Don’t panic. We are still in NOVEMBER. December is six days away. However, for the past week or so, here in the South, we have been having December, or January weather; freezing temperatures. I think Mr. Winter is still miffed about calendar changes—beginning with Romulus long ago— circa 750 BC. —creating calendar amnesia. December comes from the Latin word “decem” which means ten. December the tenth month!? It has become a misnomer for the twelfth month. Thanks to the Julian and Gregorian calendars jumping in and unsettling things—again!
Why can’t folks just stop messing with Mr. Winter!? Doesn’t everyone know that you don’t mess with Mr. Winter! Look at Buffalo, New York’s experience last week—seven feet of snow! ! For the sake of all that is holly (it’s not a typo)!! Don’t mess with Mr. Winter! Got that out of my system! December really is a wonderful month (Hear that Mr. Winter!?) It is a month that evokes a bunch of nostalgia; Christmas, end-of-the-year reminiscences, birthdays, etc. Our family once had four December birthdays . Now there is only one; Jennifer’s. Her birthday is December 5. Until she finished college, we never started Christmas decorating until after December 5. We kept our family focus on her “Day.”
December is filled with religious holidays —there are thirteen; Dec. 6: Saint Nicholas Day — Christian, Dec. 8: Rohatsu (Bodhi Day) — Buddhist, Dec. 8: Immaculate Conception — Catholic, Dec. 10 to 18: Hanukkah — Judaism, Dec. 12: Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe — Catholic, Dec. 16: Posadas Navidenas — Christian, Dec. 21: Solstice — Wicca/Pagan, Dec. 25: Christmas — Christian, Dec. 26: December 26- January 1 Kwanzaa, African Culture; Zarathosht Diso (Death of Prophet Zarathustra) — Zoroastrian, Dec. 27: Feast of the Holy Family — Catholic, Dec. 28: Holy Innocents Day — Christian, Dec. 31: Watch Night — Christian.
Over half of them from the Christian faith. In the church where I worship December is filled with festive, joyful events; choir practice, hanging the greens, poinsettias filing the chancel, children’s events, study, and worship—all flow in abundance. In addition to celebrating our church makes extra efforts to give time, money, and individual attention to a host of needs, in the community and beyond. A genuine glow unfolds, making December and the Christmas season take on that glow of immense joy.
No wonder the Christmas Carol, “Joy to The World” is inherent to December music. Hymnody holds that “Joy to The World” was not written to be a Christmas Carol; Isaac Watts, a phenomenal hymn writer, was writing hymns based on the Psalms of David. He had no thought of a Christmas Carol in mind. Enter composer, Lowell Mason—who composed music for the verse (It has become “an earworm”) and there you have it! December would be dull without this statement of joy!! (The hymn and lyrics).
Joy to the world, the Lord is come
Let Earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare Him room
And Heaven and nature sing
(And Heaven and nature sing)
©Copyright Willis H. Moore 2022
Love it. I did not know there were so many holidays in December.