Celebrations are the bright blessings of our lives

My children loved me to read to them. One of their favorites was an entrancing book by Charlotte Zolotow, charmingly illustrated by Garth Williams. Called Over and Over,  it was about days to celebrate. Throughout the book the preschool child asked “What comes next?”, and the mother would reply, sequencing the round of holiday celebrations that stretched through the year from the child’s current birthday around to her next one.

Holidays, originally holy days, were organized around the changing of the seasons, planting and harvest and the worship of the various deities involved. Some, like Christmas and Easter are still part of our culture, while others like Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day have become important traditions that we enjoy, participate in and share with friends and family. As we take part in holidays they add a special meaning to our lives and refresh our spirits.

Holidays bring families together. They also provide advertising revenue for the media and commercial potential for merchants. “What comes next” can be easily seen in the stores as green shamrocks and Easter bunnies jostle each other for space on the shelves of department and drug stores and supermarkets. Many protest the commercialization of holidays, yet the decorations do alert us to the eternal round of celebration that comes with the twelve months of the year.

We have within us always the child who delights in holidays. These are important to our need for celebrations. They are vital times of relief from the stress and tension of business and daily life. In the cold and dark days of winter especially, Christmas and Valentine’s day take on even greater significance because of the joy and happiness they bring. Like bright threads woven into a dark tapestry where bleakness predominates, they highlight  and fulfill our yearning for joy.

May Your holidays bring you brightness when you need it most.