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Each year on the twenty-fifth day of Kislev, which typically falls during the month of December, adherents of the Jewish faith celebrate the festival of Hanukkah Although Hanukkah may not bear the same religious significance as other Jewish holidays, it is a well-known celebration.

Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Temple by the Maccabees in 165 BC after its desecration by the Syrians. Although there was not enough oil left to light the Temple for even one night, lamps remained illuminated for eight straight days and nights. Thus Hanukkah is known as the Festival of Lights, which incorporates many unique traditions.

Lighting the menorah

Perhaps the most visible and important Hanukkah tradition involves the menorah. While traditional Jewish menorahs have seven branches, the Hanukkah menorah, known as the hanukkiah, actually has nine branches. There are eight candles and a ninth, which is called the shamash, is used to light the other eight. The menorah is lit each night after sundown.

Giving of gelt

Hanukkah gelt is money given as presents during the festival. It is typically offered to children and sometimes to teachers. Other gifts have now largely replaced the coins once offered, and gelt is sometimes chocolate.

Playing dreidel

Greek-Syrians outlawed Jewish studies at one point, so the Jews spun dreidels to pretend they were only playing games. Really they were engaged with their scripture. The tradition of spinning the dreidel endures as a Hanukkah tradition.

Foods fried in oil

The miracle of the burning oil extends to the foods enjoyed during Hanukkah. Many of the holiday foods are prepared in oil, including latkes (fried potatoes) and sufganiyot, which are fried, jelly-filled doughnuts. According to Town & Country magazine, millions of jelly doughnuts are consumed in Israel throughout Hanukkah.

Serving brisket

An authentic Hanukkah celebration often includes traditional dishes served in the spirit of celebration and gratitude. Brisket is frequently prepared for Hanukkah dinners. Brisket was adopted because it was affordable and delicious. Jewish brisket is braised, and served with carrots, potatoes and other vegetables. Brisket may be served alongside another Hanukkah dish, kugel, which is a casserole made from eggs and noodles

Making cookies

Although Christmas cookies may be ubiquitous this time of year, cookies often are part of Hanukkah traditions as well. Some cookies are cut to look like dreidels or stars. Those who want to incorporate the miracle of oil into their baking can seek recipes that use oil in place of butter in the cookie batters, something that can make them dairy-free and also vegan.

Hanukkah begins on December 25, 2024, and will last through January 2, 2025. It's a festive time to embrace many time-honored traditions.

Christmas Traditions

Here are some popular Christian traditions during the holiday season.Many adjectives can be used to describe the holiday season, including festive, jolly and religious. Another word that may come to mind is tradition. Traditions factor heavily into holiday celebrations of faith and family.

According to The Public Religion Research Institute's "2020 Census of American Religion," 70 percent of Americans identify as Christian. Data from the Pew Research Center indicates that 55 percent of Canadians identified as Christians in 2018. Millions of Christians will be celebrating Christmas this year, and many of those celebrations will feature cherished traditions. Here are some popular Christian traditions during the holiday season.

Advent calendars and wreaths
The word "Advent" is derived from Latin and means "coming forward." Advent is the four-week period preceding the Christmas celebration. Advent wreaths and calendars typically are part of Christmas in Christian households. Advent calendars are sold in stores or can be made as craft projects. Most of them contain small prizes like chocolate treats or other trinkets behind each date on the calendar. Advent wreaths have four candles (three purple and one pink). One is lit each Sunday of Advent. The evergreen wreath signifies continuous life.

Nativity scene
Another popular religious tradition is setting up a nativity scene. A nativity scene places the focus on Jesus Christ. One tradition involves moving nativity figurines closer to the manger leading up to Christmas, and placing the infant Jesus in the manger on Christmas Day.

Some churches and towns also put on living nativity scenes, in which adults and children dress up, and together with live animals, depict the manger scene.

Christmas caroling
Caroling has a long history and was originally tied to winter solstice celebrations. Christians started singing carols to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Many of the songs carolers sing are traditional religious hymns. During Advent, carols will herald the coming of Jesus. After Christmas, carols are even more joyous in nature.

The three masses
Midnight Mass is a special celebration that takes place in the late hours of the evening on Christmas Eve. It is the first liturgy of Christmas that begins at midnight. It originated in 430 AD under Pope Sixtus III in the Basilica of St. Mary Major. The popularity of Midnight Mass grew by the 12th century, when the celebration of three Masses on Christmas day was granted to all priests. Midnight Mass is treated as a solemn High Mass, which involves singing and praying by the light of candles. A Mass at dawn is the second Christmas mass, followed by Mass of the Day, which is the midmorning Mass of the Christmas celebration.

Christmas is steeped in tradition. While the secular traditions are well known, Christians also embrace various religious traditions at this time of year.

Traditions That Make Kwanzaa Special

Traditions are a major component of the holiday season. No matter which holiday individuals celebrate, chances are they cherish certain traditions that make the season more special.

Kwanzaa celebrants know that tradition figures prominently in this week-long celebration of African American culture that begins each year on December 26. Kwanzaa was created more than half a century ago, and in the years since its creation in 1966 many traditions have been become part and parcel of celebrants' holiday seasons. The following are a handful of Kwanzaa traditions that can make celebrations more special.

