December brings many holidays. There is Hanukkah, Bodhi Day, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Pancha Ganapati, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Eve - and undoubtedly many others as well. You and I may not honor the same religion or celebrate the same holiday, but I trust that we can share hope and joy during the season that is upon us.

My upbringing involved the celebration of Christmas and, though I no longer participate in organized religion, I still celebrate Christmas. This year I won’t be with family and friends, but there are other things that inspire the Christmas spirit in me. The top three are the traditions of the advent calendar, the tree, and the carols.

Advent derives from the Latin word for coming, and advent calendars are used to count down the days to the coming of Christmas. It’s a tradition which began in the mid-19th century. Advent calendars are commonly made of paper or wood, and contain 25 doors that open to reveal an image, an item, or a little prize. I have neither the largest (232 feet and 11 inches tall by 75 feet and 5 inches wide) nor the most expensive (available in 2007 at Harrods for a mere $50,000) ever made. My advent calendar is a vintage wooden version. Each door opens to reveal a space that is 2.5” x 1.5” x 1.0”. Finding little items to fill the calendar was a fun endeavor that took years, and even now I occasionally add something new to the collection. In those interim years before I had enough items to fill each of the 25 doors, I used a lot of Hershey’s Kisses. Needless to say, the chocolate generally didn’t last beyond the day that particular door was opened.

The Christmas tree has a history dating back to ancient Egypt and Rome, but it was the Germans who brought the tradition to America in the 1800s — where it was promptly deemed a pagan ritual. We can thank Queen Victoria and Prince Albert (who was German) for making the Christmas tree popular in Europe, thus influencing its acceptability here in America as well. Two of the most well-known trees are the official White House tree and the one in New York’s Rockefeller Center. By the way, did you know that Christmas trees are grown in every one of the 50 United States?

The type of tree and choice of decorations vary extensively, and may invoke great debate about the supremacy of one versus another. My personal preference is a big, fat Douglas Fir with ornaments that are as eclectic as I am. You can see a photo of this year’s tree below. When deciding upon a tree you need to consider:

• Artificial or Live?

• If live, is it pre-cut on the lot or do you saw it down yourself?

• Fir, spruce, pine or cedar?

• Short or tall? Thin or fat?

• Light or no lights? If you opt for lights, are they white or colored? Solid or blinking?

• Ornament options are over the place. Balls and bows. Glass, wood, plastic, and others materials. Store-bought and hand-made. Religious and whimsical.

• Tree-toppers are a varied as the ornaments. Angels and stars are popular, but other choices abound.

There must be over a million Christmas carols, with options to please everyone who wants to listen. Handel’s Messiah, an oratorio written by George Frideric Handel in 1741, is a classic holiday sing-a-long. Here I offer just a few songs to help get you in the Christmas spirit: Mannheim Steamroller’s Carol of the Bells, an acapella version of Little Drummer Boy by Pentatonix, the Vince Guaraldi Trio’s O Christmas Tree, and The Christmas Song by Chuck Brown and Eva Cassidy.

Thank you for allowing me to share some of my Christmas traditions with you today. There have been and will continue to be many hours by the tree, listening to carols, and counting down the days to Christmas with the help of the advent calendar. I find it calming and inspirational, feelings for which I am infinitely grateful as 2020 comes to a close.

Whether it’s Christmas or a different holiday, may you celebrate with peace and love in your heart and your home.