Yehuda HaMakabi ordered the temple to be ritually cleansed and for a new altar to be built to replace the befouled one. From now on only pure olive oil with the seal of the high priest could be used for the Temple menorah chandelier. The menorah was to burn at all times, day and night.
But something strange happened. Poor planning caused enough oil only for one day during the re-dedication of the Temple. Miraculously, the menorah burned for eight days, allowing for the sourcing of a fresh supply of dedicated, approved olive oil.
So, a new feast was immediately proclaimed - the eight-day Hanukkah festival.
Celebrations: Hanukkah is observed for eight days, starting on day 25 of the month of Kislev and continuing until day 2 of the month of Tevet on the Hebrew calendar. In western Gregorian calendar it occurs anywhere from late November to late December every year, depending on the corresponding dates.
Hanukkah was further popularized by the American Jewish community in the nineteenth century when Jewish groups looked for ways to adapt their Hebrew-American life. Jewish Americans opted to celebrate Hanukkah over the Christmas holidays instead of Christmas itself.
Today the festival is observed by the systematic lighting of the candles in the menorah, or the hanukkiah, as it is more commonly known. During the 8 day long festival, special foods such as pancake and doughnut-like meals are prepared, specific songs are sung, prayers are prayed, etc.
CHRISTMAS
The Origin: 25 December (Gregorian-Roman calendar) has its origin in ancient pagan worship. It is a holiday celebrating the Roman-Babylonian gods and the end of the winter solstice.
The day was celebrated for hundreds of years before Roman emperor Constantine declared by public proclamation in A.D. 313, that the birth of Christ had to be celebrated on this specific date.
By the time the proclamation went public, the Roman world was already thoroughly obliged to celebrate December 25 as a sacred holiday. They knew it for many generations as the feast of Saturnalia. The public therefore had no problem with the addition of yet one more reason to celebrate.
What was celebrated?
Saturnalia honored Saturn, the god of agriculture and was celebrated with much feasting, merriment and giving of gifts. In true Babylonian style, homes were decorated with embellished trees, mistletoe and ornaments. Elaborate dishes were prepared and days were set aside where no-one did any work whatsoever.
When Rome eventually proclaimed Christianity as the state religion in the fourth century, the Roman-Catholic church merely incorporated Christmas into Saturnalia by reasoning that the lord Jesus was born on this day. Consequently, a lie was born and the birth of Christ was to be commemorated on this specific day.
It is also interesting to note that western culture (based on its Babylonian roots) celebrates the birth of an individual, which is a foreign concept in middle eastern culture. For instance, no examples are found in scripture where ancient Hebrew birthdays are celebrated.
History, politics and religion: Constantine, as a "converted" Christian being the Emperor of the Roman Empire, became increasingly concerned about the unity and stability of his empire. There was a real and eminent fear that the new religion would destabilize the empire. So, Constantine strategically constructed a new publicly acceptable religion by merging and mixing together of pagan practices and Christian traditions. The result - a new religious entity in the form of the Catholic church, custodian of Roman rule and power.
To establish his new world order Constantine promulgated the Edict of Toleration in A.D. 313. And there we have it. The first mention of December 25 as Christmas day is found in A.D. 324.
The rest is history. European cultures that emerged from their Roman oppression firmly embraced and expanded on this Babylonian heritage mixture by adding their own Northern European pagan idols, inventions and beliefs (see below).
Celebrations: Today, as a result of this history, we have a multitude of pagan concocted ideas and traditions called Christmas. Think about the demonic figures such as Santa Clause (Norwegian-Scandinavian paganism), Zwarte Piet (Germanic-Dutch), festivities with the celebration of lights, streamers, candy, the yule log, eggnog, Christmas-crackers, lucky-puddings, trees, etc. (Yes, I remind myself that even in old covenant times the prophet Jeremiah warned about this, saying in Jeremiah 10:3-4: For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not)
Today countries all over the world go into total shut-down mode for almost a whole month. They proclaim national holidays, allowing for extended commercial activities to buy, spend and prepare for these celebrations, all in the name of Christmas.
A concoction of pagan and corrupted traditions mixed up with religion makes for a potent mixture to justify festivities we observe as Christmas. Parents beguile their children and hold them at ransom to be good or else ...
Adults indulge at Christmas parties with much drinking and eating, giving each other gifts randomly drawn from a hat. The holiday-spirit is fully embraced with alcohol, eating and gifting. Some even dress up in costumes or at the very least wear a Christmas party hat to look like their favorite demon.
Families get together under the pretense this is the time of year to spend with family, to show your care and love. They exchange the traditional Christmas gift (an action reminiscent of the ancient Babylonian exchange that celebrated the birth of the pagan sun-god) and they plan ahead for the new year ...
And there you have it - Christmas as we know it today!
What are we to make of it?
In relation to both these pagan feasts, let's consider what Jesus said:
The feast of lights?
Joh 8:12 - Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Joh 9:5 - As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
Joh 11:9 - If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
Mat 5:14 - Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
What’s to celebrate?
The birth of Christ? (see this post if you are still confused)
How did Jesus say we should remember (Hebrew word means reenactment) Him?
1Co 11:24-25 - And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
There is only one feast!
The finished work of Christ!
On a specific date of the year?
1Co 11:26 - For as often [hosakis - meaning: multiple times, but also meaning: he who does] as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
Behold Jesus!