“God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” is one of the oldest Christmas carols. The lyrics, which have been altered numerous times to adapt to changes within the English language, are drawn from the Christmas story in the Gospel of Luke. In the 21st century, the common definition of rest is to…

  When I look at my Christmas tree, I appreciate its Christian symbolism as much as I do its beauty. There are many meanings passed down throughout history, but I have my favorites. The triangular shape represents the Holy Trinity and the upward-pointing branches are symbolic of my praise…

When I was younger, the holiday season was all about happiness and excitement. But each year, as I got older, it seemed as if the “magic” of the holiday season started to fade. For those with a chronic illness such as pulmonary hypertension…

  As a freelance photographer, I spend most of my working hours at home alone, editing photographs on my computer. Most of my photo shoots are scheduled in the evenings and on weekends. My friends who are not photographers work 9-to-5 jobs (or 10:30 to 4,…

“It’s just not magical anymore!” I cried that Christmas I was in sixth grade, tears falling onto my bed. While my younger sisters and cousins waited for Santa, I was going through an 11-year-old’s crisis. The magic of the holiday season seemed completely lost…