Each of the twelve days of Holly Days is represented by a principle devoted to making the upcoming year better than the last. At the end of each day we gather to feast, and share gifts with each other as we reflect on the meaning of that day’s principle.
We’ve divided these 12 days into a Quartet of Trinities, each joining to construct a pattern of renewal. On each evening of Holly Days, we light another candle to represent each one of these principles, much as is done for Chanukah and Kwanzaa.
The First Trinity: COMMUNITY
Which deals with the formation of community both in spirit and in society. We think of spirit in its most literal form: Spiritus, as the breath of life that unifies us.
The First Principle is UNITY
Nothing is more fundamental to the formation of community than being united. On this First Day of Holly Days, the 21st of December, the first day of winter and most often the date of the actual solstice, we consider our Unity.
The Second Principle we celebrate is COMPASSION
Because to care about the welfare of those with whom we share our lives is essential to forming a livable community.
The Third Principle we consider is KINDNESS
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Kindness builds connections between us. Kindness is a gift that forges gentle obligations of reciprocation.
The Second Trinity: SHARING
In these three days we come together through Sharing. Gifting is the most primary and powerful economic form, and the most behaviorally rich and best-loved aspect (at least by the kids) of both the Christmas and Chanukah holidays.
On the Fourth day we consider HOPE
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Hope falls on 24th of December: Christmas Eve. All of us want more for ourselves and our loved ones, all of us Hope for better world, and as we share our longings with each other, we can see more clearly what we need and celebrate what we have.
The Fifth Holly Day is GENEROSITY
The 25th of December, also known as Christmas, is the day when we give Generously of ourselves. We try to fulfill each other’s heart’s desires, and we think about the way giving can be so enriching, not only to our own spirits, but to our communities.
The last of the Sharing Trinity is GRATITUDE
On the 26th, also known as Boxing Day, we try to feel grateful, for giving without gratitude can breed resentment and greed. Gratitude for all we have gives us perspective on our lives, which are such amazing gifts, that we really need ask for no more.
The 3rd Trinity: PERSONAL IDEALS
Calibrating our values with simple positive ideals can help us find more harmony in our lives. We’ve tried to give this bit of holiday coasting between Christmas and New Years something more than hangover management.
The Seventh Principle is TRUTH
Seeking the Truth is one of the most glorious pastimes humans have ever devised, and it is a path that has no limits. We have faith that the more we see ourselves and our world clearly and honestly, the better able we will be to tune our lives to the reality we inhabit.
The Eighth Principle is LOVE
When we build Love within ourselves it heals us as much as it does those things and people that we Love. We have faith that whenever we strive to muster Love within us, our lives will be enriched.
The Ninth Principle is COURAGE
So much within us resists growth, fears change, and can cause us to cower, almost lifeless. We believe that only when we buck up our Courage can we move into the unknown and develop new and better ways to be.
The final Trinity: REBIRTH.
These are based on Judaism’s High Holy Days of Awe, shifted around to our Julian Calendar.
On the Tenth Day we consider ATONEMENT
We try to face our guilt, and see what things we might do better, take responsibility for our actions, and prepare to move forward.
The Eleventh Principle is FORGIVENESS
On New Year’s Eve We try to Forgive. Without it, hate and reproach fester and poison every endeavor we undertake. As the new year starts we share a Kiss of Forgiveness with those we love, and even with those we may have hated.
Finally, we consider the Twelfth and Last Principle REDEMPTION
Each of us wishes to be reborn each day, wishes to find our better self and the world we long for in our hearts. It is this spirit of the Redeemed that we celebrate as we end our celebration, and prepare to return to our mundane lives.
A couple of interesting traditions, born in poverty, have developed in our family around this longer celebration. Stuff is cheaper after Christmas, and we often have gotten things we can regift, so we save all our big presents for the last half of the holiday. It’s fun to do our shopping when the stores are quieter and littered with crazy sales.
Another favorite tradition (especially among my sons) is The Stealing of the Tree. We do this late on Hope (Christmas Eve to you), when the moment a tree lot closes and any Christmas Tree left over instantly turns into compost and represents a cost to the tree seller. By jumping the fence and stealing a tree, we are actually saving them money, even as we get a little thrill of faux-larceny.
We then go and find someone selling Tamales, and easy task on Christmas Eve in here in LA, which we eat while trimming our tree (or trees, one year we hung 12 upside down from the ceiling) and wrapping our presents.
We encourage you to take charge of your own Holly Days as we have, and discover traditions to repeat through the years that resonate with you and your family.
HOLLY DAYS 