Winter Celebrations

4. Christian symbolic item made up of an orange, red tape and sweets
8. Slavic fictional character similar to Father Christmas
9. Saint Nicholas’s evil counterpart, punishes naughty children
10. night Celebration of the longest night of the year in Iran
12. Marks the beginning of lengthening days and shortening nights
15. Ritual held by the Zuni and Hopi on the shortest day of the year
16. Glutinous rice balls eaten during the Chinese festival Dongzhi
17. Also known as Three Kings’ Day, falls at the end of the twelve days of Christmas
20. Celebration held in the USA to honour African heritage in African-American culture

1. Nine-branched candelabrum lit during Hanukkah
2. Lwyd Welsh folk tradition involving a horse skull mounted on a pole
3. Spanish phrase meaning “Happy Christmas”
5. German baked cookies traditionally made and given at Christmas
6. Traditional ‘Bear Dance’ that takes place in Romania
7. Unique figure depicted in nativity scenes in Catalonia
11. Lucia’s Day Christmas celebration in Sweden, a festival of lights
13. Muslim holiday honouring Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son
14. Tibetan Buddhist celebration of new year
18. The act of worship performed during the modern Hindu festival Pancha Ganapati
19. Pagan winter celebration sharing its name with a popular holiday dessert