Holidays All Around

I'm back from the long Thanksgiving Weekend in the US. I'll be commenting on Egypt's elections and other developments in a bit, but thought I'd note that not only have we begun the period which in the US is called "the holidays," but that it's not just the West.

Hanukkah starts at sundown on Wednesday. The Muslim New Year 1432 (Ra's al-Sana) begins December 7, or more exactly at sundown the evening before; ‘Ashura, noted by all Muslims but the great observation of the martyrdom of Imam Husayn for Shi‘a, is December 16; Latin (Western) Christmas is of course December 25. One of the major seasonal Zoroastrian festivals begins at the end of the year. Since winter solstice fesztibals are common, I may have omitted some of the smaller Middle Eastern religions (Yazidis, Mandeans, etc.), and welcome knowing about additions.

So in advance, Happy Holidays.