All over the world, people of faith and spirituality, as well as secular communities, mark the turning of the seasons and important cultural dates with festivals of light. These traditions may vary in their dates, details, and practices but all can be celebrated in a compassionate way that honors the Earth, its harvests, the sun and moon, and all the beings we share this life with.
Diwali, Hindu Festival of Light
Diwali falls some time between October and November with the exact date depending on the lunar calendar. The five-day festival starts on the darkest night of the year at the end of the Hindu lunar month of Ashvin when there is a new moon that cannot be seen. On this darkest of nights, celebrants bring light. Lamps, lanterns, and candles are lit as families and loved ones come together for this joyful celebration, which celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil.
Food is inevitably a big part of the celebrations with plenty of snacks made and shared. While much or all of the food may be vegetarian, dairy is still commonly used. However, dairy is a product of immense suffering and increasingly people instead substitute dairy for plant-based milks and ghee instead. And what a wealth of amazing vegan foods can be made for Diwali!
St Lucy’s Day
The feast of St Lucy—or Lucia’s Day—is a Christian holiday celebrated every year on December 13th. In the Julian calendar, this was the winter solstice, the day of the year where there is the least amount of daylight. It commemorates the martyrdom of a young woman, whose name means ‘light’, bringing the light of Christianity into a world of darkness. Today, St Lucy’s Day is most commonly celebrated in Sweden, Norway, and the Swedish-speaking areas of Finland, although Christians in many other countries may also honor the day.
Often, the celebrations begin with a procession, led by a girl or young woman dressed in white, with participants carrying candles or wearing crowns made of them. As well as being the bearer of light, the symbolic Lucy hands out treats. In Sweden, this is most likely to be pepparkakor (ginger biscuits) and lussekatter (saffron buns) and there is usually a glass or two of glögg (mulled wine). These traditional treats can easily be made using vegan recipes, making the celebration fully inclusive for all who wish to participate.
Hanukkah, Jewish Festival of Light
Hanukkah is the Jewish festival of light which lasts for eight days and nights, and begins on the 25th day of Kislev in the Hebrew calendar. This means the celebration falls sometime between late November and December each year.
Hanukkah commemorates the driving out of the invading army of Seleucids by a small band of Jews and the reclamation of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. After sunset on each night of Hanukkah, the menorah is lit (except on a Friday when it is lit before the Shabbat candle). On the first night, one candle is lit, and from then on, each night, an additional candle is lit. Special blessings are said and traditional songs sung. And then, comes the food! Often, this is latkes (fried potato cakes) and sufganiyot (doughnuts) but each family and community around the world may have its own traditions. Jewish vegans can adapt these recipes very easily and remain connected to their faith, communities, and traditions.
Christmas, Festival of Light
This Christian day celebrates God’s act of love for the world through the birth of his son, Jesus Christ. It is a time to reflect on Christian values such as selflessness, compassion, love, and peace. Many different traditions belong to this date, some of which herald from pre-Christian midwinter celebrations, and include candles and Christmas lights, which may adorn trees, houses, and gardens.
Other traditions include attending a church service, exchanging gifts, and singing carols and hymns. Families and communities each have their own traditions, too, which may include taking a walk together, making wreaths of holly and other evergreen plants, playing games, and of course, enjoying a meal together. Christmas lunch is a focal point of the day and there are many delicious recipes available that adhere to the traditional fare, while also adhering to the principles of peace and compassion.
Kwanzaa Traditions and Dates
Kwanzaa is an African American and pan-African holiday created in 1966. From December 26th until January 1st, families and communities organize activities around the Nguzo Saba, the Seven Principles: Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity), and Imani (Faith). Seven candles represent the Seven Principles and a different one is lit for each day of the celebration.
Celebrants play music, drum, dance, recite poetry, and tell stories. Food is an important part of this festival of light, and each family and community enjoys its own culinary traditions with most of the dishes being easily adaptable for those who do not eat animals or animal products. Search online for lots of great Kwanzaa recipes!
Kwanzaa ends with a day dedicated to reflection where participants may ask themselves three questions: Who am I? Am I really who I say I am? And am I all I ought to be?
Imbolc, A Gaelic Celebration
Imbolc (pronounced im-molk) is an ancient Celtic festival which is celebrated by Pagans, Wiccans and Druids. It is traditionally celebrated on February 1st and marks the halfway point between the winter solstice (the shortest day) and the spring equinox (the day when both day and night are equal again). Imbolc is a festival of light and celebrates the first stirrings of spring after a long winter. It’s a time of hope and preparation for the year to come.
In Druid ceremonies, eight candles are lit and floated on water. These signify the Goddess Brighid’s Eightfold Wheel – the eight festivals that mark the turning of the year. Imbolc is often a highly personalised celebration, where celebrants may take time to be alone out in the world, quietly noticing those first fragile shoots of spring. Or there may be a coming together to celebrate this subtle but important shift in the changing seasons. Dairy was a traditional food of Imbolc, along with grains and seeds that are made into bread and seeded cakes. Today, we can honor the sacred earth by choosing plant-based milks and cheeses, and by making breads and cakes using vegan ingredients.
Lantern Festival
The Lantern Festival or Yuanxiao Festival (元宵节) is a traditional Chinese celebration which takes place on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month of the year, falling between February 4th and March 6th. It marks the first full moon of the new lunar year and the end of the Chinese New Year festival period. Lanterns are lit throughout streets and homes, and the evening is celebrated with fireworks and dragon or lion dances. The lanterns symbolize the letting go of the old year and the welcoming in of the new.
During the Lantern festival, people eat tangyuan (also known as yuanxiao) which are balls of glutinous rice stuffed with different fillings, such as brown sugar, sesame seeds, peanuts, or bean paste, and served in a sweet soup. Tangyuan can be made using vegan butter or coconut oil, making them a perfect treat for those wishing to start the new year without using ingredients that harm animals.
