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Author Topic: Winter Holiday Plans  (Read 9991 times)

Nyktelios

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Winter Holiday Plans
« on: November 19, 2014, 09:12:01 pm »
I know there is already a thread about how people celebrate Yule, but it's old and maybe things have changed since then. Also, instead of Yule, let's make it more general and talk about plans for any holiday you celebrate this time of year, whether it be the Winter Solstice, Yule, Christmas, Hanukkah, the Poseideia, the Lesser Dionysia, etc.

So what are you up to this year?

I'm getting more into secular "Christmas" this year. I bought a few decorations, including a little artificial tree, and I'm looking forward to listening to Christmas carols, though I'm holding off until December to add them on to my iPod. Religiously, I follow gods from warm climates, so I'm never really sure what to do about a winter holiday, though it's not like Jesus came from a cold climate, either. I do like the concept of bringing symbols of life and fertility into the home during the darkest, coldest time of year. I'll probably connect it to Dionysus, and/or Isis/Hathor giving birth to the sun. I will also probably go to a high Anglican midnight mass, and I might even do church on Christmas day as well. I'm a sucker for tradition, no matter the religion.

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Re: Winter Holiday Plans
« Reply #1 on: November 19, 2014, 10:08:10 pm »
Quote from: Nyktelios;165777

So what are you up to this year?

 
I've gotten in the habit of doing the Up All Night for the solstice - it's a good fit with some of my personal practice that has gotten more celestial in direction over the past five years or so, and honouring the longest night matters.

My other standing tradition these days is Yuletide, a fanfiction exhange for small fandoms that's been running for about a decade - people request stories in various fandoms, get assigned to write for someone else, and the entire collection (which is going to be about 1800+ stories this year, most likely) gets opened for reading on the 24th or 25th.

I spent several Christmas days reading before I started participating, but I really love curling up, reading a lot of surprisingly good stories set in worlds that I love but that don't always get a lot of attention in discussion. And I enjoy the writing process a lot too.

Several other Cauldronites also participate, and there's usually a fairly good showing of mythology fandoms (I wrote a Penelope and Odysseus thing last year, for example) and there's a lot about 'how do we tell stories, and why do we care about them' in the background for me that's important to me at this time of year.
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Re: Winter Holiday Plans
« Reply #2 on: November 20, 2014, 01:30:50 am »
Quote from: Nyktelios;165777
I know there is already a thread about how people celebrate Yule, but it's old and maybe things have changed since then. Also, instead of Yule, let's make it more general and talk about plans for any holiday you celebrate this time of year, whether it be the Winter Solstice, Yule, Christmas, Hanukkah, the Poseideia, the Lesser Dionysia, etc.

So what are you up to this year?

I'm getting more into secular "Christmas" this year. I bought a few decorations, including a little artificial tree, and I'm looking forward to listening to Christmas carols, though I'm holding off until December to add them on to my iPod. Religiously, I follow gods from warm climates, so I'm never really sure what to do about a winter holiday, though it's not like Jesus came from a cold climate, either. I do like the concept of bringing symbols of life and fertility into the home during the darkest, coldest time of year. I'll probably connect it to Dionysus, and/or Isis/Hathor giving birth to the sun. I will also probably go to a high Anglican midnight mass, and I might even do church on Christmas day as well. I'm a sucker for tradition, no matter the religion.

 
This year I'm making a concentrated effort to not hate Christmas. I spent probably a decade in retail, and unless you're one of those people who truly loves the holiday season with a childlike joy, doing that will sour you pretty quickly. As another result of this tour of duty, I loathe Christmas music. Like... I want to stab my eardrums out when it plays, with the exception of Carol of the Bells and Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight Tonight) by the Ramones. Everything else just... ughhhhhh flashbacks noooo. I can't even entirely enjoy the HP Lovecraft Historical Society Scary Little Solstice album - one listen through and I'm done.

But goddammit, I'm gonna try. I'm putting together a Solstice-y music playlist to combat the aforementioned hated carols, and I plan to get a tree of some kind. In my entire adult life I've never had a tree. It'll probably be a wee one, so I can put it out of the reach of the hideous goblin cat. Failing that... I dunno, a wreath or something. Something seasonal! My sister and I always trade gifts on the solstice, so we'll do that as usual. I waned to finally try the Up All Night here at TC, but I have work the next day so it's unlikely I'll manage it. I'll definitely do something to mark the night, however.

Thankfully I've ducked out of Christmas dinner with my extended family, so this year it will just be my sister and I since her man is off with his own kin. I'm going to eat too much, drink too much, and then get up on Boxing Day for waffles at some friends' houses. With mimosas.

Queen of Wands

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Re: Winter Holiday Plans
« Reply #3 on: November 20, 2014, 10:22:54 am »
Quote from: Jenett;165782
I've gotten in the habit of doing the Up All Night for the solstice - it's a good fit with some of my personal practice that has gotten more celestial in direction over the past five years or so, and honouring the longest night matters.


 
This will be my first year doing Up All Night!


I am currently living with my parents, so I will be home for Christmas - and I'm really hoping that it is not a disaster like last year. Fingers crossed. I love Christmas :(

I hope I will be working a lot, now that I am newly employed but I also hope that my new work schedule doesn't interfere with Yule and Christmas and New Year's Eve.

Louisvillian

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Re: Winter Holiday Plans
« Reply #4 on: November 20, 2014, 01:39:27 pm »
Quote from: Nyktelios;165777
So what are you up to this year?

I've relatively recently placed myself on a syncretic recon path, so I'll see how that goes. December's a pretty rich month for festivals, for me, as although I am primarily a Hellenistic reconstructionist, I do separately worship Roman and Gaelic gods. My way of planning out my liturgical year is pretty idiosyncratic, and draws from several sources rather than going straight with what one group suggests.

So, for Poseidea and Haloa: sacrificial rituals to Poseidