Most cultures have a feast or festival of light. Each culture celebrates this festival in a different way.      The Jewish Festival of Light is called Hanukkah. It usually takes place in December. The story of why Hanukkah is celebrated is very old. It is told that a long time ago, Jewish people called the Macabees were at war with a country called Syria. On the day that the Macabees won the war, they cleaned up their holy place, which is called a temple, because the Syrian people had been living there. They wanted to light their holy lamps to say thank you for the end of the year, but found only a very small amount of oil left over to do that. The Macabees lit the lamps anyway, thinking that they would soon go out. The lamps kept burning for eight days! The Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah every year by lighting a candlestick that has eight candleholders. Every night a new candle is lit so that on the eighth night, all eight candles stand together. Presents are given at this time and money is given to the poor.      The Christmas story is not quite as old as the Hanukkah story, but it is also very old. Christmas is the time when Christians around the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. It is believed that Christ was born in a stable. On the night of his birth, angels, shepherds and three wise men visited him. The wise men brought gifts with them. This is a happy and busy time of the year. Homes are decorated with Christmas trees and decorations. It is a time for being with the family. Families travel long distances to gather at Christmas. Lots of lights are put up everywhere. This is to show that Jesus is the"Light of the world"who came to bring peace to all people.      Lanterns are another form of light. In China, the Lantern Festival goes back to the Han Dynasty. One emperor heard that Buddhist monks would light lanterns to  _ Buddha on the 15th day of the 1st lunar month;so he also ordered to light lanterns in the imperial palace and temples to show respect to Buddha on the day. Later, the rite developed into a grand festival among common people. During the festival, parks become a sea of lanterns. Sometimes streets are blocked off and lanterns are put down on each side to make a hallway of lanterns. People also hang lanterns in their gardens, outside their houses or on boats. It is believed that the lanterns will guide visitors and the spirits of ancestors to the celebrations. The Lantern Festival is a time for families to reunite. What do people usually do at Christmas?
Families spend the time together to celebrate the return of Jesus. Families travel long distances to see the Christmas lights. They may visit wise men and give Christmas gifts. They set up Christmas trees and decorate their homes.