Day 16 Oh Christmas tree

This is again one of those winter traditions to gather the light and gather the people. Bring nature indoors and rejoice together. We decorate our trees with shiny things that relect light, sometimes with momentos that remind us of people or places we've loved. It's a very very old custom. This year is the first year since 2015 we will decorate a tree with the ornaments of our lives; things we curated in our travels, as gifts from loved ones, and even home crafted. I took the protective tissue paper off a little resin goldfinch, Washington State's bird, a gift from my now late mother. She was reminding me of home when she sent it to me more than a decade ago. Other people don't keep ornaments as keepsakes. I have friends who make a different tree happen every year. It is their joy to shop or make new ornaments. The trees usually end up themed, on year it was peacock feathers and Pierrot dolls. Larger than life and full of glitter. So fun. Do what brings you joy. And put your winter lights and decore up whenever you feel you need to do so. In the US there is a weird stigma against Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving usually saying something along the lines of "one holiday at a time!" As if leaning into the joy of the entire oncoming winter season would somehow limit your ability to have thankfulness and gratitude. It's gatekeeping other people's joy. Most of the world embraces those lights and shiney things long before the 4th Thursday in November to ward off the oncoming darkness. I'll admit to being weary of the commercial aspects of the Christmas push to buy stuff. If anything this advent calendar has given me joy throughout the season with no pressure to buy. I've become firm in my belief that most of us have more stuff than we know what to do with so why give more? Give to charity. Give food, Give experiences. Make something. Spend time together. This works if you have money or not. Oh boy. maybe this is too much irisism for one day. For those who skip to the end: Christmas tree! Cats! What more do you need? Glad Yule!