These past two years have been so different from the previous years. We have had to let go of so many rituals we were used and learn ways to connect with family, and celebrate the season of holidays. I remember we used to have a Christmas cantata at church and go out caroling in the evening.

Merry Christmas! I hope that this holiday brings you much joy and togetherness. If for you the holiday is also mixed with sadness, know that God holds you in his arms regardless of how the holiday makes you feel. Your feelings are your own, they are valid, and you are deeply loved and cherished. I was touched to see some of you at the Blue Christmas service in person and on Facebook, and I hope the service brought some comfort to you as it did me. I hope to see many of you for our Christmas Eve service as well.

This week I cheated a little bit and I didn't choose an untranslatable word, really. Or even a single language. But! This is still a lexicon, so I have to have some kind of language-y thing going on, so: 'Merry Christmas' in Finnish is hyvää joulua. In Russian it's c Рождеством. In Spanish it's Feliz Navidad. German is frohe Weihnachten.