Holiday Briefing: A Day to Celebrate

These little gnomes are part of a Swedish Christmas tradition.Credit…Ryan Lowry for The New York Times

A day for reflection and celebration

As a turbulent year draws to a close, we hope you will enjoy a few moments of peace and happiness today.

In this special edition of the Morning Briefing, we aim to bring some holiday spirit to your inbox. We’ll focus on the cheerful little heroes of Swedish folklore or the pleasure of Christmas ornaments, rather than what normally makes the headlines. (Well, we might have a little news below.)

For billions of people, today is about Christmas: Santa Claus (is yours as handsome as this guy?), a feast, carol singing, worship, the rewatching of festive classics. Take inspiration from a New York City bar and blast Mariah Carey’s holiday hit.

Perhaps you plan to light the menorah with loved ones for the first night of Hanukkah. (We have tips for making a D.I.Y. menorah.) If you relish latkes but are daunted by the prospect of dirty pans and umpteen potatoes, take this advice to heart: “The fun part is being at the table together. It doesn’t matter where the food came from.”

A few weeks ago, we asked readers about the traditions they are most looking forward to this year, and many of you wrote in. We’re featuring some of your thoughtful contributions in this special edition.

Enjoy your holiday traditions, however niche they may be. You don’t have to go for a walk, unless you really want to. If today is just another work day, take a few minutes to find calm. And if all you fancy is takeout and the pleasure of your own company, we toast to that, too.