We are working on creating family traditions, now that we’re 5 years into this whole kids thing. One is going to the holiday carousel at Tilden Park, in the hills above Berkeley.

Of course, this necessitates me thinking about when we did this or that last year. Which has me think about how little Emry was at this time last year, when he went on the merry-go-round snug in the Ergo, without ever knowing that he was spinning through space.

This year, Emry picked up on Elan’s excitement at the novelty of going for a ride in the dark, up windy streets lined with lit-up houses, through the blackness of the park. He was asleep when we came upon the carousel, surrounded by decorations and a 50-foot-tall tree strung with lights. But when we got out of the car, he woke up, and both boys were entranced.

Sweet Solstice. May the longest night bring you its own kind of light.