Ever since National Lampoon’s Christmas put it on screen, Christmas lights bedecking houses in the holiday season is synonymous with suburban, American holidays and extravagant, almost competitive peacocking. I always think its great and fun, especially because I’m not the one putting out the lights, taking them off, and storing them! But as a lifelong lover of the Charlie Brown Christmas special, I’m also always sensitive to the way this season can turn us into consumers instead of awe-filled wonder-ers. A house festooned in lights can be magical, or as Frank Giswold demonstrated, it can be an exercise in toxic oneupmanship.

But, why not be optimistic and offer the most generous take on this part of the season? Why not see in this expression something that is a real gift to the world, an offering of beauty in a time of darkness? Why not see this an invitation to carry the light?

So for this season, I’m not going to imagine the houses lit up for Christmas time to be gigantic chalices, set alight so that we can all feel that sense of togetherness that comes when you gather around a fire or feel its warmth. I’m going to see neighborhoods this year as little communities of chalices, that remind us how powerful it can be to make community together that kindles the light. I’m going to invite myself to see all of the hopeful, aspirational togetherness of this season as an imagining of what we can be as people when we connect and kindle the light among us.

Happy holidays, everyone! And my our New Year be a time to manifest the aspirations of this season in our hearts and in our communities!

Sometimes it is hard to tap into our spiritual selves or find time to nurture our creativity and intellectual curiosity. Here is a section that reflects on some nourishing materials from around the web and related media channels in order to get us thinking, get us feeling, and get us reflecting on the lives we are living in this big world. **Some Adult/Mature Themes May Appear in Links and Other Attached Material**

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Allan T. Georgia, MDiv, MTS, PhD