Around the World in One Holiday Season
I first fell in love with different cultures while going to school in D.C., a city that’s a living crossroads of the world. My classmates came from everywhere, and their stories cracked open my understanding of what it means to live, to celebrate, to come together.
Turns out, there’s not just one way to do it. And especially around the holidays, that becomes beautifully clear.
While each culture has its own unique rituals and language, many winter traditions share something remarkable: They don’t just celebrate the light - they honor the turning point into it.
Across the northern hemisphere, this is the season of the Winter Solstice - the longest night of the year, after which the days slowly begin to grow again. It’s a quiet pivot toward renewal, often marked with reverence, not frenzy. All the same, Christmas and Chanukah loosely celebrate similar holidays, festivals of light, around the world.
Let’s take a quick trip around the globe…
Sweden: Light in the Dark
In Sweden, families celebrate St. Lucia’s Day on December 13 — a festival of light during the darkest time of year. Children wear crowns of candles, saffron buns are served, and homes are filled with music and quiet warmth. It’s not loud or commercial — it’s luminous, simple, and deeply human.
Pueblo Nations: Laying Down the Year
Among some Pueblo traditions in the American Southwest, there’s a period after the solstice - from around Dec 21 to Jan 10 - where ceremonial life pauses. The sacred kiva is symbolically laid down, honoring rest, integration, and the wisdom of stillness before renewal. No hustle. Just a conscious quiet.
Japan: Osoji & Joya no Kane
In Japan, the end of the year is marked by Ōsoji — the great cleaning. Homes, offices, and even public spaces are scrubbed and reset, physically and energetically. Then, at midnight on New Year’s Eve, temples ring bells 108 times(Joya no Kane), releasing attachments and impurities to begin the year fresh. It’s spiritual, but not religious. Sacred, but not heavy.
Across these traditions, here’s what I notice: The cultures that seem to navigate the season with grace and depth share some key ingredients:
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They’re non-commercial: Centered on meaning, not merchandise
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They’re non-punitive: No guilt, no performance pressure
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They’re non-religious (or lightly spiritual): Open to all
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They’re often non-alcoholic: Focused on presence, not escape
And most importantly? They honor rhythm over resolution.
As we settle into this season here in Lewes and Rehoboth, I’m curious: What rhythms do you want to honor? What stillness do you need to lay down before you rise again? I know I feel less than usual productive levels...What if its ok for us to rest and relax our nervous systems like they do up in the snowy mountains of the high desert. What if many cultures and even our human biorhythms ask us for profound moments of pause where we reset, like the trees and the earth under the snow.
I’ll be writing more reflections like these in the coming year, weaving together global wisdom, nervous system research, and tools for a steadier, more alive life. Thanks for letting me be part of your season and wishing you peace and joy.
Courtni Hale, DE Life's a Beach Counseling
