As the holiday season approached the Zee Zees got together and decided that they would like to throw their own holiday party. To make sure they threw the best part ever, they wanted to include as many different holiday traditions from all across the Earth as they could. So when it came to picking the perfect Zee Zee to go on an exploratory mission to learn about all the different holiday traditions across Earth, everybody knew there was only one Zee Zee that was right for the job ' Jozen, the master of many things. Jozen accepted his mission without hesitation. He saw it as a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the vibrant culture of Earth that he had fallen in love with ever since the Zee Zees first landed. The first stop on Jozen's journey was France. He learned that in France, Christmas goes by the name of Noel, and although it is similar to the Christmas traditions celebrated in the United States, there are several differences. Instead of Santa Claus, a jolly fellow named Pere Noel visits French children's homes to bring gifts. The children leave their shoes by the fireplace, and in the morning the shoes are magically filled with fruit, nuts, and small toys. Jozen set a course for Israel to learn all about the celebration of Hanukkah, a holiday observed by millions of Jewish people all over the world. He learned that one of the main decorations of Hanukkah is a special candleholder known as a menorah. It is used to commemorate a miracle from ancient Jewish history that saw one day's worth of oil burn for eight nights. He learned that the celebration also known as the Festival of Lights sees that one candle is lit on a menorah in people's homes every night for eight straight nights every December. Every night of the celebration sees Jewish families come together to give gifts, play games, and enjoy food together! Jozen's mission then took him back to the United States, where he set out to learn all about a newer holiday tradition known as Kwanzaa. He discovered that Kwanzaa is a weeklong celebration of African American culture that is observed every year from December 26th to January 1st. Jozen found out that the tradition was first started in 1966 by a professor at California State University as a way to bringing African American communities together. A Kwanzaa celebration often includes singing, drumming, and dancing. Jozen thought to himself, 'Kwanzaa sounds like a lot of fun!' Jozen's last stop on his mission was Japan. He had heard many Japanese people host a celebration called Omisoka. As he explored Japan, he learned that Omisoka is celebrated on New Year's Day and is supposed to represent a new beginning. Japanese families gather for a late dinner, and at midnight, they go together to visit a shrine or temple. In many homes, they ring a bell that is struck 108 times, which is meant to symbolize all the suffering and sadness of the past year. After all his travels, Jozen began the long journey home to share what he had learned with the rest of the Zee Zees. He was excited to tell them all about the many different ways that the people of Earth celebrate their own holiday traditions. As he reflected on everything that he had learned, Jozen realized that just about every holiday tradition had one thing in common ' getting together with the people you care most about. He realized that even though a holiday can mean many different things to many different kinds of people, one thing is true for everyone ' spending time together is what makes life worth celebrating. Jozen smiled as he thought about this and couldn't wait to spend time with his own Zee Zee friends and family as they gathered together to plan the perfect holiday party for all their new friends on Earth. Interested in purchasing Zee Zees snacks? Visit amazon.com/zeezees!
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