Celebrate winter holidays with St. Jude
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital treats children from all 50 states and from around the world. That means our patient families are from many cultures and celebrate winter holidays in different ways.
Get to know St. Jude families as they share their traditions.
NOVEMBER 1, 2024
Diwali is the five-day festival of lights, celebrated by millions of Hindus, Sikhs and Jains across the world. It’s a festival of new beginnings and the triumph of good over evil, and light over darkness. Those who celebrate decorate and illuminate the inside and outside of their homes with lights, perform dances, light fireworks and partake in family meals. It’s observed every year in late October or November.
How St. Jude patients celebrate Diwali
St. Jude patient Aditya and his sister wear colorful outfits for Diwali.
Aditya's diagnosis of AML came just weeks after they had celebrated Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, in 2023.
As the family approaches Diwali this year, Aditya’s health is much improved, but they’ll keep the celebrations light. In the past they would gather for prayers to the Hindu god Ganesha to remove all obstacles in their path. This year, they will do the same, but also look to St. Jude for help.
St. Jude has given us hope in a really difficult time. The doctors, the nurses, they’re continuously working to make sure Aditya has everything he needs. It’s a blessing to have St. Jude.
— Bhargav, St. Jude patient Aditya's father
NOVEMBER 28, 2024
Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated in several countries. Its roots often tie back to giving thanks for the year’s harvest. Though it may not be called the same name worldwide, many countries have a traditional holiday celebrating a bountiful harvest. The event takes place on the fourth Thursday in November in the U.S., but the timing for other countries can differ. In the U.S., many people celebrate Thanksgiving by sharing a meal with family or friends (called Friendsgiving), attending city parades and watching popular sporting events.
What we're thankful for
St. Jude patient Beckett celebrates his No More Chemo party in 2023.
Beckett celebrated the end of eight months of treatment with a No More Chemo party, a tradition at St. Jude, on Nov. 21, 2023 ─ two days before Thanksgiving.
We don’t take anything for granted. Not a single day. Not a single moment.
— Brett, St. Jude patient Beckett's father
Background artwork by St. Jude patient Ellen
DECEMBER 16 – 24
Las Posadas is a celebration held in several Latin American countries that reminds families of the journey of Virgin Mary and Joseph of Nazareth to Bethlehem for the birth of baby Jesus. Families go from home to home with the figures of the Virgin Mary and Joseph, reliving the pilgrimage by singing songs. They pray and share special snacks such as "tortas" (bread with sausage), "atoles" (traditional beverages made of corn or masa) of various flavors, salads and traditionally, a "piñata" with candy is set up for the children.
How St. Jude patients celebrate Las Posadas
Las Posadas for us means the representation of the journey that the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph made. The families try to relive that journey by carrying the Virgin Mary on a little wood board with a little straw roof from house to house and we sing. The family and neighbors sing when it's our turn, and if you receive us, you also receive other pilgrims. We visit several homes, and then begin to pray and share snacks.
— Carmen, grandmother of St. Jude patient Ian, from Mexico
St. Jude patient Ian
Background artwork by St. Jude survivor Adrienne
DECEMBER 21
The winter solstice marks the shortest day (and longest night) of the year and the official beginning of winter. In the Northern Hemisphere, the winter solstice is celebrated on December 21, the mark of the summer solstice in the Southern Hemisphere. Around the world, winter solstice is celebrated across a multitude of cultures with festivals, food, music and dancing.
DECEMBER 25, 2024 - JANUARY 2, 2025
Hanukkah (Chanukah) is the 8-day Jewish Festival of Lights celebrating the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Following their defeat of the Seleucid (Syrian-Greek) rule over the Holy Land, Judah and the Maccabees sought to light the Holy Temple’s Menorah, an 8-branched candelabra.
Upon doing so, they found there was only enough oil to light the Menorah for one day. Miraculously, the small bit of oil lasted for eight days. To commemorate this miracle, the annual festival Hanukkah was created. Hanukkah is celebrated with nightly menorah lighting, prayers, games and songs and traditional Jewish foods, such as potato latkes and challah bread.
