My Jewish mom imparted to me an abiding love of Christmas carols. Although my family did not celebrate Christmas in our home (we celebrated Hanukkah), my mom impressed on my sister and me that we need never feel left out of the Christmas spirit. Every December, she made a ritual of driving us through the lit-up streets of our affluent New Jersey suburb, in search of the most exuberantly adorned houses and lawns. And I still love Christmas lights, and sleigh decorations and all that stuff.

To this day, when the commercial season kicks in, and muzakal renderings of “Joy to the World” and “The First Noel” are piping through the supermarket aisles, I’m a Pavlovian happy camper.

I hope we can all delight in each other’s rituals and traditions – Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Christmas, the pagan solstice, and all the seasonal holidays I’ve never heard of or can’t think of right now. 

Underneath them all, there’s a common spirit and universal yearning for peace and connection, redemption and forgiveness. 

I’ve always loved John Lennon’s expression of this truth in his song “So This Is Christmas.”

Wherever you are, whomever you’re with or not with, may peace reside in your heart today and beyond. 

Sweet dreams and Merry Christmas.

~ Marc and the Higher Thought team