Friends, the days are getting longer again. Sure, it's barely perceptible, but it's true. We've crossed the threshold, and now the same slow slide that brought us How’d It Get So Dark? is slowly leading us back to Early Sun / Prolonged Evenings, which is everyone's favorite show. We won't really notice it for weeks; much like the incremental shift that started at the Summer Solstice, we’re being slow boiled, but we're finally en route.

This time of year is a mixed bag in general, but this year's weather has really thrown some unexpected things into the game. On Friday, December 19, we broke a 76 year record as temperatures hit -12.7 C -- and the winds topped out around 90 KM. No one knew what to wear, let alone how to feel, but it was better than being stuck in a stagnant deep freeze. And as much as we're collectively feeling indisposed due to weather and light, the festive season’s got us rushing to a finish line, on the other side of which lies the long, boring stuff of true winter.

Allow me to remind you (because I forget so often myself), that every part of our Christmas celebration that doesn't have Jesus directly in it, is a holdover from the Pagan days of Yule Time celebrations: it's a Solstice Festival, y’all. From decorating the tree, to the colours and lights associated with fire for the return of the sun, to the feasts, singing, and visiting. Our ancestors were much better at knowing what we needed to feel whole, and what they needed to break up the miserable monotony of the season, was some celebration.

Now, anyone who knows me, knows I believe in all of the feasts, and none of the fasts. It's not about the food, per se, but the attitude of the day. Life gives us enough hardships that we don't need to create our own, but we can always use more joyful causes to congregate. Sure, we have to sit with, and break bread with, Aunt Linda who's loudly into the absolute opposite of our politics, and yes, Uncle Frank does smell weirder every year. And no, in a lot of ways, these are not the people we envision when we think of celebration, but here they are, because they deserve to celebrate too.

Sure, we’re overbooked for the few days we have off. We're behind schedule on shopping, and somehow already over budget. There are parts of this season that feel fully obligatory, and not enough time to watch the generations of Christmas movies we had on our personal wish list. But it's in the framing, Dahling. Even if you're doing the most you can with the little you have, the shopping always reminds me that I have more than I thought. More people to shop for, on one hand, but it’s a clear indicator that I have enough to share. Get out of the consumer trap of big ticket items and trying to win Christmas, and get into the heartfelt space of giving what you can to those who matter. Maybe that's sharing a home cooked meal, maybe it's a hand drawn gift certificate for a long walk to watch the sunset when the weather's on our side. At a time when prices are soaring and landfills overflowing, the thought itself, and the gesture of giving, have never mattered more.

But how can we celebrate in times like these? Times like these are when we need to celebrate most, Dear One. The 24/7 news cycle never stops, and is dramatic by nature. We have to seek out the small, good stories, and it would be a full time job trying to balance the miserable stories we’re force fed every day. That's not a reason to stick your head in the sand or bah humbug your way through: it's a call to create pockets of joy, to bring our own light to the actual astronomical darkness, and to let our hearts shine as society as a whole feels dim. Not in spite of these things, but because of them. Because we all need laughter, light, and an excuse for joy. We need a reason to give gifts, because there are such practical reasons not to. We need a songbook to sing from, and a day to do it, because adulthood is filled with people who won't otherwise sing, or will at least keep putting it off until it never happens.

Raised Jewish with mixed faith parents, I was taught that Hanukkah was a religious holiday, celebrated only by Jews, while Christmas was a holiday for the masses. They tacked the nativity scene onto an existing Germanic celebration, and while some people definitely do keep the Christ in Christmas, that feels more optional now than ever. It's a cultural thing, not a religious one, though anything can foster your connection with whichever God you prefer if you so choose. Sharing Christmas together allows for community: strangers will offer each other season's greetings, though they rarely offer each other a happy Thursday.

The threads that have us feeling bound right now -- to the traditions we're bored of, to the crowded stores, to the social obligations -- are the same threads that tie us together as a society. There are smiles to be found, and understanding to be shared as we carry our parcels through metro stations in our too hot coats. Catch an eye, soften your face, allow for that moment where we acknowledge it's all pretty heavy, but we're all choosing to participate together. The together part is where the magic happens; it always is.

So, Dear Reader, allow me to offer my sincerest wishes to you and yours this Christmas season. May the goodness you receive be too big to wrap, and may you be so healthy that you don't even think about your health. I hope you and Aunt Linda have some laughs despite the differences, and that Uncle Frank hugs you as tightly as you both need despite the smell. For those who prefer their season's greetings vague, may you have a perfect whatever-you’re-celebrating, but for the love of all that is truly holy in the grand scheme, please do celebrate something. Because time is moving, friends, and things are changing so slowly that it will take decades before we look back and see all the opportunities for light we passed up in this life…much like it will be weeks before we notice the returning daylight. And while that cycle will keep going until the Sun explodes, we have so few rounds in our small, fragile hearts, that it would be a tragedy to miss any of the feasts. Bon appetit, Dear Reader. May your table always be full.

