You don’t need us to tell you Las Vegas is a melting pot. From East Las Vegas to the Historic Westside, our city is teeming with many different cultures, each with its own seasonal traditions. This time of year is a wonderful time to celebrate the diversity of our Valley and to observe how different communities celebrate. While the following roundup is in no way comprehensive, it gives a peek inside the customs of a few of the cultural groups that call Vegas home. Happy holidays!
Vegas’ Jewish community embraces Hanukkah traditions new and old
Although it’s considered a minor holiday, Hanukkah is often categorized as “the Jewish Christmas” because it happens in December. That misconception may be more prevalent this year as Hanukkah starts on the evening of December 25; the Jewish calendar is lunisolar, so the holiday doesn’t occur on the same days every year.
Congregation Ner Tamid
“So some will have Christmukkah this year, since it overlaps,” explains Rabbi Sanford Akselrad of Congregation Ner Tamid. “It’s rare, but it does happen every so often.”
The coinciding holiday schedule has also grown the custom of gifts, he says. “Because of the influence of Christmas in America, Hanukkah has developed the tradition of giving presents, with the eighth night being the big present. When I grew up, I got presents, but my dad was born in 1921 and did not grow up getting presents. But there has long been the Hanukkah gelt, the little coins, and the remnant of that custom are the little chocolate coins given to kids.”
Other accompanying traditions include foods like latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts) and the display and lighting of the menorah, a symbol of God’s light, the resilience of the Jewish people, and “human beings and their ability to embrace faith and fight for ideas they believe in,” Akselrad says.
This month, Congregation Ner Tamid has already held its Hanukkah Bazaar celebration, but more holiday programming is on the way. Its Hanukkah family service is set for 6:15 p.m. on December 20, and it’s joining with Chabad of Southern Nevada and Midbar Kodesh Temple to present a menorah lighting event on December 26 at 4 p.m. at the District at Green Valley Ranch. There will be plenty of jelly doughnuts along with music and a performance from the Dancing Dreidels, and another lighting event is planned for Downtown Summerlin December 29 at 4 p.m. –Brock Radke
Hispanic Catholics rejoice in the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
One of the biggest celebrations of the year for Hispanic Catholics is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Considered a saint, Our Lady is another name for the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus. According to Catholic tradition, she appeared in a suburb outside of Mexico City in 1531 to the Native American peasant Juan Diego, who had recently converted to Catholicism.
“That’s where everything started, when it comes to the conversion of the Indigenous people of Mexico to Catholicism,” says Father Tony Udoh of Holy Family Catholic Church in East Las Vegas, where 80% of parishoners are Hispanic.
Prior to the apparition, Spanish missionaries were unsuccessful at converting the Native Aztecs to Catholicism. But after Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared—with Native features including dark hair and skin—about six million converted to the faith, Udoh says.
Today, 43% of Hispanic adults identify as Catholic, according to Pew Research Center. And Latinos are twice as likely than U.S. adults overall to identify as Catholic.
“The image of Our Lady spoke so much to the Natives, who could understand the whole message in different ways. [It] spoke to them as their queen, in that sense,” Udoh says. “Our Lady of Guadalupe is, for them, not just a religious image, but a cultural image.”
To mark the event, Holy Family Catholic Church began celebrations on December 11, with traditional food, mariachi music, Indigenous music and dances and prayer. Udoh describes it as a “big festival” punctuated by Mass at 10 p.m., followed by “mañanitas” at 5 a.m. the following morning.
“It’s actually singing a happy birthday song [and] the traditional songs of the Blessed Mother. … They do that for an hour, then after that, we have Mass. … And at 7 a.m., we have dancing, bringing it into the hall, and breakfast and tea, coffee and pan dulces.”
After the morning celebration and mass, the church closes again until 4 p.m. “And then we start again with the dancing, music and food,” Udoh says, followed by a reenactment of the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe, followed by an evening Mass.
With all the festivities, it’s no wonder that the vigil and feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe marks the time of highest church attendance at Holy Family, attracting many more than the 3,500 families who attend Mass regularly.
