At the heart of the story of Jesus of Nazareth is a man whose life has left an enduring impact on the world. According to the accounts found in the Gospels, Jesus is said to have led a remarkable life. His life and teachings are always described in letters written by Paul, and he is also mentioned by the Jewish historian Josephus.

The Gospels, attributed to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, serve as primary sources, each presenting a unique perspective on Jesus’ life. These accounts are akin to friends sharing their recollections of a significant event, creating a picture of the man and his teachings.

Paul, a prominent figure in the early Christian movement, wrote letters to various communities, discussing Jesus’ life and teachings. His letters provide additional insights into the beliefs and practices of the early followers of Jesus.

The historian Josephus, who lived during the same period, contributed to our understanding of the historical context in which Jesus lived. His writings touch upon various aspects of Jewish history, including references to Jesus.

The story begins with the miraculous birth of Jesus. According to the accounts, Mary, his mother, received a visit from an angel who foretold the birth of a special child. Mary, and the man she was to marry, Joseph, traveled from their home in Nazareth to Bethlehem where they were to be taxed by the Roman Empire. In Bethlehem, Mary gave birth to Jesus in a stable for animals because there was no room for them in the inns – or hotels – in the town. Shepherds were believed to have seen an angel and followed a star to the stable where they celebrated the birth of the child they believed would become their king. Later, Wise Men from the Orient visited the child Jesus and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and murr. To this day, Jesus’s birth is celebrated on Christmas and is reenacted in plays and reimagined in different ornaments and artwork to remember the birth of the child. 

As Jesus grew, he gained a reputation for performing miracles. These included healing the sick, turning water into wine, and, in one instance, even bringing a man back to life. These accounts portray Jesus as someone with extraordinary abilities, fostering a belief among many that he possessed unique powers.

Jesus’ teachings form an important part of his legacy. He emphasized principles such as kindness, compassion, and love. One of his well-known teachings is the Golden Rule: “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” This simple yet profound principle advocates treating others with the same kindness and respect one desires for oneself.

His teachings extended to helping those in need, urging his followers to help the hungry, the poor, and the less fortunate. The idea was to cultivate a sense of responsibility and create a world where everyone looks out for one another.

However, according to the accounts of his followers, not everyone embraced Jesus’ message. Powerful figures felt threatened by his teachings, leading to his arrest and subsequent death. Despite the tragic end, his followers believed that Jesus came back to life and his “resurrection” as it was called means that like Jesus others can have life after death.

Following the death of Jesus, his followers (also called disciples), who had been witnesses to Jesus’ teachings and believed in his resurrection, continued to spread his message. They traveled to different regions, carrying the message of love, redemption, and the promise of eternal life. This missionary activity led to the formation of communities of believers who followed the teachings of Jesus and saw him as the promised Messiah. These groups became known as Christians because they believed Jesus was a Savior or Christ who would save them.

The Apostle Paul, in particular, played an important role in the early growth of Christianity. Paul traveled throughout the Mediterranean region teaching about Jesus and bringing new people to the faith, including Greeks and people of all backgrounds and ethnicities.

Paul’s letters, which are now included in the New Testament, taught about Jesus and his missionary journeys. They form the early theology of the belief in Jesus as the Christ.

As the Christian communities grew, they faced both acceptance and opposition. The teachings of Jesus, emphasizing love, compassion, and equality, resonated with many, but they also challenged existing social norms and religious practices. Christians were sometimes persecuted for their beliefs, but this adversity only fueled their commitment to the message of Jesus.

Over the centuries, Christianity continued to evolve, adopting various cultural practices and incorporating diverse ideas. Eventually, it became the new religion of the Roman Empire, which led to its spread across the Empire, Europe, and beyond. Later, Christmas became a Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus. Many of the symbols of Christmas today come from the stories of his birth: bright stars and gifts for example.

Today, it is estimated there are over 2 billion Christians worldwide, which are made up of many different types of believers, churches, and denominations – but most are united in the belief in Jesus as a divine being and teacher. But even for those who aren’t believers in Jesus’s divinity, many today accept Jesus as a gifted numbered among Buddha, Confucius, and Gandhi, who have led by their example of how to treat others with kindness and compassion. 

The teachings of Jesus continue to resonate today. You may wonder how what Jesus said and did can apply to your own life. Jesus taught, “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” It’s easy to become focused on ourselves, but there’s so much going on outside of us and others want to be treated with the same respect we expect.

We all goof up sometimes, right? Jesus was big on forgiving others (and yourself!). So, if someone messes up, or you make a mistake, don’t be too hard on yourself or others. Learn from it, forgive, and move on. 

Jesus taught about compassion. He said we should “love our neighbor” meaning those around us. He taught that he might even mean someone we don’t necessarily like, and even taught his followers to love their enemies. Little acts of kindness, helping out a friend, or volunteering in your community — that’s like living out Jesus’ message of helping those around you.

It’s cool to be awesome at stuff, but remember, nobody’s perfect. Jesus talked about being humble, which means being real about your strengths and weaknesses. It’s all about learning, growing, and staying down-to-earth. He also taught us not to judge others and to try and see our faults and how we can improve before we try and make judgments of others.

Everyone’s got their own story, right? Jesus was big on respecting everyone, no matter where they come from or who they are. He treated people who were normally shunned like the sick or those who made poor decisions the same as everyone else. He often criticized the leaders who were judgemental and didn’t treat others with kindness. Like Jesus, treating others with respect, no matter the differences is like spreading good vibes everywhere you go.

Life can get pretty hectic, huh? Jesus knew the importance of taking a breather. Often, he took the time to get away from the crowds, pray meditate and clear his head. He often did this in the mountains or quiet places or while he walked from town to town. So, set some boundaries for yourself. Take a break, reflect, and take care of your mental and emotional well-being.

In summary, the story of Jesus of Nazareth transcends religious boundaries, offering valuable lessons that can inspire people from all walks of life to strive for a world characterized by empathy, understanding, and goodwill.

We hope you enjoyed learning about the origins of the Christmas holiday and the story of Jesus of Nazareth and his teachings; however you celebrate the winter holiday whether it be Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Chinese New Year, or one of the other many holidays across the wide world, we wish you a happy holiday and New Year!

The post History of Jesus of Nazareth for Kids appeared first on Bedtime History: Podcast and Videos For Kids.

Not only do these holidays mean special foods, traditions, and gatherings, they also each have their own history and stories to go with them. For millions of Jews around the world, early December means celebrating Hanukkah for eight nights. 

Hanukkah is Jewish holiday that has its own meaning and history. Judaism is a very old religion that started in the part of the world we now call the middle east. Jews believe in one god, just like Christians and Muslims. Judaism actually uses the same Bible as Christians,  though only the first part – the old testament,  which they call the Tanakh. They also have a special name for the first five books of the bible: the Torah. They don’t use the New Testament, which has the parts about Jesus. Jews celebrate their sabbath, or holy day, on Saturday. On that day, they might go to a worship service at a Synagogue,  and many avoid work and buying things. 

Even though it happens around the same time of year, Hanukkah is not a Jewish version of Christmas. Christmas celebrates the birth of the Christian savior, Jesus. Hanukkah celebrates a miracle that happened for the Jewish people over 2 thousand years ago. Even though the Jews believe in the old testament of the Bible, this story isn’t in the Bible. Even though it’s very old, it happened long after the stories told in the Torah. Let me tell you the story. 

A long time ago, in the middle of the second century BCE, the Jewish homeland, in what is now called Israel, was ruled by a Syrian-Greek power called the Seleucid Empire. The Seleucids thought that Greek culture and customs were the best in the world. The king, Antiochus, made it illegal to practice the Jewish religion and customs. He put an altar to the Greek god Zeus in the Jewish temple in Jerusalem, even though the Jews believed in only one God (and it wasn’t Zeus). He allowed his priests to sacrifice a pig to the Greek gods in the temple. The Jews believed that pigs are unclean. Jews could be punished very severely if they were caught practicing their religion. 

The Jews did not want to give up their religion or abandon their belief in one god. And they didn’t believe it was okay to pretend to follow the Greek gods, either. But they had to hide their religion. Jews would gather to pray and study the Torah in secret. If a Seleucid patrol passed by, they would quickly hide their books and pretend to play a game with a spinning top. 

