Bethany Village Pastor Bob Ashburn reflects on the holiday season.

We have many celebrations in December. Those of us in the Christian traditions are celebrating the birth of Jesus our Lord. This is the assurance for us that God is with us and that God is willing to go to extreme measures to be with us. Even though the date has been set for December 25th, we do our celebrating all month long or even longer. There is a radio station here in Dayton that began playing Christmas music on November 1st this year! The giving in the Christmas tradition goes back to the gifts of the Wise Men (their holiday is January 6th) and to St. Nicholas (his holiday is December 6th). When we talk about the twelve days of Christmas, however, these are the days from December 25th until January 5th.

In the Jewish tradition there is the celebration of Hanukkah. This is a holiday that in 2011 begins on December 20th and continues through December 28th. The celebration commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over the Greek-Syrian army in the Second Century BCE. The celebration is the "Festival of Lights" because God’s miracle during the victory had to do with an oil supply for lights that did not go out. Today, families celebrate this festival through the lighting of lights, through gift giving, through eating of foods cooked with oil, and through the playing of games.

Now, notice that in our December celebrations we have traditions of giving and sharing. We remember at this time, no matter what our faith, that we have something to give to others and that we have received so much from others as well. May your December be filled with much giving and much sharing.