I am not religious, and I am not Christian by faith. If you ask me specifics about any religion, I will meet your glance with a blank stare.
But each year, I decorate a Christmas tree.
Here is why.
Happiness.
Of all the strife in this world, decorating the tree is a happy moment. It breaks everything else that has been said and done the days before. No other act compares to decorating a tree for the sake of decorating a tree.
Togetherness
It is an activity that we all do together, the kids and the adults – making the journey from a bare tree to multi-colored piece of work.
Brightens every day
Once lit, it brightens your area every day, like a steady source of light.
A tree is lit in our living room, and it will brighten our days for a month I suspect after which a void will stand where it once stood but only until another Christmas, another end of a year when it will reappear.