King Antiochus began to send soldiers to all the villages in the area to make sure that the Jews were sacrificing to the Greek gods. When they reached a small town called Modi’in though, the Jewish priest there, Mattathias, refused to cooperate. He and his five sons fought off the soldiers and destroyed the pagan altar they’d set up. 

After that, Mattathias knew they’d be in trouble. He and his sons – John, Simon, Judah, Eliezer, and Jonathan – ran to the nearby hills to hide. 

But they weren’t done fighting for their right to practice their religion. The family returned with many other Jews who had fled persecution and started a revolt. Mattathias asked his son Simon, who was known for his wisdom, to guide the others in their decisions. He asked Judah, who was nicknamed “Maccabee”, which means “the hammer”, to lead the people into battle. Later, the whole family and their followers would also come to be known as the Maccabees.

The revolt lasted nearly 20 years. King Antiochus sent many armies to fight the rebels, but the Maccabees defeated every one, and eventually took back Jerusalem and their temple. For the Jewish people, Jerusalem is a special place, and the temple there was the most important one of all. Mattathias’ last living son, Simon, became the ruler of Judea. 

But the price of all the fighting was high. 

Even though they had taken back Jerusalem, the  temple had been nearly destroyed in the fighting. The temple lamp, called a menorah, had been stolen by the Seleucids. This lamp had seven branches, each with its own flame: one in the middle, higher than the rest, and three on either side of it. The temple menorah was made of gold, had beautiful decorations, and was supposedly as tall as a grown-up! 

The Jews cleaned up the temple, getting rid of the statues of the Greek gods. They built a new altar and a new menorah. They performed a special ceremony to rededicate the temple to their god. 

But it seemed their problems weren’t at an end. Priests were supposed to light the menorah lamps each morning, letting them burn all day and night, until the next morning. One candle from the previous day was always used to light all the others each morning, so the flame never went out completely. These flames were fed by the purest olive oil, but after all the fighting, there was only enough oil to light the lamp for one day. 

But then a miracle happened: the flames didn’t die out by the next morning. Instead, the oil lasted for 8 days! This gave the Jews enough time to make more oil, and ensured that the lamp wouldn’t go out again. More importantly, the miracle gave them hope that their god was still there, protecting them and caring for them. He had literally given them light in a very dark time. 

The priests decided that every year, the Jews would remember this miracle and their rededication of the temple by lighting candles for eight nights. The celebration starts on the 25th day of the month Kislev on the Jewish calendar. The Jewish calendar is based on the cycles of the moon, so it doesn’t always fall on the same day in the western calendar, but it’s between late November and mid-December.

So how is Hanukkah celebrated today?

The lighting of candles is probably still the most recognizable part of the celebration. Each night, for eight nights, families light candles on a menorah, one for each night. Usually, the oldest son in the family gets to light the menorah, and they say a blessing as they light the candles. So on the first night, you light one candle, the second night two, until the eighth night when all the candles are lit. 

If you’ve been paying really close attention, you might remember that I said the temple menorah had seven lamps on it, not eight. Good catch! On Hanukkah, a special menorah, called a Hanukkiah is used. A Hanukkiah actually has nine candles. Traditionally, one is higher than all the others. This is called the shamash candle, and it’s used to light the other candles each night. So each night, there’s actually one extra candle lit – the shamash.

Jewish families often place their menorahs in a window, showing that they won’t hide who they are, like they had to when they lived under Seleucid rule. In many cities throughout the world, you might also see giant menorahs set up in public places, lit with an extra lamp each night of Hanukkah.

But Hanukkah is more than lighting candles. Jewish families also gather together to reconnect and eat special meals. For Hanukkah, the tradition is to eat foods that are fried in oil to commemorate the miracle of the oil lamp. People eat fried potato pancakes called latkes, often topped with sour cream or applesauce. They also eat delicious jelly donuts called sufganyot. 

Some families give small gifts to their children, though gifts aren’t a big part of Hanukkah like they are for Christmas. One traditional gift is chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil called gelt. 

The gelt are also used in a game called dreidel at Hanukkah. A dreidel is a spinning top with four sides. If you remember, the Jews would often pretend to be playing with a spinning top if a Syrian passed by while they were praying. The dreidel has four Hebrew letters on it: Nun, Gimel, Hay, and Shin. These letters stand for the Hebrew words “Nes Gadol Hayah Sham”, which means “A great miracle happened there.” 

I won’t go into all the details, but players each put a token, or piece of gelt, into a central pile or “pot.” Then, they take turns spinning the dreidel. Depending on which letter is facing up when the dreidel falls, the player has to take a specific action. They might have to put another token in the pot, do nothing, take half the tokens, or all the tokens (or candy!) in the center pot.  

Hanukkah offers people a sense of hope and pride in their beliefs. Beliefs and traditions can keep people going in dark, troubling times. The story of Hanukkah helps Jews remember that they’ve gone through tough times, but they’ve survived and built new traditions while holding on to their beliefs and their culture.

Whatever holidays you celebrate at this time of year, or if you don’t celebrate any, I hope you can take a few minutes with someone you love to look at the light of candles, or Christmas lights, or even the stars, and feel the warmth of peace, hope, and love.

https://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/article_cdo/aid/102978/jewish/The-Hanukkah-Story.htm

https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/5971678/jewish/The-Menorah-Its-Story-and-Mystery.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seleucid_Empire

The post History of Hanukkah for Kids and Families appeared first on Bedtime History: Podcast and Videos For Kids.

The next day dawns bright and cold and the sea has calmed.  It is November 1^st, the first day of the new year and the official start of the winter season. The father rises and grabs a slice of bread with bacon and cold goat’s milk before heading outside and up the grassy hill to the pasture.  He meets his neighbor at the pasture and they start counting and corralling the sheep that have been grazing on the land all summer. The men whistle and yell, driving the plump beasts down the hill towards the warm and waiting stables. By midday, all the sheep are settled in their wooden stalls with bales of hay for feasting.  The men grab bowls of porridge at the house before walking down the dusty road into town to their landlord’s office.  They need to pay the lease on their lands for another year of farming and sheep grazing.  Next, they stop at a nearby pub for hot ale before heading home to their families.

Inside the homes, women and children talk excitedly.  All day they have been preparing hot soups and meats, fruits and vegetables, for the night’s celebration.  It is the festival of Samhain and the town has been buzzing in anticipation. Evening slowly descends and town folk gather for hearty dinners spread on low tables.  An array of roasted meats, vegetables, potatoes, and soups send wafts of tantalizing aromas into the air.  Everyone gathers around the table, sitting on thick bundles of straw.  They dive excitedly into the feast, laughing and telling tales, both old and new.  Some even break into tender songs of legend and lore – tales of loved ones lost in the mists of time and lovely maidens of the sea.  

Soon, the men gather once more in town, then climb the nearby hillside to light bright yellow bonfires.  The flames dance and swirl on the frosty air, sparking and jumping higher as more logs are added to the fire.  Women and children don thick sweaters and colorful masks made of clay, cloth, leaves, and twine.  They join the men on the hill, laughing and dancing and howling into the wind.  They recite fables and sing songs, making as much noise as possible to scare away evil spirits.  Tonight, all sorts of strange things roam the night: fairies and goblins, witches and demons.  It is also the night that the ghosts of those who have passed come back to visit or those who have died during the year travel to the great beyond.  Masks are worn to ward off any unwelcome apparitions.  No one wants to be recognized by a witch or a hobgoblin – or followed home!  People grab heavy wooden sticks and poke them into the bonfire, walking home with blazing torches to light their hearths for the long winter ahead.

Shortly thereafter, the local soothsayer – or fortune teller – comes to the family’s house for some hot drinks and food. Wrapped in a frayed shawl, the old woman settles her weary bones into a wooden seat next to the fire.  Her wrinkled skin and white hair glow in the firelight. She closes her eyes and calls to the spirits.  Sometimes she simply looks at some crushed tea leaves in the bottom of a cup.  She is said to have the gift of divination – the ability to tell the future – who will marry, who will be healthy or ill, and who will depart in the months ahead.  This year, the news is good.  All in the home will enjoy good health and a bountiful harvest next fall.  The old woman smiles and slowly shuffles out the door to visit the next home on this dark and chilly night.  Samhain has been a special day full of family, food, and festivities.

