This is cross-posted as my weekly editorial at Blogher. Find all my BlogHer columns here.

“So the Christians and the Pagans sat together at the table
Finding faith and common ground the best that they were able
Lighting trees in darkness, learning new ways from the old, and
Making sense of history and drawing warmth out of the cold.”

Dar Williams
The Christians and the Pagans

“It’s dark out now, but the light is coming.” This is the message that the Pagan celebration of Winter Solstice (Dec 21st) and the Christian celebration of Christmas (Dec 25th) has in common. As the days grow short, we long for light — both physical and metaphysical, to carry us through the dark season. Advent, which means simply “to come,” is the season that leads up to both the Pagan tradition of celebrating the return of the Life-Giver, the Sun; and the Christian tradition of celebrating the birth of the Son, Jesus, who in religious parlance is often referred to as “the light of the world.” The Advent wreath, which has it’s finger in both tradition’s pies, is a simple practice that brings warmth, meaning and light to the holiday season. And the good news is, it’s easy to practice!

The Advent Wreath at it’s roots is an ancient Pagan rite. In the Pagan era people would bring their cart wheels indoors during the Winter, to preserve this important tool of survival from the wet and the cold. The wheels were hung from the ceiling and used and impromptu chandeliers. As the days grew short and the nights lengthened, people would deck the wheels out with evergreens and candles and spin them as an incantation to the Powers, asking that the light be returned. And what do you know? As the longest night of the Winter Solstice tipped the world towards Spring, the days started to lengthen and the light came back!

In the Christian era this practice was adopted by the church. (Most, if not all Christian traditions find their roots in other religions.) A wreath of evergreens is laid on a table (or here in Denmark, hung from the ceiling) and filled with four candles — one for each week of the waiting, or Advent, season. Originally the candles were simply a countdown, one for each of the four Sunday’s preceding Christmas. Now, in liturgical churches the candles are different colors and have different themes. The colors and meanings are not standardized across denominations (e.g. branches) of the Christian church. But generally the colors are purple, rose, and white and the themes are Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace. (For more info, click here.)

You can easily use a wreath to bring attentiveness and meaning into your home this holiday season. Buy a wreath at your local store, and lay it on your table. You might want to put something protective beneath it like a large platter or even just a couple sheets of wax paper, trimmed to fit. Place four candles inside the wreath–or five if you want a separate one to light on Solstice Day or Christmas Day. Gather your family, friends, or your own dear self to the table once a week (usually a Sunday), light the candle are read something meaningful. Here are two inter-faith suggestions that I’ve used as an officiate at both Solstice and Christmas celebrations:

Soon, our nights grow shorter and our days grow long.
We look once more on these earthy symbols–
firelight and evergreens–
and embrace the glow of hope
That Light and Life will return once again to the earth.

——

The people who lived in darkness have seen a great light,
and we have beheld its glory,

Light,
generous from the inside out,
true from start to finish,
full of grace, full of truth.

As each week draws us closer to these celebrations of Light, the light from the wreath literally grows brighter and stronger, chasing the shadows to the corners and providing us with hope. I find it to be a powerful symbol of a universal truth: the light comes into the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it.

What will you do to celebrate the Light’s return? Please add your ideas and links to the comments below.

More Magpie Girl about Advent, Solstice, and Christmas:

Sacred Sunday: A Prayer for Solstice and Advent

Beautiful Pagan-y Things: Feast of the Winter Solstice with the Fremont Arts Council

Poetry: Bread of the Winter Solstice

A Winter Soltice Gone Amiss (But Still, a Good Plan)

Today’s Theme: Peaceful Advent

God with Us: Brennan Manning

One of the realities that captures me most at Christmas is the meaning of Emmanuel - “God with us.” I love thinking of God as an infant, God as a fellow traveler, God as our sibling and friend. It’s one of the unique traits of Yahweh — this willingness, even eagerness, to be near to us. In reality, or as a truth-bearing myth, this concept brings me peace.

Our modern mystic, Brennan Manning, captures God-with-us quite wonderfully in one of his Advent pieces. Here it is for you now, a little present from me to you.

Watch for the Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas
Orbis Books, 2001

“Shipwrecked at the Stable”

Do you think you could contain Niagra Falls in a teacup?

We all know how difficult it is to receive anything from someone who has all the answers, who is completely cool, utterly unafraid, needing nothing and in control of every situation. We feel unnecessary, unrelated to this paragon. So God comes as a newborn baby, giving us a chance to love him, making us feel that we have something to give him.

P.s. I also recommend listening to Bruce Cockburn’s tune Big Circumstance, which references this piece, and Cry of a Tiny Babe, which is one of my favorites. Peace to you this Christmas day.

Did you give some child-at-heart one of the fantastic books from last week’s recs? Go on, there’s still time. And while you’re shopping, keep these lovely tomes in mind:

How Many Miles To Bethlehem?
Kevin Crossly-Holland, author
Peter Malone, illustrator

“I am Mary. Tight as a drum. Round as the lady moon calling out to me.”

When a story starts like that, well, what a wonder! This simple telling of the nativity story progresses across the page like a holy journey. No character is left un-noticed–even the ox and the donkey get a chance to say their piece. Yet the reader is not bogged down in the telling, but rather carried along like the wind-born feather on the opening leaves of this glorious picture book. In our house we have many, many picture books about the birth of Jesus, but How Many Miles To Bethlehem?is one the girls turn to again and again. Even younger children seem to enjoy the rhythmic text and sumptuous illustrations. I myself was profoundly moved by this book, and regularly recite its closing lines at Christmas time:

“We are the angles. We are your secret voices.
Listen!
‘
This baby!’
‘This hope!’
‘This peace!’”

What more is there to say but, “Amen?” Today’s Flavor: Rich and meaningful. Order here.

The Nativity
Julie Vivas, Illustrator

Paul and I fell in love with the artwork of Julie Vivas after her book Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge was read at our seminary graduation. Since then we’ve been snatching up her books like Welcome With Love and Possum Magic. But our favorite by far is Vivas’ cleverly illustrated Nativity. This version of the story pairs the classic tone of the King James text with quirky, imaginative illustrations. The angels wear combat boots! They drink bowls of chai with Mary! And Mary looks really, REALLY enormously pregnant — plus, she kinda has dreads. The just-right knack here is the way vivas pairs old fashioned languaged with updated images to giving us a fresh look at this unchanging tale. And just wait until you see the clever way she illustrates the crowing birth of baby Jesus! We’ve given this book to godsons and aunties, illustrator pals and grandparents. We think you’ll love it too. Flavor: Earthy and transcendent. Order here.

Click on the links in this post to order these items, or any items at Magpie Suggests, and your purchases will help fund this site. Thank you for your support!