Download festivals and customs

Life Skills: Grade 5
Festivals and Customs
FESTIVALS AND CUSTOMS
Religions provide people with some guidelines according which to live by. Celebrations,
festivals and customs are part of these religions.
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Festivals and Customs
Christianity
Christian Festivals
Christmas
Christmas is celebrated as the birth of Christ and falls on the 25th of
December. This is a very important day for Christians and is celebrated by
decorating their houses with Christmas lights and exchange of gifts. The Christmas tree has
become synonymous with this celebration and is decorated with all kinds of Christmas
decorations and lights. The tree usually has a star on the top and Christmas gifts are arranged
underneath the tree.
Good Friday
This is a famous Christian festival which is celebrated to remember the
crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Christ was sacrificed on the cross for the
sake of all humans, so that they can gain forgiveness for their sins, and
be able to enter Heaven after death. On this day, Christians mourn
Christ’s death, and attend church services, where they read from the
Bible and pray.
Easter
During Easter, the resurrection of Christ from death is celebrated.
Joy and love and faith in Christ is expressed. Easter eggs are
often exchanged as gifts.
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Festivals and Customs
Christian Customs
Baptism - When a child is born, baptism is the ritual of symbolising the child being washed
clean from sin and being born into the Christian faith.
Communion - This custom is practised in church where Christ’s sacrifice on the cross is
remembered by the symbolic consumption of bread and wine.
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Festivals and Customs
Judaism
Jewish Festivals
Sabbath
The weekly holy day of Judaism, is the Sabbath which lasts from Friday
evening to Saturday evening. The Sabbath is celebrate to remember God's day
of rest after the six days of creation. A Sabbath family meal is part of the
religious custom.
Passover
Passover is celebrated to commemorate the Israelites being led out of Egypt by Moses.
It is a major eight day festival. Each household celebrates with a special meal at the
beginning of the Festival, and the story of deliverance is re-told. Matzah (unleavened bread)
is eaten throughout the festival.
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Festivals and Customs
Rosh Hashanah - Jewish New Year
Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year festival and commemorates the creation of the world.
This festival begins with ten days of self-examination; this holiday is also called The Days of
Repentance. Over the first two days of Rosh Hashanah, special services are held at the
synagogue.
Yom Kippur - The Day of Atonement
Yom Kippur, is the most sacred and solemn day of the Jewish year and brings the Days of
Repentance to a close. As well as fasting, Jews spend the day in prayer, asking for
forgiveness and resolving to behave better in the future.
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Festivals and Customs
Jewish Customs
The Tradition of Praying
It is customary for Jews to recite prayers three times a day. While praying or attending the
synagogue or religious event, most Jewish men cover their head with a kippah, which
symbolizes respect toward God.
Jewish Dietary Laws
Kashrut, or the Jewish dietary laws are an important part of Jewish customs and tradition.
Food is prepared in specific ways according to these laws and is often referred to as kosher.
Examples of kosher types of food include mammals with split hooves, who chew their "cud"
and sea animals who have fins and scales. Pigs, shellfish, crustaceans and certain birds,
except for chicken and turkey, are not believed to be kosher.
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Festivals and Customs
Hinduism
Hindu Festivals
The social life of Hindus is filled with many celebrations. Some
of the most popular Hindu festivals are described below.
Vasant Panchami
Vasant means spring. Originally, Lord Vishnu was especially worshipped, in order to be
blessed with joy and prosperity.
In modern times, Vasant Panchami day is more commonly associated with the goddess
Saraswati, the goddess of learning, wisdom, knowledge, fine arts, refinement, science and
technology. People celebrate this day in the hope of attaining knowledge to rid themselves of
laziness and ignorance, so that they can be fruitful in their work and show insight.
Diwali
Also called Deepavali. This is the most important festival
in India. Goddess Luxmi, who wields the power of
wealth, is worshipped on this day to provide prosperity
round the year. Rich and poor alike celebrate it with
enthusiasm. Homes are decorated as nicely as possible,
and new clothes are made for everyone. Homes are
surrounded with rows of lamps, and fireworks fill the air.
People wish each other good health, prosperity and
happiness, and a great feast is prepared.
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Festivals and Customs
Holi
Holi is a celebration where differences are forgotten and unity is enjoyed. It has traditionally
been celebrated in high spirit without any distinction of cast, creed, colour, race, status or sex.
Coloured powder or paint is smeared on each other, so that everyone can look the same, and
differences can’t be noticed. Unity and brotherhood as a people are celebrated.
Holi is celebrated every year to remind people that those who love God shall be saved.
Raksha Bandhan
This is a day where the pure love between a brother and sister can be celebrated. The sister
places a thread on the wrist of her brother or brothers, as a mark of the unbreakable love they
share throughout their life, and that it is the brother’s responsibility to look out for his sister
throughout their lives. The thread is called the Rakhi which means “bond of protection”.
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Festivals and Customs
Hindu Customs
The Hindu culture focuses on love, respect and honouring others.

