In the bleak midwinter frosty winds made moan
earth stood hard as iron 
water like a stone
snow had fallen snow on snow
snow on snow (Christina Rosetti)

Solstice has flipped the balance and the days grow longer and we celebrate. In ancient times throughout a great number of cultures from Europe through Asia and Africa cultures celebrated eternal life and rebirth and hope with the  boughs and garlands of ''evergreen'' trees. Renaissance Europe adopted the green of fir or evergreen trees to  add to Christian  Christmas celebrations. 

 There are references that Martin Luther, Protestant reformer, was the first to add lights to the Christmas tree

Green is my favorite color, it is  new life, it is the ground cover, it is the  color of the leaves on trees that help oxygenate the atmosphere, it is a color of hope and promise

As the calendar year ends and a new year is just ahead, as we pause and gather to celebrate
                                  holidays ~ holy days
 to all I wish the light of love and the green of hope and promise

          Merry Christmas ~ God Jul ~ Feliz Navidad