---
title: 3 Activities for Celebrating Multi-Cultural Holidays
description: Here are 3 activities you can do with your child to celebrate the traditions of other cultures.
---

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# [3 Activities for Celebrating Multi-Cultural Holidays](https://www.kids-konnect.com/blog/3-activities-for-celebrating-multi-cultural-holidays)

 Written by [Makinya Ward](https://www.kids-konnect.com/blog/author/makinya-ward) | Dec 17, 2015 5:00:00 PM

One advantage of living in the Bay area is that your children have a chance to meet people from many different cultures. You can help your child learn about other nationalities and people by doing the following 3 activities that celebrate multi-cultural holidays:

**Chinese New Year**

In 2016, the year of the goat, Chinese New Year will be celebrated on Monday, February 8. To celebrate, decorate your house with paper lanterns. Follow any of the easy directions for [Chinese Lantern Crafts](http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/chinese-lantern-crafts) at Activity Village. Put your lanterns on the dining room table or around the house. Light them up with small flashlights or LED candles. You might want to get Chinese take-out, and after eating, use the chopsticks to try to pick up mini-marshmallows.

**Hanukkah**

Hanukkah commemorates the Jewish victory over the Syrian ruler who would not let them worship their own God. This Jewish "Festival of Lights" will be December 6-14 in 2015. Jews celebrate the miracle of a lamp which remained lit for 8 days by lighting a new candle on the menorah for each day. Make a mini-menorah with your children using air-drying clay and birthday candles following [these directions](http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/birthday-candle-menorah). Light the candles and eat a traditional Hanukkah food, jelly donuts, also called Chanukah Donuts; or if you are really brave, you can try making your own using this[ recipe](http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/777589/jewish/Chanukah-Doughnuts-Pareve-or-Dairy.htm).

**Kwanzaa**

Celebrating the heritage of the African-American culture, Kwanzaa starts on December 26 and ends on January 1. [Kwanzaa](http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/classroom-solutions/2010/12/celebrating-and-learning-about-december-holidays-part-3-kwanzaa) is Swahili for "First Fruits of the Harvest" and commemorates harvest celebrations held in Africa. Each day of the holiday is used to recognize principles important to the African-American community like work, cooperation, creativity and faith. Start by reading books like ["K is for Kwanzaa](http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/k-kwanzaa#cart/cleanup)" with your child. Like Hanukkah, Kwanzaa also lights a candle every day on a 7-candle kinara. Make an easy paper plate kinara with your child following this [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVf22d911Jw). Use Kwanzaa colors of black, red, green and yellow to make a[ paper place mat](http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/kwanza/placemat/) representing straw place mats used in Africa. Eat Kwanzaa foods like peanuts, black-eyed peas, fruit salad or coconut pie.

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