The winter Holiday season usually starts with Thanksgiving Day (the fourths Thursday of November), then Black Friday follows on the next day. Advent starts four Sundays before Christmas, (November 28, 2021), then Chanukah, the Festival of Lights on November 28 this year. We quietly celebrated these Holidays during our photography trip to Wichita Mts. NWR, OK. On December 7, we remembered those who died during the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941. The beautiful Poinsettia flowers are a well-recognized symbol of the Christmas season. We added Poinsettia flowers to our home on December 12. Winter Solstice (December 21, 2021) marks the beginning of winter and is the shortest day of the year. On this day, it seems as if the nighttime darkness lasts all day and all night. At the North Pole, the sun never rises on this day. Christmas Eve (December 24) and then Christmas (December 25), is the biggest holiday of the year. Christmas has both a strong religious and traditional meaning. It has a certain feel, all to itself, that you usually do not feel at any other time of the year. We celebrate Christmas and express our love and appreciation to others, family members, neighbors, and Nature. We hiked on these days and looked for special gifts. December 26 is the second day of Christmas, or many countries celebrate as Boxing day. We hiked on the trails of the Colorado River Refuge and made interesting observations, and were happy. Kwanza starts on December 26 and lasts seven days. That is an African-American holiday celebrating history, culture, family, and community. New Year’s Eve starts on the evening of December 31 to the morning of January 1. New Year’s Eve is when all the fun and festivities are. We see out the old year and ring in the new. New Years’ Day, on the other hand, is a time to relax and enjoy the start of a bright and promising new year….a new beginning. It is a time to be with family, and it is time to think about the old year and make plans for the new year. Well, at this moment we are not there yet. You need to wait one more week for my New Year Day Thoughts writing. However, we are wishing you Happy Holidays, good health, success, and happiness throughout the New Year!