“Most people just come for the celebrations. People who have not been to church for the whole year will come for Our Lady of Guadalupe. And some may not even identify themselves so much as Catholics, but they identify themselves as Guadalupaños,” Udoh says.
And while the celebrations are great fun, they’re meant to spread a deeper message of love and unity, regardless of cultural identity, he adds.
“Each culture is unique. … Celebrating that diversity in unity is such a beautiful thing. And seeing the beauty of other cultures and other people’s ways of life is such an inspiration. I wish that everyone could really see that, and celebrate with others and bring forth that love that Jesus brings to the world during Christmas,” he says. –Shannon Mille
Indigenous groups create space for craftsmakers and vendors during the holiday season
The holiday season isn’t just about the rush of consumerism—it’s about tradition, community and culture. For Native communities, the holidays are celebrated through events that center family, culture and the shared joy of giving. This year, two Indigenous-led markets highlight how these traditions are more than just shopping, they’re ways to connect with history, build community and pass down cultural practices.
At the fourth annual Native and Decolonial Market on December 14, hosted outside Starboard Tack by Fifth Sun Project, the focus was on bringing together Native creatives and fostering a spirit of mutual aid.
“We wanted to honor and respect the way that people operate their business,” says Eztli Amaya, co-founder of the organization.
The market offers a platform for vendors to sell their crafts for cash and allows for trading and bartering. It not only provides a space for vendors to sell beadwork, pottery and other artwork, but also invites community members to exchange goods and services.
“The whole concept of that was having unlimited options so no one gets left behind,” Amaya says. “If they can’t afford something, they can also feel like they’re giving back.”
In addition to shopping, attendees could donate to Fifth Sun Project’s annual holiday toy drive, which started November 27 and is collecting donations through December 20. Toys are distributed to undocumented and Indigenous families in the community, Amaya says. The initiative also worked with local food pantry the Solidarity Fridge in collecting ingredients and making meal kits for single parents and the needy.
Over in North Las Vegas, the Las Vegas Indian Center’s Holiday Market, held on December 7 at the College of Southern Nevada Cheyenne Campus, has been a staple of the city’s holiday season for seven years. According to Rulon Pete, executive director of the center, the event offers a chance for families to come together and enjoy each other’s company.
“This is an opportunity for families to gather … to eat, to laugh, to enjoy ourselves,” Pete says. “It’s a difficult time for many individuals, especially for natives, whether it’s on the reservations or in an urban city. Economically, it can become a burden because they may not have enough money for toys and whatnot.”
With 500 to 1,000 people attending each year, the market serves as a vital community event where Native American artists can sell their work and connect. In parallel with the Fifth Sun Project’s initiatives, the goal is to create space for this community to come together in a spirit of solidarity regardless of financial status.
These Indigenous-led markets provide a much needed return to roots. “We want everyone to feel included,” says Amaya, solidifying that these events are celebrations of giving, not just receiving. –Gabriela Rodriguez
Finding purpose in the principles of this joyous and reflective holiday
For nearly 60 years, African-Americans have upheld the week-long tradition of Kwanzaa, reflecting on seven positive principles as they feast and spend time with family.
“The purpose of Kwanzaa, as it was created by Dr. [Maulana] Karenga in 1966, is to give African-American people a set of principles that they can live by daily. The principles are designed to celebrate family, community and your culture,” says Ellis Rice, a Las Vegas performing artist, director, producer and teacher who has taught Kwanzaa practices at the West Las Vegas Arts Center and throughout Las Vegas.
The basis of Kwanzaa rests on seven principles: unity (Umoja in Swahili), self-determination (Kujichagulia), collective work and responsibility (Ujima), cooperative economics (Ujamaa), purpose (Nia), creativity (Kuumba) and faith (Imani). Seven symbols are used to set the table for the holiday, beginning with a woven mat called a mkeka. Next comes the kinara, a candle holder for the mishumaa saba, which is a set of seven candles. Each candle represents a different day and principle. The middle black candle, symbolizing Unity, is used to light the first day.
