People often accuse science fiction writers of living with their heads in the stars. To prove them right, I thought I’d write briefly about a very special star that appears during the Christmas season. Have you ever wondered why we put a star on top of our Christmas trees? I know, some people put an angel on top, but I’m talking about stars. Like most of our Christmas traditions, the star has deep meaning, especially for those of us who celebrate Christmas as a Christian holiday. If that’s not you, be open-minded and read on anyway. This is cool stuff.

All of our Christmas traditions are filled with symbolism. Candy canes, lights, ornaments, gifts, and even the colors we use at this time of year—red, green, blue, purple, gold, silver, white—all point back to the very first Christmas. That even includes our traditional Santa Claus. So, it’s appropriate for our tress to be topped with a Christmas star. Stars fascinate us; we call famous people “stars.” Stars represent dreams; we say “shoot for the stars” as an encouragement to be excellent. They also make us think of the wonderful unknown; we wonder what might exist “beyond the stars.”

The star on our Christmas trees represents the star from the biblical account of the “Wise Men.” It led those astrologers and scientists from Persia westward to Israel, and then from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, the town over which the star floated. There, they encountered a baby named Jesus who scriptures prophesied would be a king that would save the world. Quite a star, right? Far more than being a pretty decoration, the Christmas star is meant to point us to that King as well—the same one who spoke the galaxies into existence. Maybe your star can do that for you this Christmas. It’s worth exploring, especially if you’ve been going through a rough time this year.

Many people consult the stars through astrology when they’re looking for answers to life’s big questions. But the Christmas season reminds you that all you need is one star. Christmas says: “Look there, and you’ll find your answers.”

Here’s wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a star-studded New Year! In my next post, I’ll give you a Project Eden update that will get you super-excited. Until then, stay healthy…and keep being your most awesome self!