KWANZAA OBSERVANCE:

Holiday in brief: 

Kwanzaa is a week long celebration held in the United States and also celebrated in the Western African Disapora in other nations of the Americas. The celebration honors African heritage in African-American culture. Is observed from December 26 to January 1, culminating in a feast and gift-giving. Kawnzaa has seven core principles (Nguzo Saba) It was created by Maulana Karenga, and was first celebrated in 1966-67.

During the early years of Kwanzaa it was meant to be an "oppositional alternative" to Christmas. However, as Kwanzaa gained mainstream followers, it's position was altered so that practicing Christians would not be alienated. Many African Americans who celebrate Kwanzaa, do so in addition to observing Christmas.

PRINCIPLES AND SYMBOLS:

> UMOJA (Unity): To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race.

> KUJICHAGULIA (Self-Determination): To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, and speak for ourselves.

> UJIMA (Collective work and responsibility): To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers' and sisters' problems our problems, and to solve them together

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> UJAMAA (Cooperative economics): To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together.

> NIA (Purpose): To make our collective vocation, the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.

> KUUMBA (Creativity): To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than when we inherited.

> IMANI (Faith): To believe with all our hearts in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.

SYMBOLS:

 A decorative mat (Mkeka) on which other symbols are placed, such as: corn (Muhindi) and other crops, a candle holder kinara with seven candles (Mishumaa Saba), a communal cup for libation (Kikombe cha Umoja), gifts (Zawadi), a poster of the seven principles, and a black, red, and green flag. The symbols were designed to convey the seven principles.

OBSERVANCE:

Families celebrating Kwanzaa decorate their households with objects of art: colorful African cloth such as kente, especially the wearing of kaftans by women; and fresh fruits that represent African idealism. Children are included in Kwanzaa ceremonies to give respect and gratitude to ancestors. Libations are shared, generally with a common chalice, (Kikombe cha Umoja), passed around to all celebrants. The holiday greeting is "Joyous Kwanzaa". A ceremony may also include drumming and musical selections.

Cultural exhibitions include the Spirit of Kwanzaa, an annual celebration, held at the JFK Center for the Performing Arts, featuring interpretive dance, African dance, song and poetry.

The holiday has also spread to Canada and is celebrated by Black Canadians in a similar fashion as in the United States.

Have a safe and meaningful Kwanzaa and remember the greeting for each day, "Habari Gani (what's the news?)

(Content excerpted from Wikipedia)

For all your Real Estate & Insurance and helpful hints, contact LEGACY REALTY GROUP, "The new star in Town", 1963 Oak Tree Rd. Edison, NJ  Tel: 732-744-0400

IS YOUR HOLIDAY HUSTLE & BUSTLE GETTING TO BE TOO MUCH? TRY SLOWING DOWN A LITTLE BY REMEMBERING SOME OLD TRADITIONS !!!!!

The Holiday Season should be joyous and a time to build lifelong memories with your family. Traditions also help you to bond and reconnect with loved ones, friends and neighbors. Creating traditions can take a little time and energy to plan, so here is a list of a few traditions to inspire your own holiday plans and make the season a little more fun and brighter.

HOLIDAY FOOD TRADITIONS:

1. Make traditional dishes for your holiday meals and include foods from your own culture and foods you ate while growing up. Ask for recipes from relatives to keep your family food traditions alive.

NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNITY TRADITIONS:

1. See a local production of "The Nutcracker", "A Christmas Carol" or another holiday-themed show.

2. Get in your car, check out and privately judge, holiday lighting displays in your neighborhood.

3. Make a note of local holiday events on your calendar. Most cities/towns, produce concerts, festivals and plays to celebrate the season.

AROUND THE HOME HOLIDAY TRADITIONS:

1. Go to a tree farm and cut down the perfect tree (they last longer). Decorate it as a family, let the kids do their thing. Have some treats on hand.

2. Set aside at least one night to watch a holiday movie or TV special, like "Scrooge", "Miracle on 34th Street", "A Charlie Brown Christmas", etc.

3. Purchase or make a holiday ornament for each child every year. Helps to reminisce holiday decorating.

4. Sit down with your child and take the time to write a letter to Santa.

GIVING BACK HOLIDAY TRADITIONS:

1. Volunteer your time at a food bank to help families in need.

2. Go through your closets and donate gently used clothing to a local shelter. Coats are particularly useful at this time of year.

3. Deliver cookies and treats to those who must work during the holiday. i.e. local fire station, police department and your local hospital.

4. Volunteer a little time at a Senior Citizen Center.

HOLIDAY GIFT TRADITIONS:

1. If your extended family is large, consider making a deal among the adults to buy gifts only for the kids.

2. Start a "Gag Gift" tradition to a family member. Each year pass the gift on to another, unsuspecting family member.

CHRISTMAS EVE TRADITIONS:

1. Open one gift on Christmas Eve.

2. Track Santa's progress across the globe.

3. Read "the Night Before Christmas" at bedtime.

4. Get matching pajamas for the kids to wear on Christmas Eve for a great photo op in the morning.

CHRISTMAS MORNING:

1. Choose a family member at random to pass out the gifts to everyone.

2. Call or have a video chat with loved ones who are unable to be with your family

3. Go out for breakfast (if you can find a place open) let someone else besides Mom, do the cooking.

Most of all, remember to try to observe the religious purpose of the holiday you are celebrating. From the staff of Legacy Realty Group....have a wonderful and safe holiday season.

