Happy Holidays!

I've been thinking a lot this year about the myriad holidays that are celebrated this month, and refining which ones I want to celebrate with my family and redefining what Christmas means to me. Growing up Christmas was about Jesus, and my parents didn't "do" Santa. I remember making one of my classmates in kindergarten cry when I told her Santa wasn't real. I wasn't trying to be mean; just telling her my truth at the time. I thought I was doing her a favor but she burst into tears. Oops.

We've done "Santa Lite" over the years with our own kids. He fills up stockings and parents do the gifts under the tree. Mikaela has never really bought into it anyway. Once when she was three we were talking about Santa and apparently I got too into it because she suddenly leaned in and whispered, "Mama. He's not real." Oh. Right. She always wants to play the game, though. She always instigates and enjoys our little traditions of leaving out reindeer food and milk and cookies on Christmas Eve.

Sofia seems to really buy into it all, which makes me feel a tad guilty. I'm hoping she won't be one of those kids who finds out the truth and won't talk to Alex and I for a few months. She'll look like this:

I'm sure we'll have plenty of excuses, though. "It's a cultural myth. Everybody's doing it! We didn't want you to feel left out." It's been fun for us since neither of us grew up in Santa households.

I've heard the phrase, "Take what you need, leave the rest," as far as receiving advice and suggestions, but it's kind of how I approach the holidays as well. Christmas is no longer about the birth of Christ for me, but I have no problem still enjoying the traditions and songs from my childhood. They are familiar and a comfort. "Oh Holy Night" will always be my favorite Christmas song. It's simply beautiful.

I've also been learning more each year about Pagan traditions, and they speak to me in a deeper way than "religious" Christmas ever really did. It speaks to my soul to acknowledge where we are in the year, and to create traditions and ritual for my family that are simply about the season. More and more, for me, I'm coming to believe that the season is the reason for the season, and that's okay.

So, with all that said, I wish you a very Happy Winter. It is a beautiful time of year. Whatever holidays you do or do not observe, whatever religion or belief system you subscribe to, whatever traditions you have created for your family, I hope you enjoy them to the fullest.

Love, charity in giving, graciousness in receiving, joy, tradition, our Advent quilt, (hopefully) snow, evergreen trees, holly, ornaments, lights, St. Nicholas, holiday songs, cookie baking, tamale making, total lunar eclipse on the full moon and Solstice watching (that was so cool!), reading Christmas and Yule stories, even appreciating the beauty in a well done nativity scene...these are the things that I am celebrating, enjoying and cultivating for my children. And I love it.

BE MERRY.