“After the longest night, We sing up the dawn.”
December is the month of the Winter Solstice, the longest night (and shortest day!) of the year. It is celebrated by many people around the world as the beginning of the return of the sun, and darkness turning into light. The Talmud recognizes the Winter Solstice as “Tekufat Tevet.” Long ago, the winter months were a time of famine in northern Europe. Most cattle were slaughtered so that they wouldn’t have to be fed during the winter. This made the solstice a time when fresh meat was plentiful. Most celebrations in Europe involved merriment and feasting. In pre-Christian Scandinavia, the Feast of Juul or Yule, lasted for 12 days and included the custom of burning a Yule log.
Even earlier, in ancient Rome, the Winter Solstice was celebrated at the Feast of Saturnalia. Saturn was the god of agricultural bounty. These celebrations were characterized by feasting and gift-giving. With Emperor Constantine’s conversion to Christianity, many of these customs were later absorbed into Christmas celebrations.
So you can easily see how feasting is deeply ingrained in December!
As an alternative, consider that Winter Solstice is a chance to still ourselves inside, to behold the glory of the cosmos, and to take a breath with the Sacred… to rejoice that, even in the darkest time and at the end of the longest night, there will be light… and… After the longest night, we can sing up the dawn.