For all your Real Estate & Insurance needs and helpful hints, contact, LEGACY REALTY GROUP, "The New Star in Town",  1963 Oak Tree Road, Edison, NJ 08820. Tel: 732-744-0400.

THE HISTORY OF HANUKKAH (CHANUKAH)

Hanukkah or Chanukah (for anyone not aware) is the eight day festival celebrated by Jewish people around the world. The history of Hanukkah dates back to 165 BCE. The land of Judea was ruled by Antiochus, a Syrian King, who ordered the Jews to reject all their rituals and beliefs, forcing them to worship Greek Gods and eat the meat of a pig. Out of fear of the Greek Soldiers, some Jews obeyed, while the remaining Jewish people, would not comply to these orders, both of which were against Jewish law, and out of anger, decided to fight back.

A Jewish High Priest, Mattahias and his five sons, attacked and killed many of the Greek soldiers, then took asylum nearby. When Mattahias died a year later, his son Judah Maccabee took charge of the Jewish Army, committed to defeat the Greek Soldiers. The determined army fought fiercely and successfully defeated the Greek Soldiers. Judah and his men then traveled to the Holy Temple to attend to it's restoration. While they were cleaning and repairing the damages to the temple, which was in shambles, they discovered that many precious items were missing or had been destroyed. They repaired what was left, including the Menorah, a nine branched candelabrum. They discovered that the limited amount of purified oil, which could only light the Menorah for one night, miraculously burned for eight days, thus giving rise to the establishment of Hanukkah, "The Festival of Lights". This eight day festival is celebrated to commemorate the re-dedication of the Holy Temple and the victory of Judah Maccabee over the Greeks. During this eight day festival, Jews light one candle on the Menorah each night, preceded by Jewish blessings. According to the Hanukkah tradition, the candles should not be blown out.

This year, on Thursday, November 28, 2013, Hanukkah and Thanksgiving occur on the same day, an astronomical merging of the Holidays, that will not happen again for 77,000 years. Since this will be a "once in a lifetime" event, perhaps there could be a turkey shaped Menorah called a "Menurkey", or a "Thanksgivukka" to honor both Holidays. Pardon the humor.
Ironically, in 2016, Hanukkah begins on Christmas Eve. Not as spectacular an event as this year, but special nevertheless.

ENJOY YOUR HOLIDAYS !!!!!!!

For all your Real Estate and Insurance needs and helpful hints, contact, LEGACY REALTY GROUP, Edison, NJ. 732.744.0400

THE COLORS OF CHRISTMAS

There are several colors which are traditionally  associated with Christmas. The most popular are Red, Green & Gold. But why....and what do all the colors represent? Most of the colors and their meanings have evolved from the Western/Northern European Christian traditions and customs, with Christmas in the middle of Winter where it is dark early and cold.

GREEN:

Evergreen plants like Holly, Ivy and Mistletoe have been used for thousands of years to decorate and brighten up buildings during the long, dark Winter. They also reminded people that Spring was around the corner, and Winter wouldn't last forever. The Romans would exchange evergreen branches during January as a sign of good luck. The ancient Egyptians would bring palm branches into their homes during the mid-winter festivals.

In many parts of Europe during the Middle Ages, Paradise Plays were performed, most often on Christmas Eve. Bible stories were acted out for people who couldn't read. The "Paradise Tree" in the Garden of Eden in the play, was normally a pine tree, adorned with red apples tied to it. Now the most common use of green at Christmas time, are Christmas trees.

RED:

As stated, the early use of red at Christmas, were the apples on the Paradise Tree, which, in the plays, represented the fall of Adam. Red is also the color of holly berries, which is said to represent the blood of Jesus when he died on the cross. Red is also the color of Bishops robes. These would have been worn by St. Nicholas, then became Santa's uniform.

GOLD:

Gold is the color of the Sun and light, both very important in the dark Winter and both red and gold are the colors of fire, needed to keep you warm. Gold was also one of the gifts presented to the baby Jesus by one of the wise men. Traditionally it's the color used to depict the star, followed by the wise men. (Silver is sometimes used, instead, but gold is the warmer color)

WHITE:

White is often associated with purity and peace in Western Cultures, as is the snow of Winter. White, paper thin, wafers were also sometimes used to decorate the Paradise Trees. The wafers represented the bread which is eaten during the Christian Communion or Mass, as a reminder that Jesus died for them. White is used by most churches as the color of Christmas, when the altar is covered by a white cloth. (In the Russian Orthodox Church, at Christmas, a Gold cloth is used to cover the altar)

BLUE:

The color blue is often associated with Mary, the mother of Jesus. In Medieval times, blue dye and paint was more expensive than gold, therefore would only be worn by Royal families and people of wealth. Mary was often painted wearing blue to show that she was very important. Blue also represents the color of the sky and heaven. During Advent, the month of preparation leading to Christmas day, purple (occasionally blue) is used in most churches for the color of the altar cloth. (In the Russian Orthodox Church, during Advent, red is used as the color of the alter cloth)

some information excerpted from, www.whychristmas.com/customs/colors-of-christmas.

While the Christmas Holiday is arguably the most colorful of all holidays, it is celebrated by many cultures in many different ways. Have a safe and wonderful Holiday, and try to not let all the commercialism overshadow this meaningful time of year.

For all your Real Estate & Insurance needs and helpful hints, Contact, LEGACY REALTY GROUP, "The New Star in Town", 1963 Oak Tree Rd. Edison, N.J, 732-744-0400