“Look at how a single candle can both defy and define the darkness.”
Ann Frank
Depending on where you live geographically, the holidays invoke a variety of emotions and feelings. Some of us enjoy a white Christmas or festive winter holiday while others are celebrating the holidays in the warmth of full summer. Not only are the holidays a source of wonder and joy as we look forward to the celebrations with family and friends, but also a source of anxiety and even depression for some folks.
“Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.”
Desmond Tutu
A Little SAD
I am known to suffer from mild Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, a temporary condition caused by lack of sunlight. I know…I purposely moved north from sunnier northern California, but I still had bouts of SAD while living there. But now that I recognize the symptoms of depression, I’m better prepared and can feel it coming on. I wrote about my experiences with SAD in this post.
Luckily, during the daylight hours, we see the sun peeking out and that is when I try to get outside for a few moments and let that light flood my eyes which stimulates the pituitary gland to change the brain’s chemicals linked to mood.
All that said, in the northern hemisphere, as days continue to shorten and nights lengthen, most of us look for ways to light up the night.
This is a close-up of my outdoor trees all lit up, backdropped against the actual trees in the distance, and the two trees in the snow.
As this is my second Christmas/winter here in the Spokane, Washington area, I have plenty to look forward to which helps keep things interesting and fun! But I will have to be ready when the February doldrums strike!
Lighting with Holiday and Winter Decor
Another way I can ward off the effects of seasonal affective disorder is to decorate the interior of my home. Once Christmas decor is put away, I will have various winter scenes and white florals around my home. Decorating is a fun leisure activity and brings me joy. In our new home, we have four transom windows (typically found above entry doors). Three are situated in our main bedroom and bring in more light. These areas make a surprisingly interesting way to display decor. Here is my current holiday decor over our front door.
I had random decorations to use and these stained glass tealight candle holders allow the light to come through.
Just this Thursday, it snowed most of the day, snarling traffic and closing some outdoor events in Spokane. I stayed home and took pictures! This is how I light the night in the front yard. I’m still amazed at how much light my camera lens grabs, especially with the snow reflecting the light. There is something quite serene in seeing winter snow lit up at night.
Many of you asked more about my holiday decorations. I managed to take a video from my phone and save it to YouTube (thanks, Hugh, for the suggestion)! Welcome to Christmas at my house!
Lighting the Night
The winter solstice is December 21, marking the northern hemisphere’s shortest day of the year. The good news is now we will gain one minute a day of sunlight until June! Meanwhile, the moon lights the night!
“It is often in the darkest skies that we see the brightest stars.”
Richard Evans
A few more ways to light the night:
Photo Challenges this Week
Each week I am inspired by my fellow bloggers’ photo challenges. I find it fun to incorporate these into my Sunday Stills weekly themes.
Marsha’s Writers Quotes Wednesday: Candles or Lights
Cee’s Flower of the Day
Johnbo’s CellPic Sunday
Jude’s Life in Color: Kaleidoscope
Lens-Artists: Serene
Sunday Stills Photo Challenge Reminders
Sunday Stills weekly challenge is easy to join. You have until December 23 to share and link your post to this one.
- Please create a new post for the theme or link a recent one.
- Tag your post “Sunday Stills.”
- Title your blog post a little differently than mine.
- Don’t forget to create a pingback to this post so that other participants can read your post. I also recommend adding your post’s URL into the comments.
- Entries for this theme can be posted all week.
Metallic and De-Lightful Bloggers’ Links
Please share your links by Dec 23 if you can as I am going on a break until January 9th. I would like to include your links in the current post while people are still reading rather than waiting for the January 9th post. However, I will include any in that post that miss the deadline. I might hop in for the January “Bloganuary” Challenge for a few days, too.
Last Week’s Links
- Always Write
- Calling All Rush Babes
- Cats and Trails and Garden Tales
- Cee’s Photo Challenges
- Easin’ Along Image shared in comments
- Geriatrix Fotogallery
- Graham’s Island
- Hugh’s Views and News Image in Comments
- Kanlaon
- Life Lessons
- Light Words
- Loving Life
- Natalie the Explorer
- Now At Home
- Philosophy Through Photography
- Priorhouse Blog
- Retirement Reflections Image shared on Instagram
- NEW Sharing Thoughts
- Travel With Me
- Wandering Dawgs
- Woolly Muses
- Working on Exploring
This Week’s Links
- Always Write
- Beachwalk Reflections
- Bend Branches
- Bushboy’s World
- Calling All Rushbabes
- Cats and Trails and Garden Tales
- Cee’s Photo Challenges
- NEW Clare’s Cosmos
- A Day in the Life
- The Day After
- Deb’s World
- Easin’ Along Image shared in comments
- Frost on the Moose Dung
- Geriatrix Fotogallery
- Graham’s Island
- The Life of B
- Natalie the Explorer
- Now At Home
- Philosophy Through Photography
- Priorhouse Blog
- Retirement Reflections Image shared on Instagram
- Stevie Turner
- This is Another Story
- Travels and Trifles
- Travel with Me
- Woolly Muses
This is the last post of 2021 as I take a short break for the holidays. Please join me on January 9th with a look back on your photography highlights and your 2021 year in review. Meanwhile, follow me on my social media pages:
Wishing you all the most magical season filled with love and laughter! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from my family to yours. “See” you on January 9th!
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