SPIRIT OF THE SEASON

Remember the beauty of Christmas Eve—the carols, the candlelight, the feeling that something sacred was being born?

What if you could return to that beauty with a theology that inspires you?

This Christmas Eve, we're gathering not only to observe a story from long ago, but to recognize the light that's being born right now—in you, in us, in this community.

5:00 PM - Carol singing begins (because you can never sing too many carols)

5:30 PM - Service begins

We'll sing all the songs you remember and possibly some that are new to you. We'll hear the ancient story of a child born in the darkness, when there was no room at the inn. But we'll reflect on this story to see "the inn of our hearts." What if we all have the capacity to make room for the stranger?

This isn't about believing the right things. It's about opening to the beauty and hope this world desperately needs. You aren't coming just to receive hope. You're coming to see that you are also the hope being born.

Contemplative and joyful. Traditional and transformative. An hour that reminds you why this night matters.

Bring your family. Bring your friends who are caught between the faith they left and the meaning they're seeking. Bring anyone whose heart is ready to make a little more room.

This is how we bring more light into the world—together, in the glow of candles, discovering that we are the ones we've been waiting for.

WHAT: Christmas Eve at the Unitarian Church of Montreal

WHERE: Unitarian Church of Montreal, 5035 de Maisonneuve Blvd. W., Montreal, H3Z 2P8

WHEN: Wednesday, December 24 @ 5 PM

METRO: Vendôme (Orange)

DETAILS: Facebook

DANCE ALL NIGHT

Snow and cold outside, but absolutely unhinged inside!

No Police is celebrating her 30th birthday the only way she knows how: behind the decks, surrounded by friends. It’ll be a tight-knit lineup of DJs for a night rooted in community, and shared taste.

Featuring:

❆ Babaganouschka [Droplets]

❆ Cori [T.I.T.S]

❆ Djorsa [T.I.T.S]

❆ Hurakkan [Die Muur, Structura]

❆ Meen Moreen [T.I.T.S]

❆ No Police [T.I.T.S]

❆ PRML

TLDR: A birthday party giving club night NRG, with music leading the way until late.

WHAT: Winterlude: No Police & Friends

WHERE: WIP, 3487 Boul. St. Laurent Blvd., Montreal, H2X 2T6

WHEN: Saturday, December 27 @ 10 PM

METRO: St. Laurent (Green) & Sherbrooke (Orange)

TICKETS: Zeffy

GET THE POISON OUT

Happy December, Montreal! You know the holidays are about to test every ounce of your patience. Hold it together through the forced smiles, the awkward family conversations, the questions you didn’t ask for—and then bring all of it to The Heckling Show! Our comedians *invite* your chaos. Heckling isn’t just allowed, it’s the whole point. Save up every eye roll you can’t show your family, unleash it on our stage, and walk out calmer, lighter, and way nicer to everyone in your actual life! Hosted by Saanya Nanda!

WHAT: The Heckling Show

WHERE: Café Eevee, 1251 St. Zotique St. E., Montreal, H2S 1N8

WHEN: Sunday, December 28 @ 9 PM

METRO: Beaubien (Orange)

TICKETS: Eventbrite

CLASSIC COKE

Beat the Monday Blues with WSC’s OG offering, The World's Smallest Comedy Night!

Enjoy a showcase of the best comedians in the city, hot up-and-comers, national and international touring comics, and surprises!

Hosted by Vance Michel, featuring Peter Bowen, Claudio Capri, Gotham Kasy, Krishmanyu Thakur, Iyad El Hout, Himansu Patel, Nazeer Khan, Dawn McSweeney, and some surprises!

WHAT: The World's Smallest Comedy Night

WHERE: Hurley's Irish Pub, 1225 Crescent St., Montreal, H3G 2B1

WHEN: Every Monday, Doors @ 7 PM, Show @ 8 PM

METRO: Lucien l'Allier (Orange) & Guy-Concordia (Green)

TICKETS: Eventbrite

DIRTY MONDAY

The Monday Night Dirty Mic is the place to be! Hosted by Vance Michel, every show is an unpredictable and unique experience as a hilarious collection of comedians from newbs to pros take the stage. See the best before anyone else, and catch seasoned locals doing their freshest funnies!

Comics: show-up, sign-up

WHAT: Monday Night Dirty Mic

WHERE: Hurley's Irish Pub, 1225 Crescent St., Montreal, H3G 2B1

WHEN: Every Monday, Sign-up @ 10 PM, Show @ 1030 PM

METRO: Lucien l'Allier (Orange) & Guy-Concordia (Green)

DETAILS: Facebook