Dreidels, the Koran, seven principles and Jesus can all be found in Booth Library this holiday season.

Booth Library is showcasing four exhibits this time of year, each of which is made up of symbols of four different winter holidays. The Symbols of Christmas and the Eid-ul-Ahda- Histories and Origins exhibits are on display in the Marvin Foyer. The Hanukkah and Kwanzaa exhibits are on display in the reference hall.

The information for the exhibits comes mostly from reference books in Booth Library.

Stacey Knight-Davis, an employee in the reference section of the library sets up the exhibits each year, with the help of some others.

“The Kwanzaa exhibit is prepared by Booth Library’s African-American studies bibliographer Johnson Kuma,” Knight-Davis said. “The exhibit ‘Celebrating Eid-ul-Ahda’ features images selected by Shakut Mahmood, president of the EIU Muslim Students Association.”

Knight-Davis also said Mahmood wrote and designed the poster displayed in the exhibit.

Each exhibit shows the symbols and principles of its specific holiday. Hanukkah is celebrated with games, food, and blessings. The holiday, also known as the Festival of Lights, commemorates the triumphs of ancient Jewish heroes.

Hanukkah’s exhibit showcases dreidels, a menorah and several documents explaining the holiday.

Eid-ul-Ahda signals the end of Hajj, the sacred pilgrimage to Mecca, the holy city of the Islamic faith. This celebration is held in remembrance of Prophet Abraham’s unselfish act of sacrificing his own son, Ishmael, to Allah. This holiday is also known as the Festival of Sacrifice. This holiday’s exhibit contains pictures of the Sacred Mosque as well as pictures of Muslim families from the Charleston area, an explanation of Hajj and the Koran.

Kwanzaa is a holiday of African heritage. The celebration is seven days long, lasting from Dec. 26 through Jan. 1. One of seven candles is lit each day. After the lighting of the candle, the family celebrates with prayer, food, music and the reading and telling of stories. This exhibit showcases the seven principles of Kwanzaa, which are: unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.

The Symbols of Christmas exhibit celebrates the birth of Jesus. This exhibit contains two nativity scenes and two Bibles open to the verses that tell of the birth of Jesus.

The exhibits were put into place during Thanksgiving break and will be taken down in early January, according to Knight-Davis.

Jordan Boner can be reached at 581-7942 or [email protected].