How St. Jude patients celebrate Hannukah
Las Posadas for us means the representation of the journey that the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph made. The families try to relive that journey by carrying the Virgin Mary on a little wood board with a little straw roof from house to house and we sing. The family and neighbors sing when it's our turn, and if you receive us, you also receive other pilgrims. We visit several homes, and then begin to pray and share snacks.
— Carmen, grandmother of St. Jude patient Ian, from Mexico
St. Jude patient Ian
Background artwork by St. Jude survivor Adrienne
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DECEMBER 21
The winter solstice marks the shortest day (and longest night) of the year and the official beginning of winter. In the Northern Hemisphere, the winter solstice is celebrated on December 21, the mark of the summer solstice in the Southern Hemisphere. Around the world, winter solstice is celebrated across a multitude of cultures with festivals, food, music and dancing.
DECEMBER 24 & 25
Christmas is a religious and cultural holiday observed by billions of people all over the world. Those who celebrate usually decorate a Christmas tree, hang lights and decorations around their house, tell stories of Santa Claus, and participate in gift giving and meals with family and friends. Christians, including Protestant and Catholic denominations, partake in honoring the birth of Jesus Christ and may attend church services on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
How St. Jude patients celebrate Christmas
St. Jude patient Elani and her mother
Patient Elani's family drive out at night to look at Christmas lights. They have a big family gathering on Christmas Eve and that night everyone opens just one gift.
We’re all over the place. But we all come home. And that’s what makes it really special, everybody being together.
— Darnita, St. Jude patient Elani's mother
DECEMBER 26 - JANUARY 1
Established in 1966, Kwanzaa is a celebration of African American culture that takes place each year from December 26 to January 1. Kwanzaa is inspired by the beginning of the harvest season in Africa. Families throughout the United States and around the world celebrate with symbolic table-setting, shared feasts, nightly lighting of black, red and green candles and reflections on the 7 principles of Kwanzaa.
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DECEMBER 31 & JANUARY 1
Many countries celebrate Jan. 1 as a national holiday for the New Year, which is based on the Gregorian calendar. Usually, celebrations take place on the night before — New Year’s Eve. There are many ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve, including staying at home with loved ones, feasting, attending parties and toasting at midnight. Cities around the world display fireworks. For some, a New Year’s Day tradition is to eat black-eyed peas for luck and prosperity in the coming year.
How St. Jude patients celebrate the New Year
For New Year my family dances. We don’t really know what we are doing but it’s fun!
We eat borek, a special kind of bread in Turkey; baklava, a Turkish dessert; sarma, a Turkish meal with rice, and cacik, a kind of yogurt, but it changes from time to time.
— St. Jude patient Ceylin, from Turkey
St. Jude patient Ceylin dancing with her dad in 2020
JANUARY 6
Three Kings Day, also called Epiphany, is celebrated by Christians around the world. It is honored as the manifestation of God as Jesus Christ. Celebrations and customs vary widely between countries and may differ depending on their region. Common and popular festivities include singing, having your house blessed, chalking your front door, eating Three Kings cake, winter swimming and attending church services.
How St. Jude patients celebrate Three Kings Day
St. Jude patient Joesh's Christmas tree in 2020
In my family we celebrate a feast that we call a pledge. It's when you commit to give gifts to a saint every year if he gives you what you ask for. And in that pledge the neighborhood is invited and they sing aguinaldos to the Three Holy Kings to pay the pledge.
Aguinaldos are a typical Christmas music here in Puerto Rico. It is a custom from the night before, to take holly and place it under the tree for the camels.
— St. Jude patient Joesh, from Puerto Rico
St. Jude patient Hayden
Get to know St. Jude
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Explore holiday donations and gifts that help St. Jude
Explore how you can donate to charity through holiday gift giving during St. Jude Thanks and Giving®.
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Celebrating Christmas in the Hospital
Patient families share how they spent Christmas at the hospital and ways to brighten the holidays if someone you know is in the hospital too.
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Seasonal holidays
Celebrate global holidays and observances throughout the year with St. Jude. Discover ways to participate.