Credo

Each year, I hear new ways to wish one another well during the holiday season. There are countless ways to wish well at this time of year. In my opinion, the way to wish well in the most effective and respectful way considers the relationship to the person you are wishing well to and how much information you have regarding that person’s background. I know my family celebrates Christmas, so I say merry Christmas to them. I know my friend celebrates Hanukkah, so I say happy Hanukkah to her. Strangers like to wish me well during this season, and I like to reciprocate. ‘Happy holidays’ seems innocuous, but its use has become political in the last several years.

Out of the myriad options to choose from, my favorite holiday saying this year is ‘enjoy your holidays’. Like ‘happy holidays’ it doesn’t make assumptions of the person’s religious background. I like it because adding ‘your’ into the phrase acknowledges the ownership we feel over our holidays and beliefs. Christmas is my holiday. I grew up celebrating the tradition and it reminds me of family. Also, pluralizing ‘holiday’ allows room for the possibility that any individual may celebrate more than one tradition. Along with Christmas, I spiritually observe the solstice at this time of year. Both traditions hold important places in my life and my personal belief system.

Christmas is important to me because I am Christian and I was raised in the church. Largely, I use observances of Christian holidays to honor my family of origin and my upbringing. Church was a very big part of my childhood. As a child, I remember my mom serving the church as a Sunday school teacher. Throughout my adolescence, I held various roles in my church from being an usher collecting offerings to serving as a deacon. Every summer throughout my high school career, I attended a Presbyterian youth conference. My Christian upbringing is essential to who I am and one of the ways that I I honor that is by celebrating Christmas. I think it’s important to hold space to continue to honor the tradition I was brought up in because it grounds me. It reminds me of who I am and where I came from. And it shows respect towards my family. Further, it just feels honest. It feels truthful. In Christianity I am taught that there is one God. To me, it feels right that I acknowledge God as the one and only true God.

I talk about my religion and beliefs openly because I want to and I  have a right to talk about my thoughts and to share aspects of myself that I would like to share at appropriate times and places. I share my beliefs on my personal website because it is my space to share parts of myself. I own this domain and I want to share my thoughts on my beliefs at this point in time. 

Another reason why I choose to share my beliefs is because I welcome others to share their beliefs with me. One of my favorite topics of conversation is religion. My beliefs and values from my religion are extremely important to me and guide my decision making and demonstrate who I am. I appreciate when my friends choose to share their religious beliefs with me so that I can understand them on a deeper level as well. When my friends share their beliefs, I do not feel that my beliefs are challenged by theirs. Mindfully listening to my friends share their beliefs is a way that I practice my religious beliefs. In my Christian upbringing, I was taught to love my neighbor. To practice love is to actively listen seeking to understand. To love is to make an inclusive space where everyone feels welcome and valued. To love is to be vulnerable in trusting our neighbors with parts of ourselves. 

Along with celebrating Christmas, I also observe the solstice. Each year at the winter solstice, I practice a tradition of drying oranges. It’s not a difficult or even a very involved activity, but it does take several hours to dry oranges. After slicing and patting them with a paper towel, I put them in the oven at a low temperature and flip them every 30 minutes for maybe 4-6 hours. I will do this on a Sunday; typically, done when I have the whole day free to myself. This year as I let the oranges dry I read a Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens and enjoyed the smell of orange juice as the warm scent from the oven spread throughout my apartment. After the oranges are dried, I string them and fasten them into a garland for decoration. 

For me, engaging in this activity at this time of year symbolizes welcoming the return of the lighter portion of the year. The bright color of the fruit reminds me of the summer sun that blazes in the sky. The heat from the oven comforts me during the cold part of the year. On the longest night of the year, drying oranges reminds me that the sun will return and the days will lengthen as the sun stays above the horizon for longer each day. Observing the evidence of the changing seasons reminds me that hope exists even in the midst of darkness. Light always returns. There is comfort available even in the cold, but only if I am willing to seek out that comfort.

Observing the longest night of the year allows me to gain a greater appreciation for the times in my life when I feel lighter. The cold, dark shadowy times provides contrast to the lighter times in life. In the cold, when my face is red and my eyes are watering I wish for the feeling of of my skin soaking up the heat of the sun in the summer. In the cold, I appreciate the ability I had just months ago to go outside without needing extra layers to protect me. The dark, cold winter at the solstice allows me to see life in more dimension.

So, I appreciate living in a place where I have the freedom to enjoy my holidays. I hope you enjoy your holidays, too.