December is my least favorite month of the year. The ground is nearly, if not completely frozen and gardening is undeniably out of the question, except for those fortunate enough to have a greenhouse. It is not only that I am imprisoned indoors for the most part, nor is it the early nightfall, or the lack of sunlight. My despair arises from the nauseating, blown out of proportion holiday season.
I personally prefer to celebrate Winter’s Solstice, in honor of Pagan traditions; but my family remains bound to the modern Christmas celebration, which is merely an adulterated version of the same thing. Christmas trees are erected as early as the day after Thanksgiving and people dive into the usual rush with the ever popular Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Consumerism is at an all time high and credit card debt soars.
I stopped putting up a real Christmas tree years ago. Even when the trees are later composted, I cannot justify the killing of them simply to satisfy our momentary human desires. The trees that are cut, but never sold, have had their lives ended without purpose. Trees are living organisms. They were here before humans and will likely be here if and when we self-destruct.
The too many lights that contribute to light pollution and the gaudy lawn ornaments add still more concern to a planet that is constantly compromised. The cheap, plastic crap that is sold nearly everywhere, and which subsequently ends up in landfills, along with the artificial trees, are nothing more than eye sores.
There are natural ways that a person can decorate for the holidays. Boughs of evergreens, holly, and cuttings of mistletoe can often be found in one’s own yard. We can take what has been dropped for free on the forest floor, or take no more than half of a living plant. With a little imagination, we can use items from our kitchens and sew, bake, and create things that do not add to the plastic problem.
The office parties, the Secret Santas, and the giving of gifts that no one wants, have become a custom of expectation. People are expected to participate. They are enticed to give to the “poor” and children are made to believe that they should be given gifts. They do not learn that life itself is a gift; and they grow under the illusion that they should always be given to, rather than learning the importance of reciprocity. They are instead taught that things will make them happy.
In spite of the many people who adhere to different faiths, Christmas is a Christian holiday that has taken the world hostage with its traditions. We might just as well call it Consumer Day instead of Christmas Day. Since giving up this yearly insanity, I have felt a profound sense of peace and freedom. I must still endure the cold of December, but I can spend it doing what I love – planning next year’s garden.
