Celebrating Holidays and Spreading Joy

"I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights."
~ Maya Angelou

Welcome to December, filled with enchantment and wonder, a month steeped in celebration and unity. Its festive spirit, adorned with twinkling lights and meaningful holidays, invites us to savor the magic within its days, encouraging connection and revelry in life's simple joys. As the year concludes, we are drawn to the warmth of family, the joy of giving, and the cherished memories that bind us. In December, we celebrate many different holidays, each with its own special way of spreading love and joy. Do you know the history and traditions of these 4 popular holidays in the United States?  How many of these does your family celebrate?

Christmas

At the heart of December lies Christmas, the most celebrated holiday of the year. It's a time when people all around the world come together to share and give. Originating from the Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, Christmas has evolved into a global occasion celebrated by millions. In our family, we bake a birthday cake for Jesus! We also love baking cookies, wrapping presents, and singing songs by the fireplace. It feels so cozy and brings us all closer. 

The tradition of gift giving is a reminder of the gifts the wise men brought to the infant Jesus so long ago. The gifts they brought were Frankincense , Gold and Myrrh.  Two of these, Frankincense and Myrrh are traditions that we continue to incorporate in our lives today because, as essential oils, they are big parts of our wellness toolkits.  We use- Frankincense for cell rejuvenation, anxiousness, aches, peace, immunity, and inflammation, and Myrrh for anything skin, digestive, calming, and respiratory.

Decorating the Christmas tree is a cherished family affair. Each decoration tells a story from the past. Vibrant decorations and twinkling lights illuminate homes and streets, creating a magical ambiance that captivates young and old alike. Every year we drive around the neighborhoods mesmerized by all the lights.

But the best part of Christmas is how everyone comes together to help others in need through charity drives and acts of kindness. I love volunteering with the Operation Christmas Child program by helping with the final packing in preparation for shipment throughout the world. From carolers singing in the snow to families gathered around the hearth, Christmas is a time to embrace the warmth of companionship and the joy of selflessness.

Hanukkah

Hanukkah, known as the Festival of Lights, is a really special Jewish holiday. It's a celebration, full of hope and stories of never giving up. This tradition reenacts a miracle that occurred long ago.  During the Second Temple rededication a small amount of oil was lit that should have lasted a single day, but that flame burned for 8 days!  Which is why the length o fHanukkah is so significant.

Each night, we add and light one candle each night on the menorah, a special candle holder.  Each candle is a reminder that even when things seem dark, light can still shine through. In my family we rotate who gets to light the candles each night.

Along with the lighting of candles, there are several fried foods that are part of the tradition, yummy treats like latkes, which are potato pancakes, and sufganiyot, which are jelly donuts. These treats remind us of the miracle of the oil.

My fondest memories of Hanukkah are playing with a dreidel, a little spinning top. It is decorated with letters that spell out “a great miracle happened there”. We even exchange small gifts each night. It's eight days of fun, laughter, and family time.

Each year as we watch the menorah's candles burn, we are reminded how important it is to stick together and keep believing.

Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa is a holiday that happens from December 26th to January 1st. It's a time when families come together to celebrate their African heritage and culture. During these seven days, they focus on important ideas like being united, making their own choices, and working together.

Families light the kinara, a candleholder with seven candles. They also talk, create art, and do performances about these important ideas. Kwanzaa helps us remember where we come from, be proud of who we are, and make the world a better place by working together.

New Year’s Eve

As December bids farewell, we eagerly anticipate the arrival of the New Year on December 31st. This is an exciting time when we think back on the year that's ending and get ready for the new one to start. New Year's Eve is all about having fun, making plans for the future, and feeling hopeful for all the good things to come.

We  celebrate with bright fireworks that light up the sky and parties where everyone is happy and laughing. It's like the whole world is saying, 'Here comes a brand new year, full of chances and adventures!' I have never gone to New York City to watch the ball drop on Time Square, but we watch it on TV either with friends or just our family.  It feels really special, counting down the seconds to the New Year and then cheering when it finally arrives. It is always a magical time welcoming in the New Year.

December is like a big, beautiful quilt made of many different holidays. Each one is like its own special song, asking us to be part of the shared joy and significance that makes this month enchanting. Every holiday in December has its own way of spreading happiness and telling us important stories.

Let's not forget that the real magic is in the connections we build and the memories we craft.

As we dive into these celebrations, may we feel encouraged to:

• adopt the giving spirit 

• brighten any darkness with our strength 

• cherish our heritage 

• enter the new year with hearts brimming with hope and promise.

December reminds us to fill our hearts with joy and to reach out to others to share acts of kindness.