The time of Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany, which we celebrate through the Presentation of the Lord at the Temple (so, from December 1 to February 2 this year) encompasses a season of long nights, including the winter solstice. By now, we see the sun setting a little later in the day, which brings relief to many of my friends, but I love this time of year, when our reason to light candles and turn on the Christmas lights starts at 5:15 pm.
We light lights, and we find lights, especially in our neighborhoods and in public places.
We celebrate the birth of Jesus, the start of Mary and Joseph’s life as parents, the hope of the Magnificat, and the work of our faith.
We decorate trees with reminders of people and places we love.
We built a forest of paper evergreens.
We play games and laugh.
We eat favorite foods–shellfish on Christmas Eve, ebelskivers with jam, fancy cheeses–and meals that remind us of our families, like pork and sauerkraut on New Year’s Day.
We read and walk and hike and go to art museums.
And we know that these days of cold and snow are too few, especially in a warming world, so we tuck in and enjoy their beauty.
Family Foxhole 