Dear Tanenbaum Community,
As 2025 comes to a close, many are preparing to celebrate holidays throughout the month of December and into January. We’re here to help you understand and navigate these holidays with respect to all.
Bodhi Day, which commemorates the day that the historical Buddha attained enlightenment, is on December 8th. We invite you to read our Bodhi Day Fact Sheet to learn more about this holiday.
The dates for Hanukkah change every year on the Gregorian calendar (used in most parts of the world today), though on the Jewish calendar they are always the same – the 25th of Kislev to the 2nd of Tevet. This year, Hanukkah begins at nightfall on December 14th and ends at nightfall on December 22nd. For more information on the celebration of Hanukkah, visit our Hanukkah Fact Sheet.
Many Christians will celebrate Christmas on December 25th. Orthodox Christians will celebrate it on January 7th, and the Armenian Apostolic Church will celebrate on January 6th. Some Christian traditions celebrate January 6th as “Epiphany” or “Three Kings Day.” For more on these observances, explore this year’s Christmas Fact Sheet.
Kwanzaa, celebrated from December 26th to January 1st, honors African heritage, community, and unity. Discover more from our holiday Fact Sheet on Kwanzaa.
To help you plan for the many questions that may arise as you accommodate the holidays this season, visit our December Dilemma Fact Sheet.
It has been a pleasure supporting your efforts to respect religious diversity throughout 2025, and we look forward to continuing to do so in 2026. For more resources, visit our Workplace Resources page or reach out to us with any questions you may have about addressing the holidays this season.
Holiday Fun fact:
You may have heard the names of these holidays before, but have you ever wondered where they come from?
Kwanzaa is derived from the Swahili phrase matunda ya kwanza, which means “first fruits,” while Hanukkah comes from the Hebrew word for “dedication.” In Sanskrit and Pali, Bodhi means “awakening” or “enlightenment,” and Christmas is a shortened form of “Christ’s Mass,” from the Middle English “Crīstesmæsse.”
Warmly,
Rev. Mark Fowler, CEO, Tanenbaum, and the Workplace Team