Hanukkah | Festivus | Christmas | New Year

Hanukkah – Saturday 8th December – Sunday 16th December

Hanukkah/Chanukah/Chanukkah/Chanuka/Chanukah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday.

Want to know more:

• Explore Hanakkah and other Jewish Holidays on Wellington City Libraries’ Kids Catalog Web.
• Hanukkah! / written by Roni Schotter ; illustrated by Marylin Hafner.
• Essential Judaism: a complete guide to beliefs, customs and rituals / George Robinson.
• Have a listen to Chanukah from our CD Collection.

Festivus – Sunday 23rd December

• Festivus is a secular holiday seen on Seinfeld.
• The name “Festivus” has now begun to be used as a general term for any type of December party not related to religious holidays. It has been referred to as “Festivus for the rest of us,” and described as “another way” to celebrate the holiday season without participating in pressure and commercialism.
• To celebrate one puts out an unadorned aluminum “Festivus pole,” and takes part in the “Airing of Grievances” (consists of lashing out at others and the world about how one has been disappointed in the past year), “Feats of Strength” (a wrestling match and tradition states that Festivus is not over until the head of the household is pinned), and “Festivus Miracles.” (the labelling of easily explainable events as miracles).
• For more information: festivusbook.com and festivusweb.com

Christmas – Tuesday 25th December

• Explore Christmas and find interesting facts, stories and recipes on Wellington City Libraries’ Kids Catalog Web.

Other useful links in our collection to help you celebrate:

• Christmas History
• Christmas Cookery
• Christmas Music
• Christmas Decorations
• Christmas Trees
• Christmas Stories

New Years Eve – Monday 31st December

• For idea’s on what to do on the big night check out subjects Parties and Party Decorations in our catalogue.

For fabulous food and beverage ideas:

• Jugs / Steve Quirk.
• Marie Claire Drinks and nibbles.
• Bite by bite: 100 stylish little plates you can make for any party / Peter Callahan; [foreword by Martha Stewart
• Nibbled: 200 fabulous finger food ideas / photography by Tim Robinson; styling by Sarah DeNardi.
• My party: canapés and cocktails, by Pete Evans; cocktails by Mark Ward.
• Fizz: recipes for fabulous cocktails & party food.