Christmas is once again upon us with all of our family and church traditions. The decorations in my neighborhood began going up as the Halloween decorations came down, with a tremendous
display just a few doors down from me. From time to time I even hear music from it. I look forward to seeing the decorations and the excitement that builds toward our central winter holiday.

This year at our church we will have a mix of old and new. We welcome Rev. John Wolff as he offers the Solstice pulpit, which this year falls on the Solstice almost to the hour. Then, on
Christmas Eve, we will have our Lessons and Carols service where we read the story of the birth of Jesus from the New Testament and sing the carols that go along with the text. People
who attend are invited to bring Christmas cookies to share after the service. On Christmas Day at 11AM, Jean Kobylecky and Lynne Martin are organizing a Christmas Brunch/Lunch potluck
for those who care to come; the sign-up sheet is in the gathering space on the bulletin board by the bathrooms.

The church will be decorated for Christmas this year, and Kay Marble has agreed to lead the effort. We appreciate her efforts and talents in doing this for the whole congregation to enjoy for several weeks. Whether celebrating the Winter Solstice or Christmas, it is nice to see the customs running together in the warmth and friendliness of the sanctuary decorations.

For various reasons, the only decorations I will be putting up this year are some green cedar boughs around my lamppost in front of my house. This is to accomplish two things…I hope. To get the evergreen branches off my garage roof, and to make the crookedness of my decorative lamppost less noticeable. (Geraniums tend to cover this crookedness in the summertime.)

But however it goes I don’t want to let the season pass without joining in the ancient spirit displayed by our pagan and Christian ancestors. As the nights are long and cold, and the bulk of the winter snows lay ahead, it is good to remind myself and those who join me in community, that I, too, appreciate the changing of the seasons. And in my small show of branches, I have confidence in the gradual lengthening of days and the abundance of growth and greenery that will surround us in due time. Emboldened by our customs of decorations, food, and fellowship, I am able to revel with satisfaction and comfort during these wintry nights with my friends in our traditions. This to me is what the holiday season is all about. May everyone have a Merry Christmas and Best Wishes for the New Year.