Winter brings the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Beyond the Trail of Lights and Zilker Holiday Tree, the capital city is home to many cultures and traditions.
Las Posadas
Austinite Ruth Rosales fondly recalls the tradition of families and communities celebrating Las Posadas in her native Mexico.
"The children gather together and go from house to house, singing the traditional song 'Canto Para Pedir Posada' while holding sparklers," Rosales said. "Afterward, we would break a piñata, scramble to gather the candy and then eat a huge meal with the whole community. The kids would try to finish the song before their sparklers ran out, making it more fun for us. It's a very happy celebration."
Mexico and much of Latin America celebrate Las Posadas from Dec. 16-24. The event reenacts Mary and Joseph's search for shelter before the birth of Jesus, with children leading a nightly procession to homes, representing the journey. In Austin, Mexican-American communities continue the tradition of sharing foods such as tamales, buñuelos, and atole during community feasts.
Kwanzaa
The George Washington Carver Museum will host its 10th annual Kwanzaa event from 1-4 p.m. Dec. 28. This year's theme focuses on collective work and responsibility. The free event will feature traditional African dancing, storytelling, music, children's activities and a variety of African cuisines catered by local restaurants.
"This is one of the museum's biggest events of the year," said Cathy Runnels, the museum's cultural arts and education specialist. "We see people from all walks of life who want to celebrate new traditions. We try to make it all about the children and their experience. We want to make it special for them."
Kwanzaa is celebrated from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1 and was created in 1966 to honor African American and Pan-African history, values, family and culture. It centers around seven core principles: unity, self-determination, collective work, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith. The kinara, a seven-branched candleholder, symbolizes these guiding principles.
Hanukkah
Also known as the "festival of lights," the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah "is all about spending quality time with family and the Jewish community," Bari Steinholz said. "One of my favorite memories is attending Shabbat Hanukkah services where all the families brought their menorahs. We placed them on a long table in the middle of the temple, dimmed the lights and lit the candles. The whole synagogue was lit up in a beautiful glow."
Gift-giving has recently become more common. In the Steinholz-Speiser home, the children receive several small gifts, like books and chocolate gelt, and one more meaningful gift.
"Jews and food go hand in hand, so we always have jelly donuts, called sufganiyot, and latkes," Steinholz said.
This year, Hannukah begins at sundown Dec. 25 and continues for eight days.
The traditional lighting of the menorah will take place at the Texas State Capitol on Dec. 25, and Congregation Beth Israel will host its annual Channukah Celebration on Dec. 15. Both events are open to the public.
Lunar New Year
Austinites can welcome the Year of the Snake at the Lunar New Year Festival on Feb. 2 at The Paper + Craft Pantry, 1023 Springdale Road, 6A.
This free event will feature lion and dragon dances, interactive children's activities, original artwork, food and books from Asian-owned small businesses.
People wear red to celebrate the end of the old year and usher in the new one with fireworks. Money in red envelopes is given to younger generations, while families enjoy traditional meals when visiting loved ones.
Boxing Day
Lacey Warren, daughter of an English father and an American mother, recalls her childhood when her family extended the Christmas Day festivities into the following day, otherwise known as Boxing Day.
"We always had a Boxing Day brunch," she said. "It always felt inclusive, but my parents played up the traditional, almost kitschy nature of it - lots of Union Jack swag and the classic, British, working-class fare since that's the point of the holiday."
The name Boxing Day may come from the tradition of giving gift boxes or from opening alms boxes in churches to collect donations for the poor, according to Britannica.
Austinites can attend the Central Public Library's annual Boxing Day Community Swap from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 28. Attendees are asked to bring any unneeded holiday items and gifts to swap with others.
For Hanukkah, "the whole synagogue was lit up in a beautiful glow."