A year or so later, the Romans invade this lovely Celt island and bring their own customs and traditions with them, such as the festival of Feralia. They hold celebrations to honor Pomona, the goddess of the harvest, as well as their departed loved ones.  They make offerings at family graves in the form of wreaths, grain, salt, bread soaked in wine, and violets.  

And so it goes. The years tick by and the customs continue. The dead are honored and feasts are held every November 1^st.  Then, in 7 AD, Pope Boniface IV decides it is time to throw away the old pagan traditions of roaming spirits and scary hobgoblins.  He proclaims a new holiday, All Saints’ Day, to be held on May 13th to honor Catholic saints in heaven instead of magical fairies and devilish demons. But traditions and customs change slowly; they don’t happen overnight just because a ruler – or a pope – declares it so.  Eventually, by the following century, the celebration of All Saint’s Day is moved to November 1^st to try to merge it with the Celts’ holiday and hopefully take it over completely. It is then declared that the evening before this new All Saints’ Day, or October 31^st, is a holy night to be known as “All Hallows Eve” or “Hallowed Eve” – which later becomes “Halloween.”  

More years pass and by the Middle Ages the pagan – or non-religious – rituals and the saintly celebrations have merged. On “Hallowed Eve,” some people, such as those in Britain or of the Protestant faith, celebrate the harvest but do not acknowledge the saints. The Catholics honor the saints but deny the pagan beliefs in witches, ghosts, and goblins.

Thus, when the first pilgrims from England sailed to America in the 1600s and later the Irish in the 1800s, they brought their customs and beliefs with them, including Halloween.  These early settlers didn’t celebrate the religious aspects of “Hallowed Eve,” such as honoring the saints, but rather celebrated the harvest and held feasts. Over the years, these Halloween traditions grew and evolved in America.

Today, many people still gather at this time of year every fall, but instead of lighting bonfires or enjoying big meals on the night of November 1st, they have incorporated new twists on old customs.  In the United States and other places around the world, children still wear masks at night but they do it on October 31^st, “Halloween,” instead of the Celts’ new year of November 1^st.  They carve pumpkins (instead of turnips like their ancestors) and bob for apples – maybe as a nod to the goddess Pomona and a bountiful fall harvest.  They walk the streets and beg for candy, similar to their ancestors who allowed the poor to beg for food called “soul cakes.” Children now wear elaborate costumes instead of just masks and dress as things their ancestors tried to scare away – witches and goblins, ghosts and fairies. Some dress as skeletons, not realizing that this harkens back to the Celts centuries ago who would gather around blazing bonfires to send dearly departed loved ones on their way or welcome older ancestors home.  Feasting today is mainly for children in the form of mounds of candy instead of fruits and vegetables.  Some may play tricks on neighbors, acting as little “devils” or “demons” roaming the night just as their ancestors feared many centuries ago across the wild and raging sea.

So, what do you think of the Halloween holiday? Did you know about the old Celt traditions that started it all?  What do you like to do on Halloween and what are your favorite costumes?  Do you display witches, skeletons, and ghosts in your home or do you honor another tradition of your faith?  If you enjoy feasting instead of scary celebrations, what is your favorite food to eat during Halloween?

I think it is amazing how customs follow us down through the centuries and change over the years as people travel to new places or grow in their beliefs. 

The post Story of Halloween for Kids appeared first on Bedtime History: Podcast and Videos For Kids.

Autumn has arrived in many parts of the world and with it a noticeable shift in the wind.  Days are shorter, nights are longer, and breezes are cooler.  Deep green leaves turn flaming red, orange, and yellow before drifting slowly down to Earth.  Everywhere things are preparing for winter:  animals arrange their hidden burrows, people gather their final harvests, and nature drops its colorful blooms in preparation for a long sleep under a snowy coat.  

And with autumn comes the arrival of the holiday season, and the first holiday celebration of fall is Halloween. First started by the Celts in Ireland as a festival called (Sah-win) Samhain, it was celebrated on November 1^st to welcome the new year, give thanks for the harvest, and honor departed loved ones.  And over the centuries, this annual celebration has spread across the world and evolved into all sorts of wonderful celebrations and festivities.  So, let’s learn about some of these amazing events on or around “All Hallowed Eve” or “Halloween.”  

First, we travel to Austria, where locals don’t celebrate Halloween, but rather “Allerseelen” or “All Souls’ Day,” where they visit graves and light candles to honor departed loved ones.  They may also leave out bread and water at home or keep a light on to assist beloved spirits on their earthly visits home.  

In China, they celebrate (tang-she) Teng Chieh, or the “Hungry Ghost Festival.”  This event is held on the 15^th day of the 7^th lunar month (which rotates every year and lands between mid-August and early September).  At dusk, town folk present offerings of food and water for the spirits, display pictures of departed loved ones, and light fragrant incense.  It is hoped that by doing so, they will make wandering ghosts happy and these ghosts will then bestow blessings instead of punishment on the living.  After making these offerings, families gather for a big feast and leave an empty place at the table for a departed loved one.

In Hong Kong, another part of China, they have embraced America’s love of Halloween and turned it into a huge party.  Places like Hong Kong Disneyland and Ocean Park Hong Kong hold songfests performed by Disney villains, Halloween-themed street performances, costume parades, haunted houses, and more.   

But in France, they hardly celebrate Halloween at all.  In fact, they barely tolerate it.  They consider it a purely American event.  Instead, they honor All Saints Day on November 1^st.  As you may have learned in one of our previous episodes, Pope Benedict IV created All Saints Day to honor Catholic saints instead of Celtic – and pagan – ghosts, witches, and fairies.  To this day, French citizens honor the religious aspect of Halloween by attending church services and visiting cemeteries to place flowers on loved ones’ graves.  

Germany doesn’t go overboard for Halloween but instead, they celebrate St. Martin’s Day on November 11^th in honor of the Catholic Saint Martin who was a Roman soldier and later became a monk. On this day, thousands of people parade through town following a Roman soldier on a white horse.  At dusk, children fill the streets carrying lanterns and singing songs for candy, money, or treats.  Once at home, the children devour sweet rolls shaped like gingerbread men.  These treats are called “The Weckmann” and sport raisin eyes and white pipes dangling from their mouths.  November 11^th is also the start of their festival season, which starts on the 11^th minute past the 11^th hour on the 11^th day of the 11^th month and runs through the following February!

In Haiti, they celebrate Fet Gede, the “Festival of the Dead” or the “Festival of the Ancestors” which is derived from African traditions honoring the spirits of fertility and death.  On November 1^st and 2^nd, celebrations are held that are quite “spirited” and include lots of dancing and drumming in the streets, as well as singing and laughter.  People parade to graveyards where they joyously offer food, beeswax candles, flowers, and bottles of rum stuffed with chilis to please departed souls and bring good luck in the year ahead.  It is similar to a blending of Mardi Gras, Halloween, and Dia de Los Muertos and is a lively and colorful tradition on the island. 

Ireland is the original home of Halloween.  The Celts used to hold a celebration called “Samhain” on November 1^st to welcome the new year and the start of winter.  At this time, they also celebrated the year’s harvest and honored departed loved ones.  Bonfires were lit at sundown, masks were worn, and feasts were enjoyed.  

Today, revelers in Derry light fireworks instead of bonfires and hold a huge carnival.  In Dublin, they enjoy a Halloween parade and ghost tours at Malahide Castle, the oldest inhabited castle in Ireland that is said to be haunted by five ghosts! One of their favorite Halloween treats is a dense cake called Barmbrack filled with raisins, currants, and other candied fruits. Inside these cakes, bakers hide a rag, ring, and coin.  It is believed that whoever gets the rag will join the church or have a rocky financial future, whoever gets the ring will find happiness or marry, and whoever finds the coin will enjoy a new year filled with prosperity. Of course, trick-or-treating is also a favorite pastime, too.

