Decenber is a busy month with a lot of interesting things contained within it .
Here in the northern hemisphere it is the darkest month of the year, the month of December lights. Depending on your perspective the darkness is either to be feared , or welcomed for the cosy interlude it can be.
For it is the time of the winter solstice for us in the north, (and for the southern hemisphere, the time of the summer solstice). The period of maximum light in one hemisphere , and maximum darkness in the other.
It is therefore a time of extremes.
Our behaviour tends to also become pretty extreme at this time of year, because of course it is also the time of advent, the run up to Christmas, with all the pressures and expectations that brings.
Many of the traditions associated with Christmas seem to be slowly disappearing as the festive season is again hijacked by a commercial world that wants to sell us things. It has become a celebration of our excesses, a vital barometer of the health of our economies.
I can tell its the run up to Christmas because the roadways around here are full of livestock wagons, full of unfortunate animals who are about to satisfy our generally excessive consumption of meat at this time.
The Christmas commercials come earlier each year with large multi nationals churning out picture postcard commercials celebrating a phoney commercial version of the Christmas spirit.
It has apparently now become a trend here to have two Christmas trees. I have just seen a news article about a couple who have 100 trees in their house! More does seem to be better these days , even if you don't need it.
This does provide an interesting opportunity , for anyone who cares to look for examples of the unnecessary excesses in our society. Do you think our experiences of Christmas are getting better as a result, or do you think they are being diminished?
Advent in Christian tradition is the time of the coming of the king, the promise of something good.. Long before Christianity, this special period was celebrated for its potent reminder of the natural cycles of which we are all a part.
Why do we in our culture then trivialise it. Why are we loosing touch with the very point of it. Why have we allowed it to be hijacked and contorted into a celebration of our consumerism?
The dark nights make it a perfect time for a bit of reflection, a bit of reconsidering.
Why not consciously choose to take a bit of the pressure out of the whole thing?Why not stand back a bit. Why not be less excessive with your gifts. Why do you feel you have to give so many?.
We could try to concentrate on quality rather than quantity this Christmas period. Try to rekindle some of the older traditions associated with it. Try to stand outside of the pressure and busyness of this period.
Or try not to pack so much in, try to slow down and enjoy it. Try to make real contact with your friends and family. Work on our relationships, our sense of community.
We could... consider buying less meat, make a concession to a hint of vegetarianism in our feasting. Be aware of the cost of what is being served up on our Christmas plates.
Simplify your Christmas , if you dare. Strip it back down to the basics. On every level we could be better off.ur wallets will likely thank you for a bit of moderation and any post Christmas hangover could be just a little less intense!.
Use this period of Advent, the promise of something good, as a turning point.
Make something good with a simple change of perspective.
Less can be more.