· Lighting the kinara: Candles feature prominently in both religious and secular holiday season celebrations, and Kwanzaa is no exception. The kinara is a special candleholder with three red, three green and one black candle, and each night during Kwanzaa celebrants light a new candle. The African American Cultural Center-Los Angeles notes that candles are lit beginning with the black candle, which is at the center of kinara. Candles are then lit in alternate left and right, lighting inward to outward.

· Discussion: The Nguzo Saba are the seven principles of Kwanzaa. Each principle is named after a Swahili word that expresses a particular concept, including unity (umoja), purpose (nia) and creativity (kuumba). After lighting the kinara each night, families discuss the principle of Kwanzaa that correlates to the candle they lit that night. For example, the black candle that is lit on the first night of Kwanzaa represents unity, so families will discuss that principle after lighting the candle.

· Family meal: Feasting with family is a holiday tradition in many households, including those that celebrate Kwanzaa. The Karamu Ya Imani ("Feast of Faith") typically takes place on the sixth day of Kwanzaa (December 31). Traditional African cuisine is typically prepared for the meal, and each person present may take a turn drinking from the Kikombe cha Umoja (Unity Cup). Some celebrations of the Karamu Ya Imani are community-wide events that extend beyond immediate family members.

· Gift exchange: Exchanging handmade gifts known as "zawadi" is another Kwanzaa tradition. Gifts are typically reserved for children, though adults may exchange presents as well. The gift exchange typically occurs on the final day of the week-long celebration of Kwanzaa.

These are just a handful of Kwanzaa traditions that can make the celebration of African American culture more meaningful this holiday season.

Effective July 1, 2024, Indiana law requires retailers and craft manufacturers (small brewers, farm wineries, and artisan distillers) located in Indiana with an active alcohol permit for on-premises consumption of alcoholic beverages to hold liquor liability (i.e., “dram shop”) insurance with a total minimum coverage of at least $500,000. The purpose of this notice is to remind applicants and permit holders of the deadlines to submit proof of liquor liability insurance as required by IC 7.1-3-1-6.4. Please review the information below to determine if and/or when you are required to submit proof of insurance if you haven't already done so. 
 

Active Permits:

• Proof of liability insurance must be submitted on or before December 31, 2024.
• On or after January 1, 2025, permits for which proof of liability insurance has not been provided to the ATC will not be issued or renewed. 
• On or after January 1, 2025, permit applications submitted must contain proof of liquor liability insurance. Permit applications submitted without proof of insurance will be considered incomplete and may be rejected or returned at the ATC’s discretion. 

Inactive/Escrow Permits:

• Proof of liquor liability insurance must be provided to the ATC prior to the permit being made active.
• On or after January 1, 2025, permits for which proof of liquor liability insurance has not been provided to the ATC will not be activated or removed from escrow. 

Proof of insurance must be submitted in the form of a certificate of insurance or policy declaration from the insurance carrier or insurance provider which includes the following information:

• The address(es) of the insured location(s) to which the coverage applies*
• A specific line or note indicating the policy includes liquor liability coverage, as well as the amount of the insurance coverage
• The name of the permit holder (as it appears on permit issued by the ATC) listed as an insured party
• The effective date and expiration date of the policy coverage

(*NOTE: More than one permit premises may be listed on a single policy document, but each permit address must be listed separately.)Failure to comply with the liquor liability insurance requirement may result in the suspension or revocation of your permit. For more information regarding the new liquor liability insurance requirements, please click here. For more information on how to submit your proof of insurance, please click here . 

Unique New Year's Celebrations Across The Globe

There are many ways to welcome a new year with hope and good luck. Enjoy these ways to commemorate the start of 2025. It is time to turn the page on one year and usher in another. Each December 31, people all over the world reminisce, celebrate, plan, and party in honor of the changing calendar.

Many are likely familiar with some of the common ways to ring in the new year, which include champagne toasts, fireworks and watching the ball drop in Times Square. Yet, there are many other ways to celebrate this occasion and welcome a new year with hope and good luck. Enjoy these ways to commemorate the start of 2025.

· Make some noise. Although fireworks are commonplace on New Year's Eve in various locales around the world, in Thailand it once was traditional to fire guns to frighten off demons. National Thailand reports that it is no longer legal to fire weapons during New Year's Eve festivities, but other noisemakers can simulate the ancient tradition. Thailand also has its own New Year celebration in April called Songkran, a three-day event. It's customary to splash water and shoot colorful water guns, which is another idea for ringing in the new year.

· Smash pomegranates for luck. Many have heard of smashing grapes to make wine, and the band Smashing Pumpkins has millions of devoted followers across the globe. The comic Gallagher used to smash watermelons on stage. But in Turkey, smashing a pomegranate outside your front door is said to bring good luck. The fruit is seen as a symbol of prosperity, abundance and health.

