It's Christmas if you're Christian, Hanukkah if you're Jewish, Kwanzaa if you're African-American ...

People around the world celebrate the December Solstice. Who are we and what do we eat?

Religious or secular, one way or another, most cultures mark the passage of the sun at its zenith (southern hemisphere) or nadir (northern hemisphere). Here are a few, listed in chronological order based on first appearance in history.

Alban Arthan (Light of Winter or Light of Arthur) - Druidic observance of the Winter Solstice still practiced today; date of origin unknown, but considered to predate Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. Cookies in the shape of the sun have been baked for millenia.

Yalda (Shabe-Yalda or Shab-e Yaldaa) - Ancient Persian holiday, begun about 4,000 years ago, pre-dating Islam, and considered a precursor to Christmas. Feasting includes a cornucopia of fresh fruit, dried fruit, nuts and seeds and for some, breads and sweet breads.

Photo credit: Eliza Tasbihi from: her Flickr page, Dec 21, 2005. This file is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivs 2.0.

Bodhi Day - Depending on the practitioner's view of Buddhism, this is or is not a religious holiday as purists consider Buddhism a way of life and not necessarily a religion. Bodhi Day celebrates the day the Buddha realized enlightenment, about 2500 years ago. On this day, he ended his fast with rice and milk. For this reason, some suggest that rice and milk be served in celebration. Others suggest incorporating one's own cultural practices in the observance, as Buddhism is all about inclusiveness and flexibility.

Hanukkah (Chanukah) - Eight day religious festival celebrated by Jews the world over that begins as early as November and as late as January (rare) and is a little more than 2,000 years old. This year, Hanukkah begins on December 16. Special foods during the celebration include latkes in various forms, applesauce, donuts, and jelly donuts, also known as sufganiyah.

Christmas - For those who might not know of this holiday, it is religious, and first celebrated the birth of its namesake, Christ, 2,000 years ago. Feasts around the world include traditional foods of the culture. In the US goose, turkey, ham, roast beef, or lutefisk may be the centerpiece, depending on one's heritage. These are accompanied by dishes as far-ranging as cranberries and spaghetti. Libations may or may not include wine and spirits, again depending on one's religious beliefs and cultural practices.

Dōng zhì (Extreme of Winter) - Chinese Winter Solstice Festival held for approximately 1800 years. Families gather to make and eat special foods including rice flour balls called tangyuan. Other foods, depending on the region, may include dumplings, soups with tangyuan or dumplings, mutton, and red-beans. For a more comprehensive view of this key holiday, see Musical Mandarin / Winter Solstice.

Soyal Ceremony (Soyalangwul) - Hopi Tribe ceremony, approximately 1500 years old, occuring in December or January depending on the clan, and celebrating the renewal of life as the sun begins its journey toward summer. The ceremony is marked by fasting and meditation and usually lasts several days, followed by a public celebration. Sacred foods may interrupt the fasting. If you know more about this ceremony and would like to share, please comment below.

Kwanzaa (also Kwaanza) - Secular, African-American celebration to honor African roots and traditions and to celebrate the harvest, begun in 1966. (Kwanzaa means "first fruits," as in the first fruits of the harvest.) Corn, fruits, and libations are part of the ceremony and symbols; what is actually served at the feasts, I did not find. Do you know? If so, post it in a comment and I will add it with a credit.

However you celebrate the solstice, enjoy!

Did I miss your winter solstice holiday? Post a comment and tell us all about it.

Daily Tip:

Holiday bustle getting you up to here? For a quick pick-me-up, try this great meditation from the Mindful Jobs blog.