"When we gather together,
we celebrate family.
When we tell our stories and sing our songs,
we celebrate the earth's turning.
The WINTER SOLSTICE is the shortest day
of the year, when the sun rises late and sets
early, which is celebrated by many cultures
around the world."
Fall and winter holidays are here celebrated: Diwali, Winter Solstice, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Bodhi Day, and Lunar New Year. The celebrations happen in the darkest times of the year, and invite families and friends to gather together to share those traditions that center around a certain cultural event. Light is at the heart of the observances, and is honored in a variety of ways.
Each occasion is named, and accompanied by poetic words that convey that celebrating the light is quite similar from one culture to another; in fact, seeing how each culture reveres its traditions shows all are worthy of our attention. The decorative rangoli, firelight, moonlight, Christmas lights, the menorah, the kinara, and lighted lanterns all shed their glow on the families and friends who gather in anticipation of shared good times.
Each holiday is defined on the book's pages and further noted in back matter. The colorful and detailed digital artwork is filled with cozy scenes of families coming together to decorate their homes, sing familiar songs, eat favorite foods, and think about the world they inhabit. Whether it's inside on the carpet playing dreidel, sitting in the moonlight at laden tables, or hanging stockings in anticipation of Santa's visit, Ms. Chen fills the pages with warmth and diversity in age, ability, color, and size.
"When we honor traditions,
we celebrate our people's long history.
The good, the bad, the losses, the gains ...
...and the hopeful days to come."
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