Merry Christmas, Happy Zwanzaa, and
belated warm wishes for both Chanukah
and the Winter Solstice. Ooops ... almost forgot; a belated Fabulous
Festivus as well. We offer Season's Greetings to one and
all.
My husband, Dan, especially loves A
Christmas Carol ... the story as published in 1843, and all the
film adaptations as well. It doesn't
matter which one. We both love Dickens' themes of transformation and
redemption. (Dan is living proof. He didn't become a cat-person
until his 60s. And if that is not some serious transformation, then
I don't know what is. The cats say that his evolution rises to the
higher feline standard of redemption. But then, they would.)
But I especially
love the concepts that surround the Winter Solstice. For me, it's
about coming from the darkest, most internal time of the year and
back into the Light. In fall, I admit to feeling a little relieved
at the end of summer, that most outgoing of all seasons. When fall arrives, it feels to me like the
natural return to a more inward-attentive season of the heart, mind
and spirit. But with the marking of the Winter Solstice, things
feel like they begin to lighten up just a bit. My optimism begins to
take over from my habitual deep-fall broodiness, and I'm glad to
celebrate lightness again, and my hope for personal enlightenment is
renewed. That hope includes my wishes for all of man and woman
kind. After the hours of dark and light become equal, the light
stays just a little longer every day and it seems time to get on with
the business of doing the activities of daily life with more
enthusiasm and hope.
Dan loves the
Winter Solstice for those same reasons, he claims. But I also
know that he waits for it so he can ask complete strangers if they have noticed how the days getting longer on December 22nd. You have to be
there. It's mildly amusing to watch their expressions of polite confusion. He thinks it's hysterical.
To all of you who
regularly read what I write, or only read occassionally, or just
happened by today ... thank you for all the gifts of beauty and friendship
and insight you've shared with me this year. Let's celebrate first what and whom we
love the most and then get ready to take another fantastic trip around the
sun. Once more with grand gusto and your own, inimitable personal
style!
Happy Holidays, no matter how or where
you celebrate them!
In French: Joyeuses Fêtes!
In Spanish: Felices Fiestas!
In Vietnamese: Hạnh phúc ngày lễ
In Chinese: 節日快樂
In Irish: Laethanta saoire sona
In Swedish: Trevlig Helg!
In Romanian: Sarbatori Fericite!
In Korean: 행복
휴일
In Indonesian: Selamat Hari Raya!
In Mandarin: Jie Ri Yu Kuai
In Italian: Buone Feste!
In German: Forhe Feiertage
In Dutch: Prettige feestdagen
In Hawaiian: Hau’oli Lanui
In Gaelic: Beannachtaí na Féile
In Hindi: Naye sāl kī hārdik
śubhkāmnayeṅ
In Russian: Счастливых
Праздников!!
In Belarusian: вясёлых святаў
In Nepali: khuśī chuṭṭiyām̐
In Hebrew: Chag Sameach
In Canadian : Happy Holidays, eh?
