SAUCIER: What was once the tenth

As the first Advent candle flickered, the reality suddenly dawned on me: it’s December!

It’s not like I didn’t know it was coming. I had filled my calendar with December dates for meetings, tax deadlines, and parties. I just thought I’d have more time before it arrived.

I blame the Romans. We inherited December from them. It comes from “decem,” tenth, and was the tenth month of their calendar.

If it was really the tenth month, things would be okay. We’d have two more months to get everything done.

But I forget that the Roman year began in March, in the spring, when winter had passed, and they could renew their endless wars.

Their calendar only had ten months, so they had their own end-of- the-year anxieties in December, but they didn’t have to worry about Christmas.

It’s a shame we have so much to do in December. Advent urges us to slow down, but the rest of the world tells us that there are only so many days left to get it all done.

December is a unique month, full of opportunities to celebrate and delight.

It is the month with the longest night and the longest day, depending on which side of the equator you reside.

It is the birth month of important people from St. Nicholas to Pope Francis, including Beethoven, Dickinson, Newton, and St. Lucy.

Topping the list, my late father, two granddaughters, and the woman without whom there would be no family Christmas.

December can be cozy. As the temperatures dip outside, the warmth inside is fueled by fireplaces, hot cups, and steaming dishes.

There’s a greater sense of other. Beyond the wrapped excitement under the tree, there are Secret Santas, Salvation Army kettles, giving trees and a surge in charitable donations.

December marks the end of the year, and invites us to look back, to remember, reflect and cherish.

On the cusp of a new year, it encourages hope and resolutions to make the most of the gift of the future.

Advent, a spiritual sense that’s been with us for over 15 centuries, reminds us that all of this is part of the great Incarnation, worthy of our time in prayer.

Without that time, without pausing to appreciate this abundance and allowing it to touch us, we miss something.

It’s okay to want that Hallmark Christmas, but take care. As Kierkegaard warned: “Most pursue pleasure with such breathless haste that they hurry past it.”