Christmas in my world shrinks every year, including the present pile, as family passes on or ventures afar. But the memories live on, and a little color and light still help make the dark season bright.

Do you remember sliding down the stairway to see what Santa brought? Feasting all day with mountains of homemade family specialties? Shopping and wrapping for months? Concerts and festivals and parties and gatherings that assured you were exhausted by 12-26 and had 5-10 extra pounds by 12-31?

Many…most?…people do. Even those of different (or no) faith embraced the Christmas spirit, or parts of it—and other faiths have robust year-end rituals and celebrations also.

I’ve had the great luck of spending the holiday season in many countries and locales. IMHO, even those of little faith would be moved by the smiles and songs of Caribbean islands, Mexico, and most any new, unfamiliar culture.

Well, everything changes. And Christmas has been, gradually, for a loooong time. A recent survey that got much media attention found that we should even toss the turkey! Folks would prefer pizza (44%), tacos (38%), burgers (31%), or take-out Chinese (34%). And as for attire, 47% would rather spend the day in their pajamas than dressed up.

As one who cherishes the memories of all relatives gathered and getting along convivially for festivities that went on for days, I’m sad to see the flame fade. But of course, nostalgia gets us nowhere. Most of those people have passed. And research finds that lately the holiday hugging is also scarred by the usual suspects: politics, burnout, commercialism, pressure, isolation, and on and on.

Moreover, religion and traditional rituals in general continue to diminish from most people’s priorities. A preacher from a church nearby recently told me, “You know, we have 13 ELCA Lutheran churches within 7 minutes of here. Long-term, the remaining populations, realistically, could support maybe 2 of them.”

What’s replacing that void in our communities and customs and hearts. Football? Narcissism? Screens? Taylor and Trump?

Sure. Still, I hope everyone finds something to believe in that’s more than all that, bigger than themselves, and brings peace and love to kinfolk and beyond.

In other words, keep the faith.

PS Happy Solstice!