By Joseph A. Curtatone

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

Nothing says the holidays like things we consider homey—fireplaces, cups of cocoa, the comfortable and cozy stuff that makes us feel like we’re home. Of course, what really makes something homey—and what things like evenings by the fireside remind us of—is people. Home is about people. And that doesn’t mean just family, or the people living with you. It means your neighbor offering to bring in your mail or watch your pet while you’re away, the convenience store clerk who greets you each day as you grab your morning coffee on the way to work, all those familiar faces you regularly greet with a smile and hello.

These people are everywhere, of course. What makes Somerville stand out as our home and our community is the diversity of its people. Neighbors, business owners, teachers and city employees: living in Somerville is an unparalleled experience in multiculturalism. The people you see every day that enrich your life, who introduce you to foods you’ve never tried, songs you never knew, and wisdom you’ve never heard.

Living in Somerville is an education, regardless of your age. Whether you’re a student in Somerville Public Schools, where more than 50 languages from around the world are spoken, or an adult trying the new mom-and-pop restaurant that opened down the street, every day here holds the promise of a new and exciting experience.

It’s all right around the corner in Somerville. This isn’t a city where the student stronghold is on one side of town, the life-long townies on another, and the young professionals somewhere in between—we don’t have the room in four square miles to spread everyone out. And that’s a good thing. Every Somerville neighborhood, from Ten Hills to Davis Square, has an eclectic mix of neighbors spanning generations, nationalities and cultures.

When you live in Somerville, you’re not flying through town in your car on your way back from an errand, the building outside nothing but a blur, until you park, rush inside and hole up inside your home. You’re walking or biking to the store, taking in a fantastic array of choices offered by locally owned businesses where you’re more than a customer. You’re a regular. You’re a neighbor.

It’s not only the day-to-day errands or the work commute where you’ll see these faces. It’ll be at the block parties, or PorchFest and ArtBeat, when the Somerville Arts Council puts on display the vast artistic talent that’s proud to call the city home. It’s another example of the richness and depth of the cultural experience that is living in Somerville—right outside your front door.

Our kids experience it in Somerville Public Schools, where they receive a full education—from academics, to sports, to music and visual arts—and each day are part of the unparalleled multicultural experience that the city has to offer. When students walk to one of our neighborhood elementary schools, when the bell rings at our middle school and high school, it’s the beginning of a day that offers much more than reading, writing and arithmetic.

Somerville is also a home like none other because of our dedication to making an already great city even easier to live, work and play in, and our commitment to education and to families. And, our focus on neighborhoods. Because neighborhoods are not defined by geographic borders. They’re defined by the people there—your neighbors, teachers, stylists and chefs. And those people make Somerville what it is: a home. That’s what we want to keep and build here.

Whatever you celebrate this holiday season, whether Christmas, Hannukah, or otherwise, I hope you enjoy spending time with your family and have the opportunity to appreciate everyone who helps make our city the community that it is today.