The Turning

Yesterday, was the winter solstice, the longest day of the year.  Those of us in the Northern Hemisphere begin moving from darkness to light as each subsequent day becomes longer giving us more light.   In the recent book I read, "The Binding", the characters kept referring to this day as "the turning".   When I looked up the meaning of "turning", it simply referenced a change of directions.  A recent PBS article describes the Ancient Persian celebration of Yalda, marking the sunrise after the longest night of the year.  The Ancient Persians believed that evil forces were strongest on the longest and darkest night of the year.   has an interesting article on why the solstice is celebrated throughout the world

While we celebrate the winter solstice, we are only a handful of days away from Christmas celebrating the birth of Christ, the "Light of the World".  The whole Bible points to Christ's birth as God's plan to overcome evil in the world.  Irregardless of one's beliefs, it is clear that this event marked a distinct turning point, as faith in Christ has spread across the world since his birth. 

As ponder how I show up for Christmas, I'm confronted with challenges that perhaps the traditions we use to celebrate it may have pagan origins and that perhaps Santa is getting more attention than Jesus.  The film I recently watched by Kirk Cameron on Amazon Prime - "Saving Christmas" presumes to put aside any guilt a Christian might have for embracing these traditions.   I have chosen to add pomegranates prominently in my Christmas now that we've moved to Reno.  The cool weather brings them to the market. Each is like a fistful of glittering rubies.  Greek myth attributes the cycle of the seasons to goddess Persephone's weakness for pomegranates.   They remind me of my trips to Israel where they are commonly freshly juiced.  Although I love the smell of greenery at Christmas, our home in Reno doesn't have a great place for a tree.  I managed to place a wreath at the door front inside though.  I also continue to exchange holiday stockings on Christmas day pretending that Santa had left them for us.   It's simply takes the focus off of manufacturing joy by over-gifting. 

I do hesitate now before wishing someone a "Merry Christmas" but tack on a "Happy Holiday". Frequently this year in Santa Cruz,  people wished me a "Happy Solstice".  I have fond memories of celebrating Hanukkah while in India many years ago reflecting on Diwali.  

Sadly, when I visited Thailand a number of years ago, everyone referred to Christmas as the "shopping holiday".   It's difficult to resist the urge of conspicuously consumption this time of year.  Oddly, this consumption could have a negative impact on the lovely environment that we look to for inspiration this time of year.

I'm grateful for the traditions I've managed to cultivate with family and friends through simple traditions like exchanging cookies and preserves.  It feeds my body and my soul to share things we've prepared in our homes with love.  We seem to have found a path of limiting excesses of consumerism so tempting this time of the year.

Since moving to Bonny Doon over 20 years ago, I fell in love with the tradition of singing Christmas carols outside during the Christmas Eve Candlelight Service.  I will miss this commemoration of light.  We will attend a church in San Diego which hands out electric lights used inside the sanctuary.   I will miss the sweetness of sing Christmas carols under the stars on a moonlight night.