I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Neil Diamond Song “Cherry Christmas”.  I think it’s not a new song…but this is the first year I am hearing it thanks to XM Radio’s Holly station.  I am a total Chirstmas Song junkie (this one’s for you, Cousin Martin!) and my loving hubby will tell you he sometimes walks in on me getting my “Fa-la-la’s” on in June.  I love the cold, the snow, the Christmas tree, the bare branches outside, the chikadees at my birdfeeder, the cold air breath that makes it possible to play “Snow Dragons” with my two little boys.  I also love lighting the Menorah and lighting the Yule Log on Solstice night 

Back to the song…I love it despite some poor reviews because it makes me happy.  Neil Diamond is a Jewish guy singing about Christmas…he’s not ignoring Hanukkah…just recognizing another holiday that brings him some musical joy.  Sing it, Neil:

“In a world of make-believe I’m a believer,
and I believe in things not always understood,
but the things you feel make believing real.
That’s why Christmas feels so good, so good, so good.

When you imagine all the world as one great chorus,
you’re gonna learn that every voice has got a song.
Let’s raise a Christmas toast of red, red wine,
we’ll even sing Sweet Caroline while the whole world sings along. “

This time of year is sometimes difficult for some blended families…what do we celebrate…what do we believe…who do we visit…??  In our family we have created some new traditions: I was raised Catholic, my hubby Jewish, and we have a very Pagan belief that we bring into our home as we raise our children to respect and draw from nature and all traditions in our Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.  So we do Hanukkah with his side…Christmas with mine…and we help Santa with his Christmas Eve workload by allowing him to come to our house a little early on the Longest Night of the Year…Solstice Night.  We like to call our tradition Hanusticemas!  There is nothing more enriching than lighting the menorah while making Christmas cookies by the yule fire and singing our fav Christmas songs outside under a cold blue moon…and playing Snow Dragons!

Neil is playful with his greetings – cheery, cherry, holly, holy – and a little self-inspired with his refrences to some of his old standards (Sweet Caroline, Song Sung Blue…).  I LOVE that example for us…be playful with your seasonal greetings and self-inspired…here’s what I mean…

I feel bad for people who get all bent out of shape because they receive the “wrong” holiday greeting in December.   This is the season of Light!  Celebrating light in all forms – The Star of Bethlehem heralding Jesus as the Light of the World; the Hanukkah Menorah giving thanks for the Miracle of the Oil Lamp; the Winter Solstice celebrating the growing daylight rising after the deepest darkness, the longest night of the year – the Return of the Sun; Buddhist Bodhi Day remembering the moment the Buddha received enlightenment under the lotus tree…every tradition of the world, old and new celebrates light in some form or another this month. 

 This is not to say every culture can dissolve into every other…there is of course a special glittery glory to each holiday…but when you are greeted to a Happy Hunukkah while wearing your Santa Hat in the store…or a Merry Christmas while ordering your latkes at the deli…why not resist getting personally wounded (that was NOT their intention!) and choose instead to reflect the TRUE LIGHT of the season and say, “thank you, and to you too!” And really FEEL the blessing you have just received…it is a decision to be joyful!

I celebrate us…we ARE light, we are inspiration to everyone who sees us…it is up to us to shine with brilliant colors so everyone who meets us will feel blessed.  Indeed, then will there be true peace on earth and good will to everyone!  And I believe in YOU!  My 4 year old sings an old Christian tune while we light the menorah each night: “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine!…Hide it under a bushel? NO! I’m gonna let it shine!” He doesn’t know yet that he’s really a genius

 With all Brilliant Blessings for You and Yours, may this truly be a season of generosity and joy.  Have a Cheery, Cherry Christmas and a Happy, Holly Holy-day too!  Falalalalalalalala!