During the past few weeks, as the skies have grown darker, the days shorter, and the wind more chilling, our town has come alive with lights: Lights on rooftops, lights in windows, lights around wreaths and swirling through tree branches. And best of all: light in the eyes of marveling children. What a beautiful tradition it is to celebrate our winter holidays with extravagant spectacles of those things we need most this time of year: brightness, color, wonder, joy, and hope.

Approaching Solstice

by Patricia Monaghan (1946 – 2012)

Yes, friends, the darkness wins but these
short days so celebrate light:

Today, the lemon sunrise lasted a few
hours until sunset, all day the snow
glowed pink and purple in the trees.
This is not a time of black and white.

My friend, outside us, among us too,
let's sing what winter forces us to know:
Joy and colour bloom despite the night.
We measure warmth by love, not by degrees.