· Make some good luck "Hoppin' John." Hoppin' John is a traditional New Year's Day dish from regions of the southern United States. The dish is made with black-eyed peas and pork bacon and is said to bring good luck to those who consume it for the new year, according to the Old Farmers Almanac.

· Choose honey-dipped apples. People can take a page from the Jewish New Year tradition, which sees celebrants dipping apples in honey for a sweet new year. Rosh Hashanah takes place in late summer or early fall because it follows the Hebrew lunisolar calendar. However, anyone can apply similar customs to the New Year's celebrations taking place each January 1.

· Put on some polka dots. In the Philippines, wearing polka-dotted clothing on New Year's Eve is a tradition said to bring good fortune in the new year, according to Philstar Life.

· Watch a sunrise. Chances are many revelers are staying up late on New Year's Eve and into the next day, so they'll have ample opportunity to catch the sunrise. In Japan, watching the first sunrise of the new year is called "hatsuhinode," and is a practice thought to bring good fortune.

· Grab some cash. There's a perpetuating superstition that it's better to have some extra money in your wallet to enter the New Year full of financial prosperity. Also, it's best to wipe out any unpaid debts before December 31 disappears; otherwise, the months ahead might not be financially sound.

New Year's traditions have persisted throughout the years and are borne of customs from all over the world.

A Timeline Of Notable Events In The Life of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Here is a chronology of major events in Dr. King's life. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. dreamt of breaking down barriers and ending discrimination based on skin color, religion, personal beliefs, and much more. Indeed, Dr. King was a visionary and a leader whose life was tragically cut short before he could see the many fruits of his labor.

Dr. King was a strong proponent of change, and his impact was felt from the mid-1950s until his assassination in 1968. Here is a chronology of major events in Dr. King's life.

· January 15, 1929: Martin Luther King, Jr. is born to the Reverend and Mrs. Martin Luther King, Sr. in Atlanta, Georgia.

· September 20, 1944: After graduating from Booker T. Washington High School a few months earlier, King begins his freshman year at Morehouse College in Atlanta. King graduates from the college in 1948 with a degree in sociology.

· February 25, 1948: After time spent in Crozer Theological Seminary, King is ordained to the Baptist ministry at the age of 19.

· September 13, 1951: King begins graduate studies in theology at Boston University.

· June 18, 1953: Coretta Scott and King are married at the Scott home near Marion, Alabama.

· September 1, 1954: King begins his pastorate at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama.

· June 5, 1955: Boston University awards King a doctorate in systematic theology.

· December 1, 1955: Rosa Parks is arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a public bus to a white passenger. A few days later, the Montgomery Improvement Association is formed to lead a boycott of the segregated buses and King becomes the group's president.

· January 30, 1956: King's home is bombed while he is away at a speaking engagement. Later, he addresses an angry crowd that gathers outside his home, asking for nonviolence.

· November 13, 1956: The U.S. Supreme Court declares bus segregation laws unconstitutional.

· February 17, 1957: King appears on the cover of Time magazine.

· May 17, 1957: King delivers his first national address at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

· 1958: The U.S. Congress passes the first Civil Rights Act since reconstruction.

· September 17, 1958: King publishes a book, Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story. During a book signing a few days later in Harlem, New York, King is stabbed by Izola Ware Curry and rushed to Harlem Hospital.

· February 3, 1959: King embarks on a visit to India to meet with many of Gandhi's followers and study the philosophy of nonviolence.

· 1960: With his family, King relocates back to his native Atlanta and becomes co-pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church. King devotes most of his time to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, a group he and other activists established in 1957.

· June 23, 1960: John F. Kennedy, the Democratic presidential candidate, meets privately with King in New York.

· October 19, 1960: King is arrested during a sit-in demonstration at a department store in Atlanta.

· October 16, 1961: King urges President John F. Kennedy to issue a second Emancipation Proclamation to end racial segregation.

· September 28, 1962: A member of the American Nazi Party assaults King during a closing session of the SCLC in Birmingham, Alabama.

· April 12, 1963: King and Ralph Abernathy are arrested in Birmingham. King pens his "Letter from Birmingham Jail" four days later.

· June 23, 1963: King leads 125,000 people on a Freedom Walk in Detroit, Michigan.

· August 28, 1963: The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom takes place, attracting more than 200,000 demonstrators at the Lincoln Memorial. Here King delivers his "I Have a Dream" speech. Later in the day, King and other civil rights leaders meet with President Kennedy in the White House.

· January 18, 1964: President Lyndon B. Johnson meets with King and seeks support for his War on Poverty initiative.

· March 26, 1964: King meets Malcom X in Washington, D.C. This was their first and only meeting.

· December 10, 1964: King receives the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway.

· August 12, 1965: King publicly opposes the Vietnam War at a rally in Birmingham.

· March 28, 1968: During a march of 6,000 protestors in support of striking sanitation workers in Memphis, King is rushed from the scene after violence and looting begins.

· April 3, 1968: King delivers his last speech, "I've Been to the Mountaintop," in Memphis.

· April 4, 1968: King is fatally shot while standing on a balcony at the Lorraine Hotel.

· November 2, 1986: A national holiday is proclaimed in King's honor.