Respect for elders is very important in the Hindu culture. This respect for the elderly
is shown by certain actions such as sitting to the left of elders, bringing gifts on
special occasions, not sitting while they are standing, not speaking much, but rather
listening, seeking their advice and blessings and giving them first choice in all
matters, even serving their food first.

Dakshina: This is a tradition to provide a monetary fee or gift to a priest given at the
completion of any rite.

Shoes are considered impure. The cultured Hindu never wears shoes
or sandals inside a temple or shrine, nor in his home or the homes of
other Hindus.
 Conversations are not held inside doorways or through doorways
when the people having the conversation are in different rooms. This is considered
unlucky. Both parties must be in the same room before a conversation can be held.
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Festivals and Customs
Buddhism
Buddist Festivals
Vesak or Visakah Puja ("Buddha Day")
Traditionally, Buddha's birthday, also known as Vesakor Visakah Puja,
is the major Buddhist festival of the year as it celebrates the birth,
enlightenment and death of the Buddha on the first full moon day in
May, This celebration is called Vesak because that is the name of the
month it is celebrated in.
Asalha Puja
This festival is very important, celebrating the Buddha’s first sermon in which he set out the
guidelines which govern Buddhist religion.
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Festivals and Customs
The Uposatha
This is the Buddhist’s day of observance. This is the day to cleanse the mind of impurities
and find inner calm and joy. On this day, lay disciples and monks intensify their practice and
deepen their knowledge.
Buddhist Customs
Meditation is one of the most well-known customs of the
Buddhist culture. Buddhist meditation is a form of mental
concentration that leads to the discovery of new knowledge and
inner calm.
The Buddha advised his people not to believe in anything just
because it is the custom. He believed that everything should be
put to the test before it is embraced. Only those things that brings
happiness and are to the benefit and welfare of others, should be
embraced.
This is an open-minded view showed by a spiritual leader. No condemnation of other
religions or practices are indulged in. The most important aspect pointed out is that no matter
what a person believes in, practices should be harmless to the self and others, including all
living creatures.
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Festivals and Customs
Islam
Islamic Festivals
Ramadan
This Holy Festival takes place in the ninth month of the Islamic
calendar. It is a time of fasting during daylight hours. This time is used to re-focus on God,
purify the soul and practise self-sacrifice by fasting. During this month, Muslims re-evaluate
their lives in light of the Islamic guidance, strengthen their ties with their families and try to
do away with bad habits.
Lailat ul-Qadr
This is the final 10 days of Ramadan. Muslims celebrate Muhammad’s first revelation
(insight received from God).
Eid ul-Adha
Two to three months after Ramadan, animals are slaughtered to benefit the poor. The purpose
of the the Eid ul-Adha is to celebrate the faithfulness and obedience of Abraham.
Milad un Nabi
The Prophet Mohammad’s birthday is celebrated. Milad-un-Nabi is marked by large crowds
of Muslims gathering in public settings, to hear stories about the different aspects of the
prophet's life.
Muharram
Muharram refers to the first month of the Islamic Calendar. The complete
month of Muharram is sacred according to the Muslims. The tenth day is of
most significance. Different factions of the Muslim community celebrate
this day for different reasons. The Sunni Muslims celebrate the victory of
Moses over the Egyptian Pharaoh on this day.
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Festivals and Customs
Islamic Customs
Aqiqah- This is an informal birth ceremony, where the new child is welcomed into his family
and world.
The Marriage Ritual- Witnesses observe the groom’s formal offer of marriage and the
bride’s acceptance of it. Afterwards the waleemah (the reception) which includes music and
dancing, is held.
Shahada-A person becomes a Muslim by reciting the Shahada with a sincere heart in Arabic.
This is seen as a formal entry into Islam.
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Festivals and Customs
Alat al-Janazah- Is the Islamic funeral prayer which forms part of the Islamic funeral ritual.
The prayer is performed by the congregation to seek pardon for the deceased and all dead
Muslims.
Funerals- Muslims do not believe that cremation is proper and the burial of the dead needs to
take place within 24 hours of the person’s death. The official mourning period for a family
member is 40 days.
For more information, go to the Grade 4 Life Skills module on Religions in South
Africa: http://www.mycyberwall.co.za/get-smart/life-skills/grade-4/religions-south-africa
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