First Night of Hanukkah
December 22
According to Wikipedia, Hanukkah is a Jewish festival commemorating the re-dedication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire. It is also known as the Festival of Lights. Hanukkah is observed for eight nights and days, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, which may occur at any time from late November to late December in the Gregorian calendar.
The festival is observed by lighting the candles of a candelabrum with nine branches, called a menorah (or hanukkiah). Each night, one candle is lit until all candles are lit together on the final night of the festival. Other Hanukkah festivities include playing the game of dreidel and eating oil-based foods, such as latkes and dairy foods.
National Cookie Exchange Day
December 22
Just a few days before Christmas is a perfect time to have a cookie swap with friends, neighbors, at the office or a local organization. To find a cookie pan full of resources, from “rules” for cookie exchanges to artwork for invitation cards, just go to the Internet and enter cookie exchange or cookie swap.
Today’s Birthdays of Note….
Diane Sawyer – TV Journalist – born in Glasgow, Kentucky
Lady Bird Johnson – First Lady – born in Karnack, Texas
