Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky used his Christmas message to speak not only to Ukrainians, but to everyone living in free societies. He recalled an old Ukrainian belief — that on Christmas Eve the heavens open, and if you speak your deepest wish aloud, it may come true.
“This year,” he said, “many Ukrainians are not at home — and some no longer have a home. But Russia cannot bomb or occupy what matters most: our Ukrainian heart, our faith in one another, and our unity.”
Zelensky contrasted Christmas music with the sounds of drones and missiles — the “noise of evil” that authoritarian power brings when it tries to crush a democratic nation by force.
On Christmas Eve, Russia again launched mass attacks — waves of Shahed drones and missiles. Zelensky framed the assault as the work of a regime with “nothing in common with Christianity — or anything human.”
“But we endure,” he said. “We support one another. We pray for those on the front lines to return alive, for those in captivity to come home, for our fallen heroes, and for everyone forced into exile or occupation. We ask for peace for Ukraine. We fight for it. We pray for it. And we deserve it.”
Zelensky’s message was ultimately about more than Ukraine. It was about the moral core of democracy — community, dignity, solidarity — and about resisting a worldview in which power has the right to erase nations.
His Christmas wish was not only for peace — but for the survival of a free people choosing their own future.
Two more days until sun return at 10:03 am eastern time US.
Today's goddess:
Moving closer towards the winter solstice I’m thinking about light. [from Jenny Mendes on FB]
Theia is the child of the earth goddess Gaia and the sky god Uranus, as were all eleven of her siblings. Theia, whose name literally translates to goddess or divine, is the Greek goddess of light and vision.
Theia is also referred to as Euryphaessa in ancient texts, which means “wide-shining.” Scholars believe Theia is referred to as Eurphaessa in reference to the shimmering expanse of the upper atmosphere for which Theia was responsible.
Theia married her brother, the Titan Hyperion. Hyperion is the god of the sun and wisdom. Together Theia and Hyperion had three children who were all celestial deities that could manipulate light.
Theia is the mother of Selene (the moon), Helios (the sun), and Eos (the dawn). Because of her children, Theia is referred to as the goddess from which all light proceeded.
Children love Christmas!
Cover for The Saturday Evening Post (December 17, 1923) by J.C. Leyendecker
Sharing with Sepia Saturday the last post of 2025 for that meme. Looking forward to the next year!
From the Unitarian Universalists and I forgot to post this on the first night of Hanukkah, Dec. 14. Sorry.
By Veronika Veirag - I wish I knew how big she is...maybe 1/4 human, or ??
Happy/Merry Whatever!
One of the myths that's grown up around Winter Solstice is about men, Kings. I don't follow that tradition, but in fairness to all, here's a bit of that story.
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For phone viewers of my blog, here's the current header.
The tallest lit tree in Black Mountain is at the Peri Social house.
Christmas Past, the title of a 2012 blog. I'm reposting it because it really shows my childhood Christmas in St. Louis MO in 1953
... to share some thoughts and pictures from my earlier life. Can't post a picture of Christmas in the future anyway. So lets enjoy the past.
In 1953 our tree was real (it may have been about the time artificial trees came out, but not for us) I loved the colored lights (all different colors, big bulbs) and the tinsel which was strung carefully, one by one. My gifts are on the right...and I don't know what the boxes contain, but there's definitely an orange in my stocking (lying next to my Betsy McCall doll). I remember Betsy McCall paper dolls which I'd cut out of McCall's magazine. The real doll was a disappointment, but I don't remember why, the capricious nature of a young girl of 11. I did learn how to play a simple form of dominoes (right there in front).
This was taken a month before Christmas, our apartment is on the second floor, reached by the porch to the right. I remember how snow was beautiful for about an hour in St. Louis in 1953, then the coal dust settled on it, making it all grey. We had to be quick to enjoy playing in it. Of course it was nice to have a coal furnace to keep us warm. Our Texas blood (and probably clothes) made us cold easily.
The best place to sled was Art Museum Hill, though there was a lake at the bottom, and we always were scared we'd tumble into it at the end of the long hill (though it might have been iced over.) My Dad was the pusher to get us going, I don't think he tried to ride down with us. But he may have come and rescued us and pulled the sleigh back up the hill (probably).
