Good morning and welcome to Kid News. I'm Kim. It's the last two weeks of

December and our team is stepping away from the mic to spend time with our

family and friends. But we wouldn't want to leave you without a little kid news

love. So here are a few interesting holiday facts. Hanukkah or the festival of

lights started at sundown on Sunday December 18th and runs until Monday

December 26th. It's eight days long but the dates differ every year because the

Hebrew calendar is a lunar one which means it's based on the cycles of the moon.

Right before the end of Hanukkah this year is Christmas which always falls on

December 25th even though the actual date of Christ's birth isn't known. In fact

many historians believe he was really born in the spring.

Quanza begins on Monday December 26th and runs through January 1st. This annual

celebration of African American culture was created in 1966 by a professor in

California and the name comes from a Swahili phrase that means first fruits.

Shortly before we return to the studio we'll all be ringing in the new year.

The small Central Pacific Island of Kiribas also known as Christmas Island will roll into 2023

first followed by countries in Earth's other time zones. American Samoa is the

second to last place to celebrate the new year right before Baker and Helen Islands which lie

about halfway between Hawaii and Australia. Both are uninhabited but they are always the last

to flip the calendar into any new year. The most important of our holiday facts however

that our entire news loving team wishes you the happiest holidays and the safest 2023.

And of course we'll see you right back here for more kid news starting Tuesday January 3rd.