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What's Christmas season mean to you? People gather at Stonehenge in Wiltshire western England on the winter solstice to witness the sunrise on the shortest day of the year Wednesday. AP photo Wednesday Dec 21, 2016 at 8:19 PM Dec 21, 2016 at 8:19 PM By John Darling For the Tidings Christmas is the time when Jack Frost nips at your nose, families gather around the tree and credit cards get swiped to the tune of $11 billion dollars above normal. It’s a time when people complain about the materialism — yet few can resist showing their love with presents. More than 200,000 jobs are added to the U.S. economy to handle the year-end buying surge. Almost 2 billion greeting cards are sent, while 21 million trees are cut and dragged indoors. All this is to celebrate the birth of one who warned against the evils of owning lots of stuff. But it’s the spirit that matters — and its presence is undeniable. Mistletoe, egg nog, carols played on Pandora — all help lift us from dark, drizzly winter months. The holiday is self-imposing, as it comes with winter solstice, the time when days start getting longer, prompting most cultures over many millennia to celebrate the “birth of the light” and hopes of spring, with its more abundant food supply. It’s a time of reflection on the passing year, taking a look at what we’ve accomplished and what we envision for the coming year — and what that finally comes down to is the foundation of family and friends to love, lift a glass with and hug, happy that we had another year together and hopefully will have another. On Wednesday morning, we found Ashlanders who had just performed a celebratory walk of the labyrinth at Trinity Episcopal Church, just a few hours after the official solstice. As the sun broke symbolically through the morning fog, we asked them what the Christmas season means to them and how they are celebrating it.  Trish Broersma — It’s a time of reflection and renewal. It’s important for me to do with family, friends and community. I know who I am is more than this physical being. Who I am is much larger and that’s because of family and friends. It’s a time to let go of things in the past and anchor myself in what I want to create for the future. The big word for me is “joy” because it’s easy to see, in the darkness of winter, the other realities that are not so pleasant. But I have a personal practice to find joy in those too, especially this time of year.  Elizabeth Austin — I like ritual, especially walking the labyrinth. Thirty people were here walking it. The heart is yearning to connect with nature and the divine at this time. I’ve been putting on the labyrinth walk 18 years now on New Year’s Eve and Day and it seems to satisfy this great yearning.  Phil Johncock — I’m new to Ashland and I like to find out what the community is doing. Rituals create a great meeting space and other events are happening and they can bring single people, like me, together. I am finding new family here. I personally reflect on the past year, contemplating the accomplishments and blessings and the goals and intentions of 2017. I don’t buy presents. I look for ways to support those in need, like volunteering at the homeless shelters. My mother is losing her memory and I sing to her, songs from her youth, like “Rudolph, the Red Nose Reindeer.”  Jenn Lieber — I lived in Alaska for 20 years and honored the coming of the light, the new growth and opening. It’s important to me. In Alaska, we made window stars of paper, folded, and would welcome the new minutes of light added each day, as the environment changed. I’m not giving any gifts this year. I would if there were children, of course. We’re so blessed to have this light.  Peggy Dean — Why not have this sense of sharing all year? During Christmas, the most valuable thing is having time to give, like watching a movie with someone, going to coffee or a walk with them, sharing music and stories. It’s a wonderful way to share. When you tell stories, their eyes light up. We’re calling that joy from old stories into the present. John Darling is an Ashland freelance writer. Reach him at [email protected].