Author: munchachos

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Kwanzaa

Munchachos Snacks Children: Kwanzaa Full Image

What is Kwanzaa?

For seven days beginning on 26th December and lasting until the 1st January, African Americans celebrate Kwanzaa. This holiday is named for the time of year when African tribes traditionally celebrate the first harvest of their crops.  

In spite of the fact that Kwanzaa is a relatively new holiday, it is celebrated by many. Its rapid adoption by so many is down to the fact that it symbolises what it means to be an African; celebrate specifically family, community and culture.

How do We Celebrate?

Many houses put out candelabra a little like the Advent candle or Chanukah Menorah, called a Kinara.  Its seven candles symbolise the seven nights of the holiday and the seven principles upon which the holiday is based.  These are called the Nguzo Saba and are: unity (umoja), self-determination (kujichagulia), collective work and responsibility (ujima), cooperative economics (ujamaa), purpose (nia), creativity (kuumba) and faith (imani). 

Munchachos Snacks Children: Kwanzaa Principles
7 Kwanzaa Principles

As well as the Kinara, people decorate their houses with straw mats and ears of corn to symbolise the harvest.  Many decorations, crafts and ceramics are hung around the house in the traditional colours are red, green and black, to mirror many of the African countries’ flags.  

Munchachos Snacks Children: Kwanzaa Corn Food
Kwanzaa Decorations

On December 31st, the holiday culminates in a feast called Karamu. This feast is made up of an abundance of traditional food which could include African creole, Cajun catfish, jerk chicken or Groundnut stew (and many scrumptious munchables too?).

We think it all sounds delicious and are very keen to try out some of these flavours. Perhaps they could be incorporated into a new Munchachos snack for 2019! What do you think?

Sign up to Munchachos here and download our FREE app to explore, have fun, learn loads and get worldwise.

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Time to Make a Christingle!

Munchachos Snacks Children: Tray of Christingles

What is A Christingle?

Christingles are candles set in oranges held by children at Advent services.  Each element has a special meaning significant to the Christian church.  

The tradition was begun in Germany in the 18th century but then  popularised when John Pensom brought it to the UK and held Christingle services to raise money for The Children’s Society.  This year it is the 50th year since the first Christingle service.

Ready to Make your Very own Christingle?

You will need the following: 

  • An orange 
  • A red ribbon 
  • Dried fruits and sweets on skewers or cloves 
  • A lit candle 

The orange represents the world; the red ribbon indicates God’s love wrapped around the world and the blood Christ shed on the cross; the dried fruits are symbols of God’s creations and the lit candle symbolises Jesus.  

Now for the fun part!

  1. Tie a ribbon around the middle of your orange. Make sure its nice and tight!
  2. Cut a small cross in the top of your orange and lay a square of silver foil (1cm square) over the cross. This might be a good time to get an adult to help. 
  3. Place a candle on top and wedge it firmly into the orange.  The foil will help prevent hot wax running onto your hand.
  4. Load four cocktail sticks with raisins, sultanas or soft sweets and insert them into the orange around the base of the candle.  Alternatively insert cloves all over the orange (it smells amazing!) 
Does your Chrstingle look something like this? Congratulations!

Take a photo of your Christingle, send it to us here and tag us on Instagram (@Munchachos). We cannot wait to see your creations!

Sign up to Munchachos here and download our FREE app to explore, have fun, learn loads and get worldwise.

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Winter Solstice

Munchachos Snacks Children: Winter Solstice Stonehenge

What is The Winter Solstice?

The Winter Solstice falls on the 21st December each year.  This is the 24 hour period during which we, in the Northern Hemisphere, will have the fewest hours of daylight of the whole year.  

During the winter months the Earth’s North Pole is pointing away from the Sun which is why it is colder in the Northern hemisphere.  In the Southern hemisphere it’s much warmer, making it their summertime.

The North Pole is pointing away from the Sun

So How Much Sunshine Can we Expect?

In London the Winter Solstice lasts for 7 hours 49 minutes and 41 seconds.  In the North of Lapland (Finland), they only get around four hours of daylight on the Solstice. Can you imagine being in the dark for nearly 20 hours!

How is the Winter Solstice Celebrated?

Certain cultures celebrate the Winter solstice. For example, many Pagans and Druids travel to Stonehenge in Wiltshire each year on the 21st December.  Archaeologists believe the English Heritage site was constructed between 3000BC and 2000BC specifically to point towards the winter solstice sunrise.  The communities hold large celebrations on the day after the solstice to coincide with the sunrise.  They often wear traditional costume and welcome in the new sun.  

Yalda is an Iranian festival celebrated on the ‘longest and darkest night of the year,’ i.e. the night of the Northern Hermisphere’s winter solstice.  Every year, on December 21st, Iranians celebrate the renewal of the sun with a big family get-together and all-night celebrations.

In Guatemala, those of Mayan heritage indulge in the ritual known as Palo Volador, or ‘flying pole dance’. Three men climb a 50-foot pole.  One man beats a drum and plays a flute.  The other two men wind a rope attached to the pole around one foot and jump.  If they land on their feet, it is believed that the sun god will be pleased and that the days will start getting longer.  

Palo Volador in a Chichicastenango, a town in Guatemala

How will you celebrate the shortest day of the year? With some munchables, of course!

Sign up to Munchachos here and download our FREE app to explore, have fun, learn loads and get worldwise.

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Hanukkah

Munchachos Snacks Children: Hanukkah

What is Hanukkah?

Hanukkah is also known as the Festival of Lights. It is an eight-day period of celebration during which Jewish people commemorate the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. This happened at the time of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire.

Munchachos Snacks Children: Second Temple
Second Temple in Jerusalem

So What Exactly Happened?

Over 2,000 years ago, Jewish rituals had been banned by Syrian rule. Instead, Jews were instructed to pray to Greek Gods. A group of Jews called the Maccabees fought against this ruling and, after a three-year war, they won. 

Post-victory, they set about cleaning and repairing their temple, which had been destroyed during the revolt. They had enough oil to burn a candle in their oil lamp for one day, but miraculously it burnt for 8 days. Therefore, the festival of Hanukkah lasts eight days. 

How Do we Celebrate Today?

Each night families gather around their menorahs, which are nine branched candelabras – one candle for each of the eight days of the festivities and the middle candle to light the other eight. On the final night of Hanukkah, or Zot Hanukkah, all of the candles are lit.

During Hanukkah there is a custom of eating fried foods or food baked in oil (preferably olive oil) in commemoration of the miracle in the temple. Most popular foods are latkes or potato pancakes and sufganiyah or jam-filled donuts. Nowadays, Munchachos are the preferred snacks at the Munchquarters!

  • Scrumptious sufgabiyahs…
  • Munchachos Snacks Children: Latkes
    …and latkes!

Absolutely delicious.

If you are Jewish, we at Munchachos would like to wish you a joy-filled Hanukkah season. Chag Urim Sameach! 

Sign up to Munchachos here and download our FREE app to explore, have fun, learn loads and get worldwise.

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Advent

Munchachos Snacks Children: Advent Calendar

What Is Advent?

Advent is about more than just 24 little pieces of chocolate! It’s an important part of the Christian calendar, leading up to Christmas Day. 

The word Advent comes from the Latin ‘adventus’ which means ‘arrival’ or ‘coming’. This refers to the birth of Christ, which is celebrated on Christmas Day (25th December). Advent starts on the closest Sunday to 30th November (this year it started on 2nd December) and ends on Christmas Eve.

What Are Advent Traditions?

As well as opening an Advent Calendar door each day, an activity that happens in many people’s homes, there are a number of other traditions that are observed both in the UK and across the globe. In the UK, the most widely recognised symbol of Advent is the Advent wreath. Four red candles stand in a circle and each one represents one of the four Sundays of Advent. A fifth white candle that sits in the centre of the circle is lit on Christmas Day.

Munchachos Snacks Children: Wreath

Advent Wreath

In China, Christians light up their homes with colourful paper lanterns, and stick paper pagodas in their windows. Germans, as we do in the UK, create five-candle wreaths around which they sing carols each time they light another candle. 

In Hungary, they make special advent treats called Beigli. A Beigli is a rolled crust, traditionally filled with poppy seeds or walnuts.

Munchachos Snacks Children: Advent Beigli Hungary

A Hungarian Beigli

Advent is a time of preparation in many other countries. In Poland, for example, people stay inside during the long, dark evenings making decorations for the Christmas tree and handmade gifts.

At Munchachos we are celebrating Advent the best way we know how – with a tasty seasonal worldwise fact each day. Take a look at our Instagram Stories to find out more!

Sign up to Munchachos here and download our FREE app to explore, have fun, learn loads and get worldwise.