Mental Meanderings

The Light of Christmas Spirit

One of my favorite joys over December and the coming holiday is light. Christmas and the various holidays celebrated this time of year depending on your religious choice seems to be abundant in light. Be it candles or tree lights, gardens arrayed in lights, houses brilliantly glowing, or the scattering of the stars in the sky seeming brighter in the clear summer sky.

So many traditions abound that it's strange to realise that in most of them this holiday season has come to associate gift giving more highly as commercialism takes a grip on society. It's easy to forget the various reasons the holidays came into existence to begin with. Especially since these alter depending on the religion and it's specific beliefs.

Christmas to me has to do with family and life. Coming together in love and harmony to share our joy of life and of the year past. Gifts to brighten the lives of my children and share with them the abundance of having so much. We also give a lot to charity at this time of year. I gather up many of their older toys and we discuss why we give away our abundance and they understand that some people aren't as lucky as we are to be able to have so much.

But the light is where I feel the joy I had as a child. One of my greatest season's joy is to wander the streets at sunset and see the light. To notice how at this time of year it doesn't get truely dark. As Christmas approaches more and more houses sparkle be it outside or in. Some of the displays are incredible. The time and effort that go into putting up that display each year, of growing the collection of lights and the various focuses from reindeer to snowmen, santa, stars, nativity scenes, gifts, candy canes and trees. Everyone's idea of Christmas come together in their light displays.

This year I'm looking forward to putting up my own lights. I've wanted to do this time and again but just beginning the light collection is expensive let alone thinking of the electricity bill. Last year I bought lights but didn't have the opportunity to string them before the holiday had come and gone but it's one of my priorities over the coming week or two. It's only a small collection of lights, but it's something I'll expand on each year until my own home sparkles with the light of stars on Earth.

Bringing light to the world after months of Winter. Bringing light and joy to the hearts of people who face this season sad and alone. Bringing light, and peace, and love back to the community and the people who have forgotten that there is more to the holiday season then shopping and gift giving. Giving a smile, and light, is more important.