“Then you have the muhindi, which is the corn. You have three ears of corn, minimum of three. You have one ear for each child in your family, and then one extra ear represents the children in the community, since we’re all responsible for raising the children in our community,” Rice says. “Another one is the mazao, which is the fruits and vegetables, representing the harvest.”
During the week, families sip from the kikombe cha umoja, or unity cup, and pour libations in honor of their creator and ancestors, Rice says. Children will also receive gifts (zawadi) in recognition of what they’ve accomplished over the year. It’s also common for African-Americans to don traditional dashikis over the week of Kwanzaa.
Rice stresses the importance of applying the principles of Kwanzaa 365 days a year, not just for the week. His Kwanzaa table, for instance, never comes down.
“Mine is up all year ‘round. … Because I’m Black all year ‘round,” Rice says. “That’s the thing. How are you gonna believe in unity just during the week of Kwanzaa? How are you gonna believe in self-determination just during the week of Kwanzaa? … If we don’t get people to understand that, it is no better than Halloween.”
So how can you celebrate the principles of Kwanzaa? Is there a neighbor you could help? A Black business you could support?
Here’s an idea: Join Rice at his Embracing Kwanzaa in Everyday Life workshop at the West Las Vegas Arts Center (947 W. Lake Mead Blvd., artslasvegas.org) on December 19. The West Las Vegas Library Theater will also host a Kwanzaa celebration on December 28, where the community will gather for libations, a performance by the West Las Vegas Arts Center’s drum ensemble and much more.–Amber Sampson
Ethiopian Americans gather with family and friends for Genna
Southern Nevada is home to an estimated 40,000 Ethiopian Americans who have their own customs and ways of celebrating the holidays. Many of them are Christian or Muslim, and they tend to blend traditional customs with some American influences.
“Ethiopians follow their own calendar, so many of the holidays they celebrate (Christmas, Easter and New Year) fall on a different date than the American date,” explains Mulugeta Abera, secretary for the Ethiopian Community Center of Las Vegas.
Christmas, or Genna, is celebrated on January 7. Many Ethiopians attend church services, and wear traditional habesha kemis, a dress that is typically white with unique and custom embroideries. They also often feast on doro wat, a spicy chicken stew, and various lamb stews.
“Ethiopians typically buy whole chicken and lamb for the holidays. It is tradition for the men to go to the farms here and bring it back to the family to cook—a remnant of customs back home. It is also to ensure the meat is kosher or halal,” Abera explains.
Another popular Ethiopian food often present at these gatherings is injera, a spongy, flexible bread used to scoop and sop up stews and other foods. It is traditional to hand feed others using this bread, to show affection.
“We call it ‘gursha,’ which means one bite. That is our strategy to show our love,” Abera says. –Shannon Miller
The Holoholo Market brings Vegas’ islanders together for the holidays
“Holoholo means to go for a stroll,” says Tiarre Norwood, founder of the Holoholo Market. “That’s kind of the vibe of my market. It’s very easygoing, very laid-back. Everybody finds a seat in the grass and listens to the music, eats their food. … You just happen upon it, and it becomes the highlight of your day.”
The Holoholo Market
Coming to Fergusons Downtown on Saturday, December 21, the holiday edition of Holoholo Market (pronounced with the long o sound: “hoh-loh-hoh-loh”) is at its heart the same event as the outdoor market’s monthly version: It’s a celebration of, and gathering place for, “all of the Asian, Pacific Islander, Native Hawaiian vendors that we have out here [in Vegas] … giving them a platform, making us feel like we’re back home in Hawaii,” Norwood says. Not for nothing have local Hawaiian residents nicknamed this city the “Ninth Island”; according to the New York Times, Vegas’ population of Hawaiian natives and other Pacific Islanders grew by 40% between 2011 and 2021.