Just like in France, Italians celebrate “All Saints’ Day” or “La Festa di Ognissanti” on November 1^st.  They spend the holiday enjoying time with family and exchanging presents.  On November 2^nd, the citizens celebrate “All Souls’ Day” in honor of departed loved ones. They attend mass, leave chrysanthemums on graves, and hold a big feast.  They believe they are not only eating with their living family members on this day but also with departed loved ones. Special cookies called “Fave dei Morti” or “beans of the dead” are baked. And why the reference to beans, you may ask?  Well, in ancient Rome, beans were used during funeral services because it was believed they housed the spirits of the departed. 

In Japan, Halloween has only been celebrated since the year 2000 and was started at Tokyo Disneyland.  The Japanese don’t follow customs such as pumpkin carving or trick-or-treating, but rather hold huge parades and participate in cosplay, flash mobs, zombie runs, and street parties – or even big bashes on commuter trains!  

Throughout Latin America and Spain, locals hold celebrations for three days from October 31^st through November 2^nd and these may contain Aztec, Mayan, Incan, and Catholic traditions. Many believe the dead return home on Halloween night, so they erect colorful alters and decorate graves with candies, flowers, plants, food, and drink. 

On November 1^st, they celebrate “All Saints’ Day.”  Covered “sitting rooms” are attached to family graves, where they honor their loved ones by bringing their favorite foods and music.  They may decorate alters, graves, or costumes with the orange-colored “Mexican Marigolds,” a pre-Columbus tradition performed by ancient tribes.  In some regions, they fly huge kites with attached messages as a way of communicating with the spirits or guiding them back to their earthly homes.  

November 2^nd is known as “Dia de Los Muertos,” “Day of the Dead,” or “All Souls’ Day,” and lively events are held in a colorful celebration of life.  Parades and painted skeleton faces – called “Catrinas” or “Sugar Skulls” – are common, as are treats called “Tanta Wawas de Pan,” or “Bread Babies.”  These are sweet rolls baked in the form of infants, horses, stars, suns, and moons to signify life, death, and Mother Earth.  Candles are lit and incense are burned, all to welcome spirits back home.  

Halloween is not a huge event in The Netherlands besides trick-or-treating, but on November 11th, the Dutch celebrate the festival of “Sint-Maarten” in honor of the Catholic saint of the same name.  In the past, this day used to be considered a “beggar’s holiday” because St. Martin was known for his generosity towards the poor. These days, masses are attended and Dutch children carry lanterns through the streets, knocking on doors, and singing songs for candy.  Though less popular today, some revelers might light bonfires like the original Celts or conduct processions through town in honor of the saint. 

In the Philippines, citizens hold a three-day event called Pangangaluluwa, which starts on October 31^st with a marathon of movies and TV shows.  On November 1^st and 2^nd, like in other countries, they visit graves with family members to honor departed loved ones.  The children also go door-to-door dressed up in costumes, but instead of asking for treats, they sing songs and ask for prayers for wandering souls.    

“The Day of the Witches” or “Dia das Bruxas” is celebrated in Portugal at Halloween time.  Families visit graves and leave flowers and candles for their ancestors, while children celebrate by trick-or-treating for bread, nuts, and fruits instead of candy. 

“The Night of the Pumpkins” or “Noite dos Calacús” is celebrated in Galicia, Spain.  On this night, people dress up in costumes, light bonfires, and tell ghost stories.  They also follow an old Celtic tradition of brewing an alcoholic drink of distilled wine, herbs, coffee and coffee beans, sugar, lemon peel, and cinnamon in a hollowed-out pumpkin.  While they are making the drink, they recite an incantation – possibly to bestow special powers on the drink and drinkers – or to ward off evil spirits. The liquid is then set alight and burns a bright blue color like a steaming cauldron. 

Finally, in Transylvania, Romania, a huge party is held at Bran Castle, possibly the inspiration for the home of the fictional character Count Dracula, and festivities include costumed revelers, howling wolf sounds, and red-colored drinks. 

Aren’t all these traditions amazing?  They honor everything from the new year, the arrival of winter, and the fall harvest to saints, souls, and spirits.  The overriding theme in many countries is remembering our ancestors and those who have passed.  These festivities are rarely somber affairs, but rather loving tributes and celebrations of life.  Whether we honor the harvest by bobbing for apples and begging for treats, scare away spirits with bonfires and fireworks, or remember loved ones with food and drink, we are more similar across the world than we are different at this time of year.

However you celebrate, we wish you a happy holiday season ahead.  If you would like to share your favorite Halloween events, foods, or memories, click the link in the show notes and send me your comments; I’d love to hear from you.

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Tell us about your favorite holiday traditions!

With it being the holiday season and Christmas here in the United States and elsewhere around the world, we thought it would be fun to talk about some of the popular traditions and try and answer some of the questions we here at Bedtime History have had for a while now!

How did Santa get his name and why does he wear a red suit? 

Today, children know the traditional Santa Claus by his red suit, long white beard, and black boots – along his ability to perform amazing feats like sliding down chimneys and driving a sleigh through the sky.  The Santa Clause tradition we know today has its roots in the year 280 AD in the country of Turkey. At the time lived a man named Nicholas. Nicholas grew up to be a very sweet, gentle man who became a monk – meaning a man who is very religious and does not marry.  He was very kind and used to give secret gifts to children, the sick, poor and needy.  He was also called “Nicholas the Wonder Worker” for miracles he was believed to perform.  His popularity spread through the lands and, in time, he became the most popular saint in Europe.  He became known as the patron saint of children, students, singles, sailors, storekeepers, and others!  The Dutch called him Sint Nikolaas – or Sinter Klaas for short – and they honored him with a feast day every December 6th. This day also became a very lucky day to get married or buy gifts.  Through the centuries, Dutch immigrants arrived in the US and continued to celebrate Sinter Klaas, so other Americans started to do so, too!  Early paintings of Saint Nicholas show him in long red or burgundy robes with grey hair, a long beard, and a mustache.  The traditional modern-day Saint Nicholas – or Santa Claus – still loves wearing red clothes, a long beard, and mustache, performing miracles, and giving gifts to people around the world.  

What is a “manger?”  

Have you heard the Christmas carol “Away in a Manger”?  And did you ever wonder what they meant by the word “manger?” When I was a child, I used to see illustrations of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus in a stable.  I thought a manager was another name for the stable, barn, stall or shed.  I was really surprised when I learned that the word “manger” in the bible actually meant an animal’s feeding box or trough!  I guess I thought “Away in a Manger” meant “Away in a Barn.”  I didn’t think it meant “Away in a feeding box!”  But I’ve also seen references to “manager” meaning an outside penned area attached to a house or inn which is filled with straw for animals.  So, who knows?  Maybe it can mean the feeding box OR the feeding area!

What is figgy pudding?  

Have you heard the popular Christmas carol “We wish you a Merry Christmas”?  One of the lines in that song says, “Now bring us some figgy pudding.”  So, what IS figgy pudding?  If you are like me, I thought it was a squishy pudding like chocolate pudding or rice pudding.  But it’s actually a cake – a steamed cake – and contains figs or raisins – plus honey, ginger, raw beef or sheep fat, and sometimes wine or rum!  It was very popular many years ago in Europe, but it’s not a popular dessert these days – at least not in the US.  Have you ever eaten figgy pudding?  If so, I’d love to hear from you and learn what you think about it!

What does “wassail” mean? 

Here in the US, some towns and cities hold a wassail celebration, involving parades with horse-drawn sleighs, marching bands, music, dancing elves, a visit from Santa, and lots of food.  But what does “wassail” mean? In the olden days in Europe, people used to say the greeting, “Waes hael,” meaning “Be well” while holding a cup of spiced apple cider.  This tradition started as a celebration of a good apple harvest.  Wassail also can mean the drink:  a mulled, spiced cider containing apples, eggs, brandy, sugar, and oranges – plus a slice of toast on top.  That sounds delicious!  Maybe our listeners can tell us if they have ever tasted wassail – and if it still comes with toast!  Also, let me know if you still greet friends saying, “Waes hael”!

What are sugar plums?

