Religion Journalism Initiative People gather for Pagan sunrise celebrations in Ireland, on the morning of the winter solstice. Brian Lawless/PA Images via Getty Images [Yule – a celebration of the return of light and warmth]( Helen A. Berger, Brandeis University Yule, celebrated by Wiccans and many other Pagans in the Northern Hemisphere on Dec. 21, the day of the winter solstice, is a time for reflection. A handmade Nativity from Kyrgyzstan by an unknown artisan. Instead of a stable, it features a yurt, the traditional home of nomadic Kyrgyz people. The Marian Library, University of Dayton [Who is at the manger? Nativity sets around the world show each culture’s take on the Christmas story]( Kayla Harris, University of Dayton; Neomi De Anda, University of Dayton The Christmas story is about Jesus coming to mankind. As holiday decorations show, Christians around the world often picture him in their own cultures. The Christmas pudding, a legacy of the British Empire, is enjoyed around the world – including in former British colonies. esp_imaging/iStock via Getty Images Plus [How the Christmas pudding, with ingredients taken from the colonies, became an iconic British food]( Troy Bickham, Texas A&M University The Christmas pudding, once known as the ‘Empire Pudding,’ reflects the lasting legacy of the British Empire. [Was King Herod the Great really so ‘great’? What history says about the bad guy of the Christmas story]( Aaron Gale, West Virginia University Historians know a fair bit about Herod the Great, the king of Judea at the time of Jesus’ birth. [How cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger became the scents of winter holidays, far from their tropical origins]( Serina DeSalvio, Texas A&M University Spices have been prized commodities for centuries. Today, ‘warm’ flavors boost our health and spirits in fall and winter. [Hanukkah celebrations have changed dramatically − but the same is true of Christmas]( Samira Mehta, University of Colorado Boulder Assimilation no doubt played a role in making Hanukkah the commercialized holiday it is today. But other factors shaped the modern festival, too, a scholar of Jewish studies and gender explains. [Why early Christians wouldn’t have found the Christmas story’s virgin birth so surprising]( Rodolfo Galvan Estrada III, Vanguard University The idea of virgin birth has been part of Christianity since the start, but its significance has shifted over time. [How Christmas became an American holiday tradition, with a Santa Claus, gifts and a tree]( Thomas Adam, University of Arkansas Christmas was popularized in the United States during the American Civil War, when Harper’s Weekly featured the image of Santa Claus visiting the Union Army on its front page. [What winter solstice rituals tell us about indigenous people]( Rosalyn R. LaPier, University of Montana For indigenous peoples, winter solstice has been a time to honor their ancient sun deity. Their rituals reveal a deep understanding of the natural world. [What Kwanzaa means for Black Americans]( Frank Dobson, Vanderbilt University For the African-American community, Kwanzaa is not just any “Black holiday. ” It is a recognition that knowledge of Black history is worthwhile. [‘Twas the night before Christmas’ helped make the modern Santa – and led to a literary whodunit]( Melissa Chim, General Theological Seminary ‘A Visit from St. Nicholas’ is one of the most famous American poems. But who wrote it? [A Persian festival, Yalda, celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, with pomegranates, poetry and sacred rituals]( Pardis Mahdavi, Arizona State University People stay up all night, telling stories and eating dried fruits, in addition to watermelon and pomegranate, to celebrate the sunrise soon after the longest night of the year. [What’s the point of giving gifts? An anthropologist explains this ancient part of being human]( Chip Colwell, University of Colorado Denver Presents are about giving, receiving and reciprocating, and how this cycle strengthens relationships. - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly and biweekly emails: • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Politics Weekly]( • [Global Perspectives]( • [Global Economy & Business]( Trying out new social media? 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