Dear Readers: Today people around the world celebrate the first of the 12 Days of Christmas, light the first of Hanukkah’s eight candles, and make preparations for tomorrow’s kick-off of Kwanzaa’s seven days of observances.

Please take advantage of this holiday season to count your blessings if all’s good in your world, and to also reach out to someone who may be in a dark, sad, frightening place. Let them know they’re not alone.

And, if you yourself are struggling, please believe there are those who care for and about you, and that the world’s a better place because you’re in it.

To you all I send best wishes for a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Joyous Kwanzaa; and if you don’t observe any of the above, I sincerely hope you have much to celebrate.

Before signing off, I’d like to invite you to share some of your memories from holidays past with your fellow readers and me. I especially enjoy learning about the countless different ways these special days are observed in various cultures.

DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: My pastor gave a sermon the beginning of this year urging everyone to make at least one New Year’s Resolution for 2024.

Perhaps stupidly, I made three. One was to lose weight (check, I lost 15 lbs., which have stayed off). The second was to work on my spiritual wellbeing (a little less successful on that one, but I’m still working on it). The third was to expand my social network in real life, not just in the virtual world.

This last one has been a failure in most respects. I did connect with a few guys from work when we put together a company disc golf club, which in turn led to my playing in more tournaments both with people from work and on my own. But I can’t say there’s been any real connections beyond a shared liking for the sport.

I have come to the end of the year and feel like I have failed in keeping almost all the promises I made to myself in January. The one about making new friends bothers me the most because I feel it’s the one I made the least progress on.

Do people actually repeat their resolutions, or is it better to go in a different direction next year? --- MIXED RESULTS

DEAR MIXED RESULTS: I’ve certainly known of cases where people give unfulfilled resolutions another go, but I’m not sure why you’re feeling as if you’ve failed.

Statistically, the vast majority of people who make resolutions break them within the first few weeks of the new year. You, on the other hand, wrote that you already met your first goal and are working on the other two, neither of which are the kinds you can achieve overnight.

Wise men and women devote decades to enhancing their spiritual lives, and your growing interest in disc golf may eventually open doors to deeper relationships with other players beyond the bonds of a shared interest.

I believe you should give yourself credit for your partial success on getting through your 2024 wish list, and I’d encourage you to continue your efforts into 2025.

DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: I am beginning to worry about my boyfriend and his obsession with cocktails.

I like a glass of wine with meals and have a cocktail when out with friends. I see that as fine. But my boyfriend not only constantly collects recipes for cocktails, but he has started planning our weekends around distillery tastings and trying new drinks at local bars.

His birthday is in mid-January and he told me if anyone asks for gift ideas, he is mostly interested in building his home bar up so that he can mix more drinks. He sent me the link to a mixology class he wants me to help pay for as my gift to him. I heard him joking with his brother that maybe he can quit his job and become a professional bartender.

I don’t like when he says stuff like that. He is a smart guy with a job people would give a lot to have.

How do I know if this is just a thing he’s into right now or if he is getting too serious about his interest in mixing fancy drinks? --- MAKES ME NERVOUS

DEAR MAKES ME NERVOUS: I’m not the person to ask about your boyfriend’s true intentions. He is, and it may be time for you to discuss his interest in mixology with him.

People pursue all sorts of hobbies, and this might simply be one for him. Joking with someone about quitting their job to go pro in a field they like or admire is a far cry from their actually doing it.

Talk to your boyfriend about your worries. His response could give you what you need to figure out what his true intentions are.