I’m sure most of us have heard of the famous poem and story called, “’Twas The Night Before Christmas.”  In that story, the children dream of delicious sugar plums while waiting for Santa.  And in the famous Christmas ballet, The Nutcracker, there is the dance of the sugar plum fairies.  But what is a sugar plum?  If I had to guess, I would say that it is a plum sprinkled with sugar. But no – it is actually a nut, seed or kernel covered with layers of golden, hardened sugar – like our Tootsie Roll Pops without the stick – and with a nut inside instead of gooey chocolate.  Are sugar plums still popular where you live?  If so, I’d love to hear from you.

Why do we put up Christmas trees?

There are many stories about this tradition, which started in Europe centuries ago.  People would celebrate the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year – December 21 or 22-by putting evergreen boughs in their homes.  These were cheerful decorations during the long, winter days when they spent a lot of time inside.  They would use boughs from pine, spruce, or fir trees because they stay green all year long – plus they have a wonderful smell!  As the years went by, this tradition spread to more cities and became more popular.  Starting in the 1400’s in Germany, they put whole trees inside their homes instead of just boughs – and decorated them with apples, berries, gingerbread, pretzels, wool string, and straw decorations.  This tradition became so popular that by the 1500’s, one German city had to pass a law stating there could only be one Christmas tree in each house!  But the big moment that started the Christmas tree tradition around the world was when Queen Victoria of England and her husband, Prince Albert of Germany, put up a Christmas tree in Windsor Castle in 1848.  An artist captured this moment and made a sketch, which was then published in London papers.  This sketch soon spread across the globe and that is how people all over the world started putting up Christmas trees in their own homes. They saw the Queen do it and thought, “Hey, that looks like fun – and it’s pretty, too!” Immigrants from Europe also brought this custom to the US and helped it gain popularity through the years.  I know I love putting up a Christmas tree in my house every year.  What about you?

And here is another fun fact about Christmas trees:

Which do you think is more popular now – real Christmas trees or artificial – meaning fake – Christmas trees?  Where I live in Arizona, we see a lot of Christmas tree lots selling live trees.  We watch Christmas movies showing people looking for the perfect Christmas tree and the misadventures they have getting it on top of the car, driving it home, and lugging it into the house.  Maybe they smash a house window or find a live squirrel in their tree – or it bursts into flames!  And what a mess of sap and needles everywhere!!!  Did you know that as of 2018, there were around 95 million US homes putting up trees and only 18% of those were REAL trees?  That means 82% of US homes use artificial trees!  What about your home?  Do you put up a tree at Christmastime?  If so, do you use a real tree or an artificial one?

So, what do you think of those Christmas questions and answers.  Did you learn something new?  I know I sure did!  Who knew Christmas had so many special foods and amazing history?!  I wonder what Christmas will be like in the year 3,000?  Do you think we will still be putting up trees or will there be new traditions?  If you could start a new Christmas tradition, what would it be?  

Whatever you do, and however you celebrate, I hope you have a wonderful holiday season with family and friends.  My family and I wish you the merriest of holidays and a happy new year!

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Tell us about your favorite holiday traditions!

Every December, people all over the world gather to celebrate the holiday season with family and friends.  In the United States, in the days leading up to Christmas we decorate Christmas trees, string lights on our houses, bake gingerbread cookies, attend church, or go caroling through the streets. One of our favorite traditions is to drive around and look at all of the Christmas lights. Inflatable decorations of Santa Clause, the Grinch, or other beloved holiday characters can also be found on people’s lawns. 

On Christmas Eve, children hang stockings close to the Christmas tree before going to bed.  They leave out milk and cookies and even sometimes carrots in anticipation of a visit from Santa Clause. This is the bearded, cheery Old Saint Nick of the Western tradition, who flies through the sky in a sleigh pulled by eight reindeer. He stops at every house to put candy and toys in each stocking.

On Christmas day there are presents and music and Christmas delicacies.  We nibble on candy canes, fruit cakes, puddings, or Three Kings Cake.  For dinner, we feast on turkey, beef, ham, or seafood with all the delicious desserts – pies, cakes, and cookies of every description!

Now let’s talk about other countries because there are lots of fun and unique festivities happening all over the globe, too!

Around the world during Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, people gather with family and friends, giving gifts for not just one night – but eight!  They light candles on Menorahs, attend religious services, sing songs, and make wonderful dishes like matzah ball soup and fried potato pancakes.  So delicious!

In Africa, as well as the US and other parts of the world, Kwanzaa is celebrated from December 26 through January 1^st.  Kwanzaa highlights African-American culture and history.  Seven candles are lit on a Kinara to honor their seven principles of African Heritage, including unity, purpose, creativity, and faith.  Feasts are held with a bounty of fruits, nuts, and vegetables.  And there are performances, too – drumming, dancing, singing, and poetry.  This wonderful tradition fairly recently, in 1966.

In England, they celebrate Christmas similar to the United States and many people like to put a “Christmas Cracker” by their plates at dinner time.  What is a Christmas Cracker?  It’s a cardboard tube filled with little candies and prizes.  It is wrapped in paper and ribbons and when you pull the ribbons, it cracks open like a pinata, with all the goodies spilling out.  To me, it sounds like a fun way to start a Christmas meal – like blowing whistles at a birthday party.  The United Kingdom also celebrates “Boxing Day” on December 26, when gifts are given to tradespeople, helpers, and the less fortunate.

In Germany, they celebrate St. Nicholas Day, who is the patron saint of children.  Every year, on the night of December 6^th, children place their shoes outside their house – or by a door or fireplace – and wake to find them filled with candies and toys left by Jolly Old Saint Nicholas.  Perhaps the United States took this German tradition and changed it a bit, hanging stockings for Santa instead of leaving shoes for Saint Nicholas!  Either way, it’s a fun tradition!

But of all of these, Iceland is the winner, for nightly visits by Christmas characters!  Icelandic children put their shoes by their window for 13 nights leading up to Christmas.  They are then visited each night by one of “13 Yule Lads” –  who look more like trolls or elves – with crazy names like Doorway-Sniffer,Spoon-Licker,Sausage-Swiper,Candle-Stealer, Curd-Gobbler, and Window-Peeper!  These little men put candy in the shoes of good children or rotten potatoes in the shoes of naughty ones.   I sure wouldn’t want rotten potatoes in MY shoes – would you? 

In the Philippines, they hold a giant lantern festival called “Ligligan Parul” every December in San Fernando, the “Christmas Capital of the Philippines.”  These lanterns – which are said to symbolize Jesus’s Star of Bethlehem – are not little lanterns that sit on a table.  They are HUGE and round – almost as big as Ferris wheels – with hundreds of colorful, blinking lights.  These lanterns are displayed in various cities throughout December and thousands of people gather to see them every year.  If you love going to fairs to see the Ferris Wheel and all the lights, this lantern festival must be AMAZING!

And what about Christmas in Australia and New Zealand?  In December, they also have stockings, presents, and Christmas trees, but since it’s so warm there in their part of the world, they hold barbecues and go swimming instead of skiing or building snowmen!

On the other side of the globe, Mexico has a festival called “Las Posadas,” meaning “the inns.”  It honors Mary and Joseph’s search for an inn before the birth of Jesus.  This festival involves a parade through the streets led by “Mary and Joseph,” and ends with a feast at a new house every night for nine nights.  They also celebrate Las Posadas with music, prayer, pinatas, and fireworks – kind of like an American Christmas and Fourth of July rolled into one!

In Sweden, they build an immense straw goat and place it in the middle of town in honor of the Swedish Yule Goat.  This straw goat can be taller than a house, with big horns and bright red ribbons wrapped around its legs, nose, stomach, and horns.  At first glance, it reminds me of a huge Christmas reindeer with a beard!  But why do they celebrate a goat?  Well, some say it comes from an old pagan religion honoring Saturn, the god of good harvests.  Back then, the people would sacrifice young goats to Saturn as part of their winter celebration.  Others say the goat honors the Norse god Thor, who rides through the sky in a sleigh pulled by two goats.  This is very similar to the tradition of Santa Claus and his reindeer – and that’s why you will see goat decorations hanging on Christmas trees in Sweden.