During the holidays, Holoholo blends its AANHPI community aspect with a holiday celebration. Santa will be on hand, of course, but the real attraction is live music from Bryson Morales, who will sing traditional Hawaiian music and Disney ballads (“He also sometimes duets with his sister and sings songs in actual Hawaiian language, which is beautiful and kind of unheard of for somebody so young,” Norwood says), as well as the “island reggae vibes” of local faves HaleAmanO. Norwood also hints that there will be a different kind of hula performance—“Like a hula workout, a sort of interactive performance with hot hula fitness and live Hawaiian music,” she says.
When that hula workout inevitably works up your appetite, Holoholo will be ready with lots of ono eats on offer. (Long o again; think “delicious” or “craveable.”) Norwood can’t yet say exactly what will be cooking on December 21, but she can guess. “Typically, we have plate lunches, which anyone from Hawaii would know what that is,” she says. “You have your rice, corn, meat, mac salad and maybe noodles. We’ve also had pasteles, which is sort of like a Puerto Rican spin on a tamale that’s common in Hawaii.
“And Sweet Kings are always here,” she adds, referring to the mother and daughter business that produces Hawaiian candies here in Vegas. “They do something called Li Hing Mui candy. It’s basically like a plum powder sprinkled on top gummy candies. It’s got a sweet-sour kick.”
The holiday Holoholo Market runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is free. But if interest in the holiday market continues to grow, Norwood says, she’d love to introduce a certain nighttime element someday soon.
“I think of the Honolulu City Lights,” she says. “Every year, it’s just lit up—full huge decorations everywhere. … It’s just gorgeous. I told my husband this year, ‘I really want to emulate that here. I want to bring the Honolulu City Lights to Downtown.’ And he was like, ‘Tiarre, slow down’ [laughs].
“Next year, that might be something I do in the Alley across from Fergusons. … I know that a lot of the Ninth Islanders and people from Hawaii that live here now would fall in love if they could see what we have back home, here.” –Geoff Carter
Lunar New Year Festival 2025 shines on an ascending Vegas neighborhood
This coming year on the Chinese lunar calendar is the Year of the Snake, but here in Vegas, it’s also the year of Chinatown and of its main arterial, Spring Mountain Road. Locals know and love Chinatown, but they’re hardly alone.
“Tourists are finding it,” says Catherine Francisco, president of the AAPI Chamber, of Chinatown’s rising popularity. “The small businesses [tell] me 50% of their revenue comes from tourists. We want to showcase Chinatown.”
The Chamber and Clark County are working together on a redevelopment plan to improve the neighborhood’s streets and infrastructure, kicking off with a spectacular Lunar New Year celebration on February 1. Lunar New Year Festival 2025 will incorporate both the parking lots and businesses of Chinatown Plaza and Shanghai Plaza, plus an entire block of Spring Mountain from Wynn Road and Arville Street.
Scheduled from noon to midnight, the festival begins with Chinatown’s first-ever Lunar New Year parade. As with festivals past, there’ll be lots of live entertainment, dragon dances, lantern displays, an alley of food trucks and activities for children. The larger footprint will also allow for a car show with anime-covered itashas and Fast & Furious-like JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) vehicles; a mahjong component, held in partnership with Allied Gaming’s World Mahjong Tour; a zodiac village sponsored by Afterlife Tea and Boba Room; a special edition of Anime Night Mart and much more.
Vegas’ Lunar New Year Festival has been growing in popularity year over year—Francisco notes that the last festival, held over two days at UnCommons and Chinatown Plaza, drew more than 15,000 people—and to see the event fully realized in Vegas’ booming Chinatown is an exciting prospect. It’s a tantalizing peek at the more walkable, more easily navigated Chinatown that’s on its way.
“Just imagine [utilizing] that section of Spring Mountain and the parking lots of Chinatown Plaza and Shanghai Plaza, and just bringing the community out,” Francisco says. “The goal is, when they think of Lunar New Year or Chinese New Year, they’re going to want to celebrate it in Las Vegas [with] Chinatown’s small businesses.” –Geoff Carter
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