'Tis the season

Spiritual resource to share: solidarity with diversity


There is much talk in the United States about changing our scrubbed politically correct holiday season back to where people of faith can openly share their Christmas greetings, and not fear of offending someone!

However, for those who celebrate Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, or the myriad other types of celebrations this season, there must still be a way to honor and include all.



Here is my approach. I am a house parent for my son's school - so I get to be in touch with 7, soon to be 8 boys from all over the world that attend his school and live in his dorm's wing. This is a letter that I sent to them that I thought you might enjoy:

Hello to all the guys in Raccoon Wing!

We want to wish you all a very happy….. well, season! With you boys representing Mexico, Germany, South Korea, Russia, China and the United States, it is hard to pinpoint just how to send you wishes for this upcoming season!

Let me see if I have done my homework right in getting down most of the celebrations that you may be having:

There is Advent from the last Sunday in November to December 24th (Christian, Roman Catholic, International), St. Nicholas Day (Germany and other international) on the 6th, Bodhi Day - Buddha's Enlightenment (Buddhist) on the 8th, Virgin of Guadalupe (Mexico) on the 12th, Hanukkah (Jewish) on the 16th to the 24th, Las Posadas (Mexico) from 16th to the 25th, Winter Solstice from Dec 22nd to March 20th, Christmas (Christian, Roman Catholic, International) on the 25th, Kwanzaa (African-American - Dec. 26, 2005 - Jan 1, 2006), Eid al-adha (Islamic, Muslim) on the 31st and New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day for most on the 31st /January 1st with China and South Korea celebrating the New Year the first weeks of the solar and lunar year, and finally Russia celebrating their Orthodox Christmas on January 7th. (Click here for background.)

Whew! Did I get you all covered?

I wanted to learn more about these different celebrations to come up with good wishes to all of you who are working so hard at your studies. I found that all celebrations have much in common. And so from our family here, tucked in the northwoods of Wisconsin, we want to wish you and your families from all over the world these things:

•a time for love – for family and friends to come together and to extend our homes to strangers
•a time for quietness, reverence and awe –where those things we deem most sacred to us are honored
•a time for peace – a recognition of our interconnectedness to each other, to our past, to our ancestors and to our future
•and a time for celebration – for new beginnings, fresh starts, and hope – great hope for what life holds in store for all of us

Best wishes to you all – cookies and small gifts are on their way for each one of you to celebrate this remarkable season! You have all done a great job this first half year!!

'Tis the season for hope, peace, love and reverence. More on this theme later!







To share your thoughts on this or to explore this idea further, please feel free to be in contact with me, add your own comments below, email this article to a friend, or add to the healing finds and sites on the web to the right.