But be careful in Austria!  I hear they have a spooky creature called a “Krampus.”  This beast looks like a wooly yak – or bull – with large horns and a red face, that parades through town on the night of December 5^th, called “Krampusnacht.”  He waves a wooden stick and carries a basket, asking children if they’ve been good or bad.  If they have been good, they get a treat like nuts, fruit, or apples, but if they have been naughty…well, let’s just hope we never find out!

In South Wales, Christmas is like trick-or-treating in America.  Every December, they put a horse’s skull on a stick and then drape a sheet over it to make it look like a ghostly horse. People then carry this horse figure around town, knocking on doors.  They sing part of a song at a person’s door and the person needs to finish the song, then give them food or drink. Sounds a bit scary but also fun, unless you don’t know the song.  I wonder what happens then?  Is a trick involved? Maybe someone from Wales can tell us!

In Italy, their Christmas celebrations involve a witch!  Twelve days after Christmas, on January 5^th, children leave wine and sausages out for La Belfana, a witch who zooms down chimneys on a broom and leaves treats for all the good children – or coal for the naughty ones.  It is said that La Belfana received an invitation to see the birth of Jesus centuries ago but didn’t attend.  She now feels bad about missing this momentous birthday and roams the Earth every year looking for baby Jesus while leaving gifts for children.

And one other Halloween custom has made it to Christmas – the custom of carving vegetables.  Here in America, we carve pumpkins for Halloween.  In Oaxaca, Mexico, they carve radishes for Christmas!  But not ordinary radishes…no, these are HUGE radishes as big as our pumpkins!  It is quite a contest to see who can carve the most amazing radishes – everything from monsters to Christmas characters.  What a great event in Oaxaca.   

In Ukraine, they put spider decorations – called “pavuchky” – on their trees!  Why?  Well, a legend states that once there was an old widow with small children.  The children grew a Christmas tree from a small pine cone but couldn’t afford any decorations.  That Christmas, they went to sleep, and in the morning found their tree covered in spider webs.  When the sun hit the spider webs, they turned into silver and gold.  Some believe this is how the custom of hanging shiny tinsel on trees became a popular Christmas tradition.  Pretty neat, don’t you think?

What Christmas traditions do you observe with family and friends?  Which tradition is your favorite? Would you like to try some of these other traditions?  If so, which ones?  I think it would be fascinating to travel around the world to see these unique traditions, festivities, and decorations. With the help of your parents, you’ll have to look up pictures and videos on the Internet to learn more about them. I would love to hear from you and learn how you celebrate the season. 

If you want to share, click on the link in the show notes and tell me what you do with your family and friends during the holiday season.  With your parent’s permission, share your tradition, your first name, and your country.  And you just might hear your name and story featured in our next episode!

Until then, from my family to yours, we wish you a happy holiday season this year!

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Every year in winter, many families around the world decorate their homes for the holidays.  Red, white, green and many other coloured lights start to appear on the fronts of houses and in yards.  They twinkle and add a feeling of joy and light to a season that can be very dark in many parts of the world, including much of North America.  

As days get shorter and nights are longer, Christmas lights provide a beacon of happiness to people who enjoy them.  And many homes have the soft glow of lights on Christmas trees as a reminder of the meaning of the season, peace and love.

So the other day I was thinking, Christmas Trees are fun and everything, but where do they come from? Have you ever wondered where the tradition of Christmas trees comes from?

Well, long ago, the tradition began with the hanging of green tree boughs and branches over doors and windows.  Trees that remain green throughout winter had a special meaning for people who lived in cold, dark places.  Because these trees were able to stay alive despite the cold and dark, ancient people believed that they had special power to keep away illness and evil spirits. 

In the Northern hemisphere, or northern half of the world, the shortest day of the year is on December 21 or 22 each year.  This is called the winter solstice.  This became a time of year that people especially wanted to hang evergreen boughs in their homes, to help them get through the cold dark time and remind them that spring would come again soon and things would eventually turn green again.

In early Roman times, Roman people had a festival on the night of the winter solstice called Saturnalia.  They decorated their homes and temples with evergreen branches.  Later, when Roman people moved to Northern Europe, they brought this tradition with them.  While Romans would use different types of branches when they lived in Rome, once they had moved north, they used trees from those areas.  Some of the types of trees that keep their green branches throughout winter in cold places include pine, spruce and fir trees. 

The first people who brought an entire tree into their home as part of the tradition are thought to be the German people. By the 16th century, Christianity had spread throughout much of Europe. Christianity is the belief in Jesus Christ, that he was God’s son. Christians. There is a story about a Christian teacher named Martin Luther that when he was walking home, he saw many beautiful stars twinkling in the sky.  He wanted to recreate the beauty of the night sky in his home and did so by bringing in a tree and wiring lighted candles to its branches.

Another theory for how the first Christmas tree came to be set up inside a home is from a combination of two customs that had existed in Germany prior to the 16th century.  Before this time, some people set up a “paradise tree” in their homes, which were fir trees decorated with apples.  The paradise tree was mean to represent the tree of knowledge from the Garden of Eden, in the Bible story. Some people think that eventually the apples were replaced by candles to represent Jesus as the Light of the World.

Regardless of the exact origin, the practice of putting a tree in one’s home during the winter and decorating it spread throughout Germany.  When German people moved to America, they brought this tradition with them.  Americans from other countries thought the tradition was strange and some did not believe that it was a good thing to do.  Some thought that Christmas trees were pagan symbols.  Paganism is a word that describes old celtic beliefs that existed in Europe before Christianity was widespread there. Some even tried to stop others from being allowed to put Christmas trees up anymore.

In 1846 however, that started to change.  The queen of England at the time was Queen Victoria and she was married to a German prince named Prince Albert.  Because her husband was German, Queen Victoria and her family put up a Christmas tree in their home in the winter.  When other people saw a sketch of the royal family standing next to a Christmas tree, the idea of Christmas trees became immediately popular with the people of England.  Queen Victoria was a very well-liked queen and people wanted to imitate her. Imitate means to follow someone’s trend or copy their idea. 

The popularity of Queen Victoria was also present in America and when Americans saw this sketch in the newspapers, they also started wanting to have Christmas trees in their homes.  They thought it was a fashionable idea.  Fashionable means that people generally believed it was a cool idea and started to do the same.  The Christmas trees in European homes were small, about the height of a child.  However in America, it started to become common for people to want to have very large Christmas trees that reached all the way to the ceiling.

By the late 1900s, Christmas trees were growing in popularity throughout America.  People in America and Europe decorated their trees mainly with fruit and nuts and homemade ornaments. Some added cookies or strings of popcorn, berries and nuts.  Trees were all covered in candles that were wired to their branches and would be lit up at night.  It was very dangerous to have so many small open fires inside of houses and many houses had fire accidents as a result.  

When electricity in homes became common, people started to decorate their trees with Christmas lights instead of candles.  This made it so that trees could stay glowing for much longer and could have lights of many different colours on their branches.  Electric lights also made it so that trees in other places, outside of homes, could be lit up throughout the season.  Businesses and towns started decorating trees throughout cities and businesses throughout the Christmas season.

Throughout the world, people now decorate trees at Christmas.  While the practice is wide-spread, the way that people decorate their trees varies in different countries.  In Canada and the United States, people copy many of the trends that started to become popular after Queen Victoria had her family Christmas tree at Windsor Castle.  People decorate trees with lights and ornaments and hang garlands, red white and green decorations and ginger bread in their homes. 

In Mexico, most homes set up a Nativity scene at Christmas.  This is a set of ornaments that represent the Holy Family on the night that baby Jesus was born in a manger. Mexican families cannot all afford pine trees, as they do not grown in Mexico. So wealthy families often buy imported ones from the United States and other families often set up small artificial, or fake Christmas trees or small shrubs that are native to the country.

In Brazil, families decorate their Christmas trees with small pieces of cotton to look like falling snow. In Norway, people usually go into the woods to find their Christmas tree and cut it down themselves.  Norwegian parents decorate their tree on Christmas eve while kids wait in the other room.  When the tree is ready the come out and celebrate by singing carols as a family.  In South Africa and other hot countries in the southern hemisphere, Christmas is a summer holiday.  Some places do not set up Christmas trees, but instead, people decorate their windows with cotton and tinsel to look like snow and ice. 

