Something that makes this month’s holidays (Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa) unique are all the lights. From the religious symbols like the menorah to decorations like candles, tree lights, and the Kinara, to stories of Rudolph’s nose and a star that guided shepherds and wise men, lights are everywhere. I’m always excited to see the lights begin to shine around the neighborhoods and as I drive around at night in December, not to mention doing my own decorating and lighting candles many nights for both light and some lovely holiday scents. Doing the lights and decorations as an adult always brings to mind some of those special childhood holiday memories and reminds me how important the holidays are to both celebrate and take time to reflect.
Light in and of itself brings us relief in our normal lives: think about the last time you walked into a dark house or room and how relieved you were when you finally got the light on and could see and not be worried about tripping over stuff. This year the lights feel even more important than usual after the very challenging year we’ve had and are a definite sign of hope and reminder of better times as we try to work through what will likely be a very different set of holiday celebrations than we’re used to.
So what can you and your family do to encourage positivity and light in what could be a very dark and depressing holiday season? Consider a special lit holiday item in your children’s bedrooms like a lighted tree or battery/electric candle, or even a string of Christmas lights, especially if it’s not something you’ve done in past years. This gives them a little something special for this holiday season and many of them have timers that can limit how long they’re on each night helping you keep the extra costs minimal. Also consider leaving on the Christmas tree and any outdoor lights for longer each day/night than usual or lighting the Menorah or Kinara with each meal instead of only with dinner during the actual holiday, or even lighting it at every dinner for the rest of the month. Also there are lots of light related crafts you could consider. For example instead of doing a paper chain this holiday season, do a string of Christmas tree style light bulbs, even getting creative with writing things everyone loves about the holidays on them or printing out mandala style bulb patterns that are intricate and have different designs to color for each day. And that’s not to mention the ways you can be a light in your community with socially distanced holiday carol sings, donations to food banks and homeless shelters, and purchasing from local merchants who are likely struggling this year with all the restrictions.
What light will you spread this holiday season?