CeleryKills

Every year I’m reminded that holiday joy has always managed to irritate the most rigid people in history. The Puritans weren’t just grumpy about celebration; they literally tried to outlaw Christmas in parts of early America because they believed music, feasting, and anything resembling fun were spiritually dangerous. Imagine being so committed to seriousness that you ban cookies and singing. It’s a reminder that celebration has always been an act of quiet rebellion against people who fear anything that looks like ordinary human happiness.

And the Puritans weren’t the only ones. Plenty of Christian groups over the centuries treated the season like something that needed to be flattened into pure discipline. Joy was suspicious. Warmth was indulgent. Gathering with friends and family was a distraction from “real” devotion. Yet people kept doing it anyway. They kept cooking, laughing, lighting candles, telling stories, and creating moments of connection. The holidays survived every attempt to drain the humanity out of them because people refused to give up the simple things that make life feel like life.

So take this as permission to enjoy whatever brings you peace this season. A quiet night. A loud table. A messy kitchen. A long nap. The holidays outlasted centuries of people trying to police how others should feel. You don’t owe anyone guilt for enjoying yourself. The season is yours to make real in whatever way keeps you grounded, warm, and human.