Does your family set up a tree at Christmas and decorate it with lights and ornaments? Or is there another holiday that your family celebrates in winter or another way that your family celebrates Christmas?  Every family has their own traditions and it is interesting to think about the history of where your family’s traditions come from. 

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Happy fall everyone!  You might have noticed a sudden, slight chill in the air at night or the changing of the leaves on the trees.  Maybe where you live, the leaves are changing from bright green to blazing red, orange, and yellow.  In America, the stores around your town may be stocking up on spooky Halloween costumes, smiling pumpkins, and plump turkeys.  Fall is in the air and people are getting excited to celebrate holidays with family and friends.

Preparations

But do you know what else happened during this Fall season many years ago?  The sailing of the Mayflower – the historic ship that brought the pilgrims from England to America!  The year was 1620 and some people in Europe were finding it difficult to celebrate the religion of their choice.  A group of religious people, called pilgrims, decided they wanted to sail to a new land to have the freedom to practice their own religion.  So, they hired two ships, the Mayflower and the Speedwell, to sail them from Southampton, England, to the new land of America.  They hoped to land in Virginia where a small settlement – or town – was being built.  

To get there, they would need ships, supplies, and a crew of sailors.  The pilgrims spent months making arrangements: they bought farm animals, food, seeds, tools, weapons, and drinks to take with them across the sea.  They hired a captain and a crew of almost 30 men – sailors and cooks, plus a surgeon, carpenter, gunner, barrel maker, and men to handle the cargo and repair the ship.  102 pilgrims, including 18 women – 3 of whom were pregnant – and 11 girls, agreed to sail with the men.  Excitement was high.  Everyone was anxious to set sail but sad to say goodbye to loved ones who would be staying behind. 

The Mayflower and Speedwell Disembark

Finally, the big day arrived.  On August 5, 1620, the Mayflower and the Speedwell left Southampton, England, sailing out of the harbor towards the open sea.  The ships were packed to bursting with hardly an inch of space between all the passengers, crew, animals, and supplies.  In various places on the ship, people couldn’t stand upright due to the low ceilings.  People had to sleep in shifts; there was not enough room for everyone to sleep at once.  But still, spirits were high and excitement filled the air.  

The days slipped by as everyone settled into routines aboard the ship:  eating, sleeping, playing cards, chatting, and tending to children.  Suddenly, 7 days into the voyage, the Speedwell started to leak.  There was no way they could sail across the ocean with this leak- they would surely sink.  There was no choice – they had to sail back towards land and make repairs.  The Speedwell and the Mayflower docked in Dartmouth, England, and repairs were made for two weeks.  Finally, on August 21, 1620, the two ships set sail again.  By this time, everyone was truly anxious to sail.  Once more they sailed out of the harbor for the open sea.  They were 300 miles out to sea when the Speedwell once again started to leak.  Spirits were crushed.  They had wasted so much time and effort trying to make this voyage.  They turned back to land yet again, docking in Plymouth, England. A decision was made to leave the Speedwell behind.  Supplies were transferred from the Speedwell to the Mayflower, and some passengers decided to leave the ships, disheartened by the delays and bad luck.

The Mayflower Disembarks Again

Finally, on September 6, 1620, the Mayflower set sail for the third and final time.  The ship was even more packed now, carrying additional supplies and the remaining Speedwell passengers. 102 people were crowded into a space the size of 58’ x 24’.  If you want to know how big – or small – this is, ask your parents to show you with a tape measure or march it out while counting.  It is incredibly small-maybe even smaller than your living room!  All the pilgrims were now tired and anxious.  They had been living on board for a month and a half in very tight quarters and had yet to cross the ocean.

The Mayflower sailed out into the September seas and, at first, the voyage was smooth and uneventful.  Some people enjoyed sailing – the rock of the ship, the creak of the wooden beams, and the jangle of the metal rigging.  Others, however, became seasick from the constant rolling.  They felt truly miserable and couldn’t wait for the journey to be over!  Can you imagine being seasick, plus smelling the odor of penned animals, fish, and unwashed clothes for days on end?  Not very pleasant!

Trouble on the High Seas

About halfway through the trip, the weather worsened and huge storms raged across the ocean, turning the once-calm sea into a swirling, crashing mass of waves and spray.  Animals squawked and people moaned.  The ship rolled from side to side.  Suddenly, they heard a crack and the main beam started to break in the howling wind.  They needed to repair the beam in order to sail, otherwise, they would be like a toy boat in the water, bobbing along with no way to steer toward Virginia.  By sheer luck, one of the passengers had a large metal jackscrew, which the carpenter used to repair the beam.  During these storms one woman even gave birth!

Land Ho!

By now, everyone just wanted the trip to be over – the seasickness, rough seas, and cramped conditions were becoming unbearable.  Finally, on November 9, after 66 days of sailing, they sighted land.  They had reached Cape Cod, Massachusetts, north of Virginia.  How happy they were, yelling and pointing and hugging each other.  They decided to sail further south to Virginia.  Suddenly, the weather worsened and they nearly shipwrecked in the rough seas, so they turned back to Cape Cod, landing in Provincetown Harbor, Massachusetts.

The mood was joyous, yet a little anxious.  What would they find on land?  Would they find food?  Or warring tribes?  Or dangerous animals?  A group of men went ashore in small boats, scouting the area for the best spot to build a settlement.  The weather was getting colder each day.  The leaves were off the trees and crunched underfoot as the men tromped through the forests.  They could see their breaths in the cool morning air.  Soon the snow would come.  The woman and children stayed on board the Mayflower making meals, washing clothes, and tending to the animals.  The men decided that the best place to live would be farther north along the coast, to a place now called Plymouth, Massachusetts.  They sailed the Mayflower to the new shoreline and started building small wooden homes on December 25 – Christmas Day!

The First Settlement

For the next four months, the men worked tirelessly to build homes and storage sheds. Temperatures were freezing and snow covered the land.  Their supplies were running low, there were no berries or plants to harvest, and finding animals to hunt was unpredictable.  The weather was much colder than they were used to in England.  People started to get sick.  The cramped, dirty conditions on the ship were not healthy.  While the men were able to get outside in the fresh air doing construction, hunting, and sipping fresh water, the woman and children were inside the crowded ship tending to the sick, thus catching sickness themselves, including scurvy, pneumonia, and tuberculosis. In total, half of the Mayflower passengers did not survive their first winter in America.  Only 5 women remained of the original 18.  They tended to the remaining 50 men and children.

In the spring and summer of 1621, the pilgrims worked non-stop building shelters, hunting, and foraging for food.  They planted crops, raised animals, and repaired tools.  Also, during this time, they were greeted by Chief Massasoit and his Wampanoag warriors.  The pilgrims talked with the tribe and everyone exchanged gifts of clothing, food, and weapons in acts of friendship.  The Indians agreed they would not attack the pilgrims and would protect them against other warring tribes.  The pilgrims agreed they would do the same.  The Wampanoag also told the pilgrims how to plant, hunt, and survive in this new land.

The First Thanksgiving

Sometime in the Fall of 1621, maybe early October, the pilgrims held a celebration of thanks.  They relaxed by hunting, eating, and celebrating.  Chief Massasoit and 90 of his Wampanoag warriors joined the pilgrims, bringing 5 deer to the celebration.  For three days, the pilgrims and Native Americans feasted on wild turkey, deer, and fish, as well as other seafood, berries, and nuts. 

This was a wonderful feast; however, the pilgrims did not celebrate like this every year.  They were too busy growing crops, building homes, and raising families during those rough early years in a wild new land.  The holiday of Thanksgiving was actually started by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863 to honor the pilgrims and their historic voyages.

Before the pilgrims left the Mayflower on March 31, 1621, they drafted and signed a document called The Mayflower Compact.  It was a set of rules and principles to govern the pilgrims in this new, wild land and to set responsibilities for each person.  The Mayflower Compact and its principles later helped shape the United States Declaration of Independence.

Conclusion

What do you think of the Mayflower voyage and its brave pilgrims?  Would you sail on a small, crowded boat across the sea, leaving behind family and friends?  If you could sail anywhere in the world, where would you go? Do you think you could survive in the wilderness of new land in the middle of winter?  What would you do to survive?

