Discover how to create an inclusive, fun, and meaningful December holiday experience for you and your family!
Have you ever wondered where Christmas came from? Why candles are so important in our winter celebrations? Why Hannukah was established and the secret messages in spinning a dreidel? What the profound principles of Kwanza are that support a better life? What winter festival is observed in China? How North American indigenous Hopis welcomed winter? If Santa Claus was a real person? Which is the most ancient winter holiday? How Buddhists celebrate in December? Which celebration is most like a neighborhood party? Why we love being cozy with a Yule log in the fire? What part poetry and pomegranates play in one celebration? What the 12 Days of Christmas are and why they are important?
Find answers to these questions and more by exploring these December holidays:
- Bodhi
- Christmas
- Dong Zhi
- Hannukah
- Kwanza
- Las Posadas
- Saturnalia
- Soyal
- St. Nicholas Day
- Winter Solstice
- Yalda
- Yule
In this book you will find:
- The origins of more than a dozen December holidays
- Easy ways to celebrate and observe our December diversity
- Nourishing self-care tips to keep your inner light shining brightly
Go beyond commercialism and get to the heart and soul of rich northern hemisphere winter traditions to consider incorporating into your world.
Cristina Smith's writings are the Da Vinci code for mindfulness!
-Jack Canfield, co-creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul(R) series
About the Author :
The December Dozen: A Celebration of Holidays is award-winning author Cristina Smith's 12th book. She has been writing about the interesting origins of holidays since before the turn of century in newspaper articles, blogs and newsletters. Cristina and her brother Rick are the co-authors of nine puzzle books together including six in the award-winning, best-selling Yoga for the Brain series. An avid reader, writer, book coach, community builder, and celebrator of the richness of life, Cristina lives tucked away in the fabulous forest community of Nevada City, CA.
Review :
Cristina Smith's writings are the Da Vinci code for mindfulness!
-Jack Canfield, co-creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul(R) series
"If you have ever been curious about the many holidays that occur in December, or the origins of why we celebrate the way we do, you will love this book. Filled with twelve holidays, their origins, and a succinct explanation of why and how they are celebrated, you can learn easy ways to incorporate new traditions into your own celebrations to make your holidays even more merry and bright."
-Valerie Costa, Special Features Editor, The Union
"The December Dozen: A Celebration of Holidays is at the top of this Santa's list as the perfect book for the season!"
-Loren Smith, San Diego's Surfing Santa and reality TV star of Santas in the Barn
"Cristina Smith masterfully blends the festive with the meaningful, the modern with the ancient, and the mystical with the magical in this fun yet sacred guide to honoring the season both out in the world and in our own inner sanctums."
-Ingrid Coffin, founding minister of the Blue Sky Ranch Fellowship community
"This book is all about being open to new ideas and jumping into new experiences, which is the essence of being interculturally creative. The first step to connecting and belonging is becoming aware of the beauty of our commonalities while celebrating our many differences. Bring diversity and inclusion into your family's December with this meaningful and fun book! The December Dozen is a welcome invitation to explore, honor, and respect many cultures while celebrating the season. I highly recommend it."
-Genein M. Letford, M.Ed, Intercultural Creativity(R) founder, author, speaker
