Marking Some Holiday Cheer

Decorations in Greene Square. The colorful flecks in the air are snow falling Dec. 23, 2020, when I made this image.

As I noted in a blog post on another blog, holidays this year are different. That makes me sad on this eve of Christmas Eve, if I think only of loss.

But I read this article posted by “Little Village” magazine about Christmas decorations in downtown Cedar Rapids, and my wife and I decided to brave the windy cold and go see Greene Square.

Others visited Greene Square tonight, making images of each other to spread some holiday cheer on social media, I assume.

Well, it was nice. And as my wife sat in our warm vehicle and I wandered around a windy and cold park, snow began to blow in. It was very Christmassy. And the "Little Village" story is by a student at Mount Mercy University, where I teach.

Angel atop my tree.

We put up lights to shine in the darkest time of year. Our airwaves are full of seasonal tunes, and plenty of old movies get their annual replays. Putting up lights in winter is a deeply human instinct that predates the Christmas story, but in 2020, the pandemic year, I’ll take light and hope wherever I can get it.

So, Merry Christmas, however you celebrate. If, like me, you call yourself Christian, let the story of the Christ child inspire you with light in these dark times. If you have no faith or come from another faith tradition—well, I think the season of goodwill to men should include all genders and people. So Happy Holidays to you, too.

I think Imam Hassan M. Selim, who leads the Islamic Center of Cedar Rapids, summed it up well in a guest column in "The Gazette," which concludes: “For now, let us pause, let us take the time to appreciate our blessings and be grateful for them, let us be inspired and hopeful. For our Jewish neighbors, your Muslim neighbors, friends and family wish you a happy Hanukkah. For our Christian neighbors, family and friends, we wish you a blessed Christmas. We share faith. We share hope. We are grateful for you. May the lights of your menorahs and Christmas trees guide our way forward.”

I'll add a link to his column if I find a public URL for it, but I did not see one on The Gazette's web site today.

I guess I would say faith comes in many flavors, and may or may not require my idea of a deity, but other than that, I agree the Imam. All of the familiar media messages give me some solace, even in 2020. So I hope you enjoy some seasonal sights and sounds, whether your favorite Christmas movie is "Die Hard," "Miracle on 34th Street" or something else.

May our seasonal lights guide our way forward in shared humanity, hope and joy.

A seasonal message on my mantle.