I think this history shows us that the pilgrims were incredibly brave people who made a difficult decision to sail into the unknown, suffering much hardship along the way.  But they had faith, helped one another, and worked tirelessly to build a new community. Today, Plymouth, Massachusetts, where the pilgrims settled, is one of the prettiest coastlines in America and is steeped in Wampanoag and pilgrim history. The pilgrim’s voyage has never been forgotten. But we must also remember to honor Chief Massasoit and his Wampanoag tribe for helping the pilgrims, who likely would not have survived that first winter without their assistance.  We owe them an incredible debt of gratitude.  

Be sure to also check out our episode about the First Thanksgiving!

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Close your eyes and imagine you are in a beautiful, Japanese garden. You see a small stream leading to a calm pond covered in bright pink flowers and water lilies. The green grass around you is cut short and all of the plants and shrubbery are neatly trimmed. Flowering trees are above you. You see a wooden footbridge and cross the pond to an open area with a grand temple in the middle. It’s designed in Japanese fashion with a peaked roof. Surrounding the temple are men and women holding wooden swords. A teacher is showing them how to use the sword, swinging it upward and then down. They all follow his instructions at the same time in a coordinated dance. Then they kick and swing the swords again. Past them, in the temple, you see a group cross-legged and meditating. You suddenly realize you are observing a group of Japanese samurais in training.

Have you ever heard of a “samurai”? A samurai was an ancient warrior in the country of Japan. You could compare them to the knights of Medieval Times, because they were warriors who wore armor, fought in battles, and lived a code of honor. But they were also different from knights in other ways which we’ll talk about today.

If you saw a samurai today they’d be wearing armor, a helmet, and carrying a long sword called a “katana.” They were known for their great strength and skill and speed and their incredible use of the katana sword. The first Samurai fought on horseback. For a long time, the soldiers in Japan were peasants – simple people who farmed the land and weren’t trained to fight. So when they fought in a battle, they weren’t very effective because their job was normally farming not fighting. At the time in Japan, some of the wealthier citizens had horses and decided they might be better warriors than the peasants. Horses gave them an advantage and using a bow and arrow from the back of the horse, these wealthy Japanese became very dangerous fighters. Soon, instead of peasants fighting, more and more of the soldiers became Samurai, fighting with swords and bow and arrows from horseback.

As the samurai trained harder and from a young age, they became known for their excellent skills with the katana sword. They disciplined themselves. Discipline means to have self-control. Daily they practiced riding horses, using the katana, and doing things that were very hard but made them stronger because they pushed their body and mind to their limits. They were similar to Spartan warriors in this way, too.

Some of the legendary samurai were women, too. Tomoe Gozen fought bravely during the clan wars. She was a skilled archer and swordsman, “a warrior worth a thousand” the legends say. She was a strong horseman and could ride down steep hills. In battle, she was sent out as a captain in the best armor and the best weapons to lead the other samurai – and “performed more deeds of valor than any of the other warriors.” 

Another well known general at this time was female samurai Hangaku Gozen. Female foot soldiers were also known to fight alongside the men during clan wars.

In the Pacific Ocean, Japan is an island located off the coast of China. At the time, a powerful people called the Mongols ruled China and wanted to rule Japan, too. In 1270 A.D. Kublai Khan, the leader of the Mongol army,  decided to attack Japan. He sent 40,000 soldiers and 90 ships to invade the island. But for many years, the Japanese Samurai had been preparing and training to defend their country. When the Mongols invaded, they were met by the fast and powerful Samurai who used their skills to defend Japan and stopped the invasion. 

For a time, Japan was also divided into power clans, or groups of people sort of like small cities or towns. The clans were ruled by a leader called a “daimyo” (dime-yo). The daimyo hired samurai to protect their clan. Often clans fought against each other for more land so many of the samurai battles over the years were between competing clans. Samurai became distinguished for their honor in battle. Honor meant their commitment to the samurai code or set of rules known as the “bushido.” They strictly followed the rules of a samurai or “bushido” which included courage, respect, self-control and righteousness, which means doing the right thing. In battle, the Samurai were taught to never surrender or back down, to continue fighting even when they were losing and to have courage even in the most fearful moments.

In 1582, a man named Oda Nobunaga was born to a powerful daim-yo in the Owari region. Growing up, Nobunaga was trained as other samurai to fight with the bow and arrow, sword, and learned to discipline himself after the “bushido,” the way of the samurai. After his father passed away, Nobunaga and his brothers fought to rule the clan and Nobunaga became the new leader. But he wasn’t content leading one clan, he wanted to grow the clan’s power and began conquering other clans nearby. He was a skilled military leader and organized his soldiers and samurai in a way that continued to win until he ruled many other clans. Nobunaga also made alliances with other powerful clans. An alliance is an agreement that they will work together. And eventually Nobunaga’s clans and alliances brought all of the clans together. Nobunaga eventually became the leader of half the clans in Japan, also called a “shogun.” He built a beautiful castle on a lake and lived there during his rule. From there he continued to organize and strengthen his armies and make laws that he believed were in Japan’s best interest. The rule of a powerful Japanese leader was called a “shogunate” and his rule was followed by powerful leaders such as Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa. Under Hideyoshi, all of Japan was united under a single leader or “shogunate.” This led the way for a unified Japan up until the single country it is today. 

Back to the samurai – with Japan united, the different clans and their dime-yo leaders no longer fought for control. Because there was peace between clans, the samurai weren’t needed for fighting. Also, gunpowder and guns were introduced to Japan, so the army became made up of regular soldiers and swords were replaced with guns. The samurai became workers for the new Japanese government. They still followed the code of the Samurai but weren’t needed for battle and taught others about the “bushido” code and how to have self-control and respect for others. 

Some of the samurai who didn’t want to become peaceful government workers and who no longer were needed by the clans became leaderless. These wandering samurai became known as “Ronin” (row-nin) who often became bandits or soldiers for hire. In one of the most famous Japanese stories, 47 of these Ronin lost their master after he was murdered. They band together and seek after his murderer until they get revenge. This legendary story was made into plays and later movies and comic books called “47 Ronin.” 

As we’ve mentioned before, the way of the samurai, the special code they followed that made them samurai was called “bushido.” Without bushido, they wouldn’t have had the discipline to train and act with courage during the toughest moments of battle. Even though you aren’t a samurai, you can take the best things from the bushido code and apply them to your own life. As we talk about the principles of bushido, think about how you might use them each day.

The first principle of bushido was rectitude or justice. This meant to act in a way that made sense, was rational, even when it was very hard to do so. Also, to treat others with fairness and honor.

The second principle was courage, which means acting on what is right even when it is hard. A samurai was determined to act even under difficult circumstances. If you’ve ever done something hard, when it wasn’t easy, you’ve demonstrated courage. And courage doesn’t always come easy, it takes practice! Next time something challenging comes your way say to yourself, “I can have courage, I can do it!” With each courageous step you take, it can become easier.

The third principle of bushido was mercy. This means showing love to others and being able to forgive.

Fourth, politeness. To treat others with respect, have good manners, and say kind things. 

Fifth, honesty. We all know what that means. Telling the truth even when it’s not easy.

Sixth, honor. This meant showing personal respect. Respecting yourself and having patience. This means taking a deep breath when you might get upset and finding ways to work through problems by keeping a cool head, rather than getting angry and losing ones temper. 

Seventh, loyalty. To the samurai this loyalty to their leaders, usually the daim-yo. For you, this might mean listening to your parents or sticking up for your family, siblings, and friends, and being there for them when they need your help.

Finally, eighth, self control. One of the most important because it helps with all of the other principles. This means being able to manage your wants. There might be something you really want, but you can ask yourself if you really need it. It’s important to be able to tell the difference between wants and needs. Needs are things you do need, like good food and sleeping each day. Wants might be a toy or watching a movie, which can be fun at times but aren’t really necessary all the time. Next time you want something, but don’t really need it, try saying “no.” And you’ll find each time you strengthen that part of your brain that has self-control. Also, eating healthy and getting good sleep help with self-control. 

Those are the principles of bushido, the way of the samurai. Like I said, think of ways you can incorporate these good teachings and others into your own life to have the strength of a samurai!

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