Spread the love of Hanakkuh

Ellen Cameron Staff Writer Happy Hanukkah! Hanukkah, a Jewish holiday, begins today, but at sundown, specifically. One of the interesting things about most Jewish holidays is that most don’t technically begin until the sun has set. Another interesting thing about Hanukkah is its presence as a winter-solstice holiday. Like Christmas, the setting of Hanukkah is rather random and most likely derives its date not from an actual historic anniversary, but from the pagan winter solstice holidays that converts didn’t want to stop celebrating. While the presence of pagan rituals is far more subdued in Judaism than in Christian, the influences are nonetheless there. Hanukkah is famous for the omnipresent menorah and dreidel. However, Hanukkah is…

Irreligious Holidays Haunt October

This has been the first full week of October, which is also known as National Popcorn Poppin’ month. This is particularly appropriate given the volume of horror movies played in the months preceding Halloween at the end of October. This is also National Newspaper Week, so The Sidekick would like to take a moment to appreciate the major newspapers that have defined the profession. Religiously, St. Francis Day was the 4th, but no major religious holidays are near. Nondenominational Canadian Thanksgiving will be this Sunday, and of course, October 12th is Columbus day, canceling school on Friday the 9th and Monday the 12th.