How is it already Christmas?

Published 10:30 am Tuesday, December 23, 2025

How is it already Christmas? I keep thinking to myself.

The calendar insists it’s true, even as the days seem to slip by faster each year. One minute it’s the first hint of fall rain on the ferry deck, next it’s candy canes hung through town, wreaths on doors and the familiar rhythm of December — busy, bright and bittersweet all at once.

This is the season that invites us to slow down, even when everything else urges us to rush. To enjoy the extra time with family — or chosen family — to linger a little longer at the table, to let conversations wander, to laugh at stories we’ve heard a hundred times before.

It’s the time to partake in traditions, whether they’re passed down through generations or quietly created along the way.

Bake too many Christmas cookies. Eat them anyway. Pour another cup of coffee. Or cocoa.

Count your blessings, however big or small they may feel this year. A warm home on a stormy night. A familiar face in line at the grocery store. The steady presence of this island community, showing up again and again — in classrooms, on sidelines, in fire stations, on stages and in quiet acts of kindness that might not make headlines but shape who we are.

And if this time of year is not your favorite, know that you are not alone. For many, the holidays can magnify grief, loneliness, or the ache of what’s missing. The darkness comes early. The expectations can feel heavy. For too many families, there is unbearable conflict over politics. If that’s you, please know there is room for you here, too. You don’t have to be cheerful. You don’t have to be festive. You just have to get through it, one day at a time.

Above all, be kind. To your neighbors. To strangers. To yourself.

From all of us at The Beachcomber, thank you for reading, for trusting us with your stories and for being part of this community.

Happy holidays, Vashon, and Merry Christmas to all who celebrate.

We’ll see you in the New Year.