December fifteenth, the First American Christmas Tree (1832). Unitarian Minister Charles Follen delighted his son and party guests with a Christmas tree as he had growing up in Germany. They had postponed the festivities until New Years so that British author and Unitarian Harriet Martineau could...

December fourteenth, “I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day” (1865). Unitarian Poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Wrote "Christmas Bells" (a poem later set to music and renamed "I Head the Bells On Christmas Day") just months before the end of the Civil War. The poem captures the despair felt by the...

December thirteenth, first department store Santa (1890). Department storeowner James Edgar delighted customers’ children by walking about the store on weekends dressed in a Santa costume. Edgar aspired to broad-mindedness in his religion, and though not a member he attended the Unitarian church...

December twelfth, Christmas Day is Clara Barton’s Birthday (1821). Clara Barton, Universalist and founder of the American Red Cross, is a hero of our liberal religious faith. We remember her around the holidays season since she was born Christmas Day, 1821. But in the season when we recall the...

December eleventh, Charles Dickens’ "A Christmas Carol" (1843). Unitarian Charles Dickens impacted the way Christmas is celebrated today more than any other individual. "A Christmas Carol" has been credited with popularizing everything from turkey dinners and family gift exchanges to holiday...

December tenth, Christmas Scenes in "Little Women" (1868). Unitarian Louisa May Alcott wrote over a dozen Christmas-themed stories and poems in addition to the Christmas scenes in "Little Women.” Her description of a holiday with the March family nurtured a growing sense of American nostalgia for...

December ninth, "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" (1849). "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” was written by Unitarian Minister Hamilton Sears while recovering from a nervous breakdown. The melancholy carol’s conspicuous omission of any reference to Jesus or his birth has drawn criticism from orthodox...

December eighth, first Christmas Tree in the White House Blue Room (1912). From the New York Times, December 26, 1912: "With the President and Mrs. Taft at Panama, their son and daughter established a new precedent at the White House in the way of a Christmas party to-night....

December sixth, The Modern Look and Lore of Santa Claus (1863). Universalist Thomas Nast produced over seventy illustrations of Santa. It is from Nast that the world first learned of Santa's red suit, that he gives coal if you're naughty, and even that Santa, as a world citizen, belonging to no...

December fifth, "Jingle Bells" (1857). First performed at a Thanksgiving event by the Sunday school children from the Unitarian Church in Savannah, GA who were led by the church music director and the song’s composer James Pierpont. “Jingle bells” was published in 1857, but only gained...

December fourth, the earmuff is invented (1873). Lifelong Unitarian Chester Greenwood received the Patent for the first earmuff when he was 15. His factory manufactured the new winter wear for over 60 years. However, Chester himself worked as a mechanic in a bike shop he opened using profits from...

December third, Currier and Ives (1834). Founded by Unitarian Nathaniel Currier, the Currier and Ives Printing Firm published an annual set of winter images....

December second, Kwanzaa first celebrated (1966). Dr. Maulana Ron Karenga, Kwanzaa's founder, received some of the money needed to develop and publicize Kwanzaa through a Unitarian Universalist fund set up to support black empowerment. Drawing from traditional West African harvest celebrations...

December first, "Over The River And Through The Woods" (1844). The song "Over the River and Through The Woods" is based on a poem by Unitarian author and human rights champion Lydia Maria Child. Inspiration for the poem came from her own childhood memories of Thanksgiving at her grandparents’...

Chalice Lighting #434 in Singing the Living Tradition: May we be reminded here of our highest aspirations, and inspired to bring our gifts of love and service to the altar of humanity....

These words are taken from "We Need One Another," by George Odell: Reading #468 in Singing the Living Tradition.

This Buddhist metta meditation is the text of hymn #1031 (in Singing the Journey), put to music by Ian Riddell and Mark Hayes.

This quote, from Peter Mayer's hymn "Blue Boat Home" (Singing the Journey #1064) was created for use & sharing on social media.

This image, containing words from Peter Mayer's hymn "Blue Boat Home" (Singing the Journey #1064), was created for use on social media.

These words, by composer Sarah Dan Jones, are from hymn #1009 in Singing the Journey.

A line from hymn #346 in Singing the Living Tradition: "Come, Sing a Song with Me" by Carolyn McDade...

Text from "Love Will Guide Us," by Sally Rogers, #131, http://www.uuabookstore.org/Singing-the-Living-Tradition-Hymnal-P16918… the Living Tradition.

This image was created by Ellen Rockett, a Unitarian Universalist (UU) young adult, to accompany the seven separate images/smartphone wallpapers also found on WorshipWeb....

Respect our interdependent web of existence: the image on the right may be used as wallpaper for a smartphone or tablet. The 7th Principle of Unitarian Universalism is respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part. The Seven Principles by Ellen Rocket...

Improve the global community: the image on the right may be used as wallpaper for a smartphone or tablet. The 6th Principle of Unitarian Universalism is the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all. The Seven Principles by Ellen Rocket...

Support democracy: the image on the right may be used as wallpaper for a smartphone or tablet. The 5th Principle of Unitarian Universalism is the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large. The Seven Principles by Ellen Rocket...

Search freely and responsibly for truth & meaning. The Seven Principles by Ellen Rocket...

Accept one another and encourage spiritual growth: the image on the right may be used as wallpaper for a smartphone or tablet. The 3rd Principle of Unitarian Universalism is acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations. The Seven Principles by Ellen Rocket...

Justice, equity and compassion: the image on the right may be used as wallpaper for a smartphone or tablet. The 2nd Principle of Unitarian Universalism is justice, equity and compassion in human relations. The Seven Principles by Ellen Rocket...

Remember your inherent worth and dignity. The Seven Principles by Ellen Rocket...