The peace, goodwill, and love of Christmas arent confined to Decembertheres an opportunity to see the sacred in everyday moments, all year round.

At my office, theres a competition this year to decorate each section in a Christmas theme. Snowflakes and tinsel have appeared, and the collective excitement is contagious. But my first reaction was a bit bah humbug. Ive always struggled with the excesses of Christmasthe over-commercialisation and the grand rituals that can feel at odds with the Quaker testimony to simplicity.

Its a fine balance between holding to your principles and avoiding being needlessly churlish. Quakers aim to treat every day as sacred, so Christmas isnt something we elevate above the rest of the year. But I also get that traditions and celebrations matter to people, even when they arent universally shared.

Sacred in the everyday

The spirit of Christmaspeace, goodwill, and loveis something to live out every day. Its not about rejecting the holiday but expanding its essence beyond the season. A foundation of Quakerism is the belief that the divine isnt confined to one day, one place, or one ritual. As Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote in Aurora Leigh: Earths crammed with heaven, and every common bush afire with God.

This belief shapes how Quakers view the world. There are no priests in our practice because everyone is seen as capable of connecting with the divine. There are no consecrated spaces because sacred potential exists everywhere. Christmas, too, is not confined to one day. The joy and generosity it inspires shouldnt be locked into December but carried throughout the year.

Thats easier said than done, of course. The energy and focus of the holiday season are hard to replicate on a wet Wednesday in July. But what would it mean to carry the spirit of goodwill and community throughout the year?

Living Christmas every day

What if we practised kindness and gratitude daily, not just when prompted by the calendar? What if gifts became thoughtful gestures rather than extravagant purchases? What if the testimonies of simplicity, peace, and integrity guided us to avoid excess while still making space for joy and connection?

In my office, the decorations are about more than Christmas itselftheyre a way to bond, share a laugh, and brighten the sometimes-mundane rhythm of daily work. And maybe thats enough. The spirit of Christmas isnt really about the garlands and glitter; its about the connections we build through them.

A quiet challenge

For my decorations, Ive put up a picture of Hobarts infamous Salamanca Square Christmas tree- underwhelming, ironic, and so maybe a bit churlish after all, but alongside it, Ive displayed Baptist World Aids annual ethical Christmas gift guide, which I still consider the best of its kind. These small gestures feel more on brand for me than tinsel and baubles.

Elizabeth Barrett Brownings words remind me to notice the sacred everywhere. Whether its in a quirky tree, a colleagues kindness, or the laughter shared in an office competition, the extraordinary is always present. And that, I think, is worth celebratingno matter the season.