And in 2016 I had another Christmas blog post HERE.
My friend, Teresa's decorations in 2016! The ceramic tree sitting on the table on the left was one I made. I wonder what happened to it...well, we can all guess!
Goddesses of the Dark given by women at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Swannanoa Valley in 2016, choir and a play!
"Train Station at Christmas” by Norman Rockwell (1944)
I remembered train stations, but not the porters! Where did they all go?
Today's quote:
When we begin to hold our markers for success in concepts like interconnectedness and kindness, when we place our highest value on each other, our children and our relationships, then our human spirits soar.
JAMES ARANA
Reading;
"The Last Bookshop in London," by Madeline Martin.
I listened to the audio version, and it was an experience which worked for me, putting it aside when I was busy, then picking it up later...easy enough to catch what was happening.
Why did I enjoy reading about the Blitz before and after when London was bombed and so many people and structures were lost? It hit a chord for all that has happened where I live, western North Carolina as a result of the catastrophic storms ending with Hurricane Helene.
For me, every day on Facebook are shots of people who have been un-homed receiving a tiny home, or a camper. There is so much gratitude being expressed, but these people have endured such destruction and trauma. They have gone through something that was an immediate catastrophe, while those 1940 Londoners had long months of being bombed by the Germans. But the survivors had a similar human experience...that of helping each other even by those who weren't expected to, that of looking out for others by everyone, that of going beyond what any human could be expected to do, and that of having a spirit of hope when faced with such doom.
Wonderful old Christmas Carols on a repeating cycle
Merry Christmas...and Happy first night of Hanukkah!
Father Christmas with a Deer. colored pencil on paper...Yvonne Gilbert
I had a lovely post with various illustrations from the net. And last night I erased the whole thing, by mistake of course.
I spent Christmas Eve eve with my friend Teresa driving around looking at the lovely holiday decorations on houses and business in Black Mountain. I pared down the number of shots to 50. I know nobody wants to wade through 50 "my vacation-type" photos! Ha ha, that would be wishing you a very sad holiday, indeed.
So here are just a few, and I'll drop some more along the way in the next little while!
Of course on the first one I found the iPhone wanted me to hold it still for 3 seconds!
And that's enough for one post! I'm so glad that we had many people who decorated for the season, to show how much they want us to feel joy and normalcy, though many others haven't fared so well. Every day on my Facebook page I hear of more people who've received donated campers or tiny homes, and someone said he had a list of 700 waiting for such. These people all over the area have surely lived through a horrible trauma. I feel rather grateful to be housed, to have electricity, water, and internet.
Hanukkah is observed for eight nights and days. The festival is observed by lighting the candles of a candelabrum with nine branches, commonly called a menorah or hanukkiah. One branch is typically placed above or below the others and its candle is used to light the other eight candles.
Other Hanukkah festivities include singing Hanukkah songs, playing the game of dreidel and eating oil-based foods, such as latkes and sufganiyot (similar to jelly donuts), and dairy foods. Since the 1970s, the worldwide ChabadHasidic movement has initiated public menorah lightings in open public places in many countries.
The miracle of the one-day supply of oil miraculously lasting eight days is described in the Talmud, committed to writing about 600 years after the events described in the books of Maccabees The Talmud says that after the forces of Antiochus IV had been driven from the Temple, the Maccabees discovered that almost all of the ritual olive oil had been profaned. They found only a single container that was still sealed by the High Priest, with enough oil to keep the menorah in the Temple lit for a single day. They used this, yet it burned for eight days (the time it took to have new oil pressed and made ready)
Today's quote:
Gratefulness has three steps: not missing the opportunity, appreciating the opportunity, and using or enjoying the opportunity. By this method we come fully alive, full of joy, which is what we are all longing for.
BR. DAVID STEINDL-RAST
It was 19th-century American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow who wrote: "I heard the bells, on Christmas Day, Their old, familiar carols play, And wild and sweet /The words repeat /Of peace on earth, good will to men."
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