HumanLight

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HumanLight (sometimes Humanlight) is a Humanist winter holiday. It is celebrated on December 23. Like Kwanzaa, HumanLight is a modern invention, created to provide a specifically Humanist seasonal celebration. It was established by the New Jersey Humanist Network in 2001.^[1]

Humanists have cast HumanLight as a celebration of "a Humanist's vision of a good future." They celebrate a positive approach to the coming new year, generally through the lens of Humanist (and particularly secular humanist) philosophy—secular as opposed to religious, and with an emphasis on reason, compassion and hope. The December 23 date allows HumanLight to connect itself to the December holiday season without interfering with other winter holidays which many Humanists may also celebrate.^[2]

HumanLight began with a single event in Verona, New Jersey, 2001.^[3] Since then, HumanLight has grown and increased in visibility. In 2006, there were twenty American events listed on the holiday's homepage, and the American Humanist Association became HumanLight's first national sponsor. In 2007, the first HumanLight celebration outside of the U.S. took place in Chester, England.

Organized HumanLight celebrations since its founding in 2001 have included guest speakers, candle-lighting ceremonies, musical and dramatic performances, science demonstrations, storytelling, poetry, award ceremonies, recitations of personal thoughts or famous quotes, dinners, dancing, and video presentations. Donations of food to the needy are becoming more common. As Humanists value creativity and an open mind, celebrations vary from event to event and year to year. ^[4]

[edit] External links

• HumanLight homepage
• New Jersey Humanist Network homepage
• American Humanist Association homepage
• Chester Humanists

[edit] See also

• Agnostica
• Winter solstice
• Darwin Day
• World Humanist Day
• Human Rights Day

[edit] Works Cited

1. ^ "HumanLight - History" web page from the HumanLight website, accessed November 25, 2007
2. ^ "Why HumanLight?" web page from the HumanLight website, accessed November 25, 2007
3. ^ "An Atheist Can Believe in Christmas" by Randy Kennedy published in the New York Times on December 17, 2006, accessed November 24, 2007
4. ^ "HumanLight - Celebration Ideas" web page from the HumanLight website, accessed November 25, 2007