Holiday Numerology

The hidden meanings and vibrations behind this season's popular holidays

Based on the Numerology of Hans Decoz

The cold winter months bring with them many chances for festivities, depending on your cultural or religious background. But what does the Numerology of each of these names say about the celebrations themselves? We look at four popular holidays to find out what their Numerology has to say about tradition.

Christmas
Christmas carries with it the Dominant Impression Number of 2. This means that Christmas as a concept brings with it warmth and intimacy -- although not necessarily a romantic or sexual intimacy. In fact, with 2 at its helm, Christmas promotes cooperation and a sense of goodwill among participants. Typical of 2, Christmas tends to inspire compassion more than confrontation -- think of the general upbeat feeling that pervades on Christmas Eve. With this Dominant Impression Number, Christmas is also a time when acquaintances, coworkers and family members tend to set aside any sources of friction to enjoy each other's company. Also, many people invoke the name of Christmas when they explain a sudden good mood or the urge to engage in random acts of kindness.

With the Dominant Impression Number of 2, Christmas has a subdued undertone. After all, it is a holiday not marked by intense activity, but by relaxation and pleasures like good food and drink.

Yule
This winter celebration is in many ways a precursor to Christmas, in that many Christmas traditions -- decorating a fir tree, the use of mistletoe and a focus on gift exchange -- all come from this pagan holiday. But Yule has not necessarily been cycled out. Many Northern European populations still observe it, and even Stateside, observing Winter Solstice is a popular excuse for a party!

Yule's Dominant Impression Number is 9, a number that emits a communal feeling of joy. 9 characteristics include idealism, integrity and great humanity. And even though gift-giving is often a central component to Yule, Yule is not a materialistic holiday. With 9 so strongly in its numerological profile, Yule brings families and populations together to celebrate their connection to nature and the way that the changing seasons directly affected their lifestyles.

And as a 9, Yule shares many of the same goals as Christmas -- to unite humankind, to pay greater attention to the needy and to acknowledge community.

Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa is the youngest of the holidays mentioned here, but its history is rich. This week-long celebration was created by African-American scholar Maulana Karenga with the aim of paying homage to African heritage at a time of year known as the most festive in American culture. Kwanzaa has integrated traditions like candle-lighting, feasts and gift-giving, and with a Dominant Impression Number of 5, Kwanzaa reflects a sense of freedom. In fact, it was a holiday organized to give more freedom -- and more options for celebration -- to African-Americans who wanted to embrace all facets of their background.

There is also a vibrant feeling associated with 5, and as a young holiday, Kwanzaa reflects that kind of passion. Other 5 qualities that Kwanzaa embodies is youthfulness and energy; indeed, Kwanzaa attracts people who are looking to be unconventional but who also want their own rituals to enjoy. The only drawback to a 5 holiday is that it can sometimes lack organization, which is common with any new tradition that is being built upon year after year.

Hanukkah
Although not technically a Jewish high holiday, Hanukkah, with its Dominant Impression Number of 3, represents a truly "3" characteristic: optimism and inspiration. After all, the Festival of Lights marks the miraculous endurance of a cherished commodity -- candlelight -- during a time of great duress for people of the Jewish culture.

With its 3 sending reverberations out into the universe, Hanukkah emits upbeat energy and, as a holiday, can charm celebrants with a sense of idealism and hope. As a 3, it is also an accessible holiday for many. Consider how Jewish school children explain the holiday to their Christmas-celebrating friends: the ritual of lighting a candle, and showing gratitude for good fortune, is an easy way for two cultures to share traditions.

And like Kwanzaa, Hanukkah harkens back to an older tradition of celebrating over the course of many days -- in this case, eight. This reflects the true 3 quality of bringing communities together for a longer, measured observation of ceremony.