The joys and challenges of interfaith life are amplified in December —the most interfaith time of the year.

This December that volume goes up as THREE MAJOR HOLIDAYS overlap.

• Hanukkah,  the Jewish festival of light, begins this year on Christmas Eve (Dec 24) and ends on New Year’s Day (Jan 1).
• Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, & its official observance run from December 24-26.
• Kwanzaa, celebrating African heritage and culture, begins Dec. 26 and ends January 1.
• Plus, December is populated with  Winter Solstice on Dec. 21, the Swedish holiday of St. Lucia, bearer of light, on Dec. 13, and in Mexico and the Americas, the Catholic Fiesta of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Dec. 12, and more.

The month is so loaded it’s called December Dilemma. Partners can get tied up in knots deciding what holiday to celebrate with which family group and how. So the confluence of three holidays this year could be a recipe for December Disaster. As an interfaith coach, I’ve seen the season cause conflict and anxiety but also compassion.

With December here, if you’re in an interfaith relationship, you may be feeling a little sensitive right now.

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