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...