The winter solstice is the astronomical first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the day with the fewest hours of sunlight in the whole year and is called the “shortest day of the year.” The solstice itself actually occurs at an exact moment, when the hemisphere is tilted as far away from the Sun as it can be., Why is the Winter Solstice important?, Winter solstice celebrations have a rich history around the world . There are many cultures that hold feasts and celebrate holidays around the winter solstice, often with fire and light. Some of the modern-day festivals celebrated around the world are: Dongzhi – a festival celebrated in China, Taiwan, Japan, Vietnam, and Korea. Families gather to celebrate the increase in positive energy with…, Learn more about Winter Solstice, Want to learn more about Winter Solstice? Check out the Almanac’s Celebrate the Winter Solstice with Facts, Folklore, and More!
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The Origins of Christmas, From a religious standpoint, Christmas commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ. In addition, Christmas has become a cultural holiday for many over the years with the evolution of St. Nicholas into Santa Claus., When Christmas is Observed, The Christmas season begins for Western Christianity and some of the Eastern Churches on December 24 with Christmas Eve followed by Christmas Day on December 25 and runs through either the Epiphany or the Baptism. The Armenian Apostolic Church, the Armenian Evangelical Church, and some Anabaptists recognize January 6 as Christmas. Most Oriental Orthodox and some of the Eastern Orthodox churches…, How Christmas is Celebrated, Christmas Day is celebrated as a major festival and public holiday in countries around the world, including many whose populations are mostly non-Christian. Popular traditions include exchanging gifts, decorating Christmas trees, attending church, sharing meals with family and friends, and waiting for Santa Claus to arrive.
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New Hires, Name Hire Date Title Department Randall Maas 11/3/25 Associate Counsel Litigation OGC Robson Stewart 11/3/25 Capital Projects Manager UMBA Ryan Anderson 11/10/25 Supplier Relationship Specialist UPST, Promotions, Name Promotion Date Title Department Jacquie Kittler 11/17/25 Director, Emp/Labor Rels & Ben HR John Roy 11/17/25 Director, Recruiting/Comp HR
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DEIA Calendar, The DEIA Communications team keeps a calendar of upcoming diversity awareness months and days recognized either nationally or internationally due to their cultural, historical, or religious significance. , Date-Specific Events, Monday, December 8: Bodhi Day Saturday, December 13: National Guard Birthday Sunday, December 14 – Monday, December 22: Hanukkah Sunday, December 21: Winter Solstice Thursday, December 25: Christmas Friday, December 26 – January 1: Kwanzaa , Additional Awareness Communications this Month, The DEIA Communications team is sending out individual communications around the following awareness events this month: December 2025 Religious and Cultural Holidays National Guard Birthday
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As you know, October was, National Cyber Security Awareness Month, , a time to spotlight best practices for staying safe online. This year, during the month of October, we focused on understanding and combating phishing attacks—a leading cause of data breaches and cyber incidents worldwide. Whether you’re working from the office, home, or on the go, staying vigilant against phishing is everyone’s responsibility., What Is Phishing?, Phishing is a cybercrime where attackers impersonate legitimate organizations via email, text, or other forms of communication to steal sensitive information like passwords, credit card numbers, or company data. Phishing emails often appear urgent, contain suspicious links or attachments, and may request personal or business details., October’s Phishing Campaign: What you Saw, As part of our ongoing training and awareness initiatives, we conducted a series of simulated phishing emails. Here’s what you saw: Simulated Phishing Emails: You all received a wide range of emails that mimic real phishing attempts. These are safe and designed to help you recognize suspicious patterns. We cultivated a range of difficulty for this month’s campaign to try to ensure you are aware…, Remember, – There are NO penalties for falling for a simulation, just learning opportunities! , How to Spot a Phishing Email, Check for spelling and grammar mistakes or unusual requests. Be wary of urgent or threatening language, like “Your account will be closed!” Hover over links to see the actual web address before clicking. Never provide personal or company information via email unless you’re sure of the sender’s identity. Verify suspicious requests by contacting the sender through a trusted channel. Verify THEN…, What Should You Do If You Suspect Phishing?, Do not reply to the message or click any links. Report the email using the Report Phish button located in your top Outlook Menu Bar, and then delete the suspicious message from your inbox. , Let’s Be Cyber Smart Together!, Every UMPO employee plays a vital role in protecting our organization from cyber threats. Thank you for your participation in Cyber Security Awareness Month and for staying alert during our phishing awareness campaign. If you have questions or need support, reach out to our IT team at any time. Stay safe and remember: Verify, THEN, Trust! From your friendly InfoSec team, Brad Smith: bsmith@umassp.edu Iris Lyons: ilyons@umassp.edu Danny Galvin: dgalvin@umassp.edu Nick Bonczyk: nbonczyk@umassp.edu Brad Smith, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), was spotted walking around 50 Washington, congratulating everyone who completed the security awareness training and reported the suspicious email with candy!
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Kwanzaa is an annual African American and pan-African holiday which celebrates family, community and culture. It is held from December 26 to January 1, and culminates in a communal feast called Karamu., Origins of Kwanzaa, Kwanzaa was first created by Dr. Maulana Karenga in 1966 during the aftermath of the Watts riots (alternatively known as the Watts Rebellion or Watts Uprising). Karenga created Kwanzaa as a specifically African American holiday which provided an “opportunity to celebrate themselves and their history.” It is loosely based on fruit harvest festival traditions from various parts of Africa,…, Nguzo Saba (The Seven Principles), The celebration of Kwanzaa includes recognition of a set of ideals that its founder called the seven principles of Kwanzaa, or Nguzo Saba . Umoja (Unity) Kujichagulia (Self-Determination) Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility) Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics) Nia (Purpose) Kuumba (Creativity) Imani (Faith), Primary Symbols of Kwanzaa, Mazao (The Crops) Mkeka (The Mat) Kinara (The Candle Holder) Muhindi (The Corn) Kikombe cha Umoja (The Unity Cup) Mishumaa Saba (The Seven Candles) Zawadi (The Gifts), Learn more about Kwanzaa, You can learn more about the Nguzo Saba, the primary symbols of Kwanzaa, and the history and meaning of the holiday by visiting the Official Kwanzaa Website .
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The anniversary of the death of the founder of the Bahá'í faith, Bahá'u'lláh. This solemn anniversary is a day of rest, and is often observed by reading or chanting from the scriptures.
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End of Year Holidays (Offices Closed), Christmas Day Thursday, December 25, Offices Operate With Limited Personnel, Day before Christmas Wednesday, December 24, Personal Time for 2025 and 2026, Employees have until 1/10/2026 to use 2025 personal time. Employees will be granted personal time on 1/13/2026 for calendar year 2026. Employees may begin using 2026 personal time after 1/13/2026 for the week beginning 1/11/2026.
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GIC (Group Insurance Commission) to Discontinue Use of Online (Docusign) Forms, The GIC will be discontinuing the use of the DocuSign forms for enrollments and changes effective December 15, 2025. The only options for enrollments or making changes to GIC benefits will be to use the MyGICLink benefits portal or to complete and mail a paper enrollment form. Employees are urged to set up their MyGICLink benefits portal access if they have not already done so. The benefits…
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