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Message for December

Winter is coming. The signs of the season seem to come earlier each year, at least in terms of holiday decorations. Some folks go straight from Halloween lights and inflatables to multicolor lights with snowmen, reindeer and Santa Claus everywhere. Some folks object to the rush toward Christmas, seemingly skipping over Thanksgiving. I admire the way a Charlottesville resident made the transition between holidays by dressing their skeleton in a turkey t-shirt and a jaunty pilgrim hat. (I’ll let you know if it gets a red fur-lined Santa hat next.) I have been one of those holiday purists who thinks Christmas decorations should wait at least until after turkey day. I tend toward nostalgia — reveling in memories and trying to recreate the sounds, smells, and tastes of holidays gone by — and wanting things to stay the same. But lately I’ve begun wondering whether that serves me well. Who am I to judge when or how others celebrate? More to the point, how does being a cranky older lady affect the way I move through the world?

I’m not going to give up being nostalgic – reminiscing about holidays gone by brings me joy. But I’m also choosing to appreciate newer iterations of those traditions.  This new resolve was prompted by some of the decorations I’ve seen on my evening walks through our neighborhood – particularly the bright rainbow-colored lights in the shape of Christmas trees. The colors are so vibrant, and their symbolism warms my heart. And a dark-skinned Santa has taken up residence in the yard across the street. Instead of insisting that the lights are up too early or that the decorations are too new-fangled, I’m choosing to think about the joy they bring to the children who live in those homes and the rest of the neighbors who enjoy them as well.

I’m not sure what theological message I’m trying to impart with this confession and commitment. Perhaps it’s the Buddhist notion that suffering comes from insisting that things should be the way we want them rather than how they actually are. That it’s better to be mindful and present to what is. Perhaps it’s the ancient notion of carpe diem.  Or the acknowledgement of the Unitarian Universalist values of pluralism and transformation. We can appreciate many different ways of celebrating this time of year and acknowledge that things constantly change.

At UUC, we’ll have a blend of tradition and novelty through the month of December. Our theme for worship and small groups is Choosing Hope – reminding us that even as the world gets colder and darker, we can both embrace this time to go inward for rest AND still find and create warmth and light.  One way is by participating in our now-annual reverse Advent activity – each day leading up to Christmas adding food to a basket to donate to the Blacksburg Interfaith Food Pantry. We can also enjoy another spectacular Holiday Sampler concert coordinated by our Music Directory Jared Gibbs (December 20th) and a new Solstice-themed multigenerational no-rehearsal play put together by Director of Lifespan Faith Development Rachel Craine (December 21st). Finally, join us for a 5:00 pm Christmas Eve service including carols, candles, and new ways to consider the ancient nativity story.

Wishing you all the best in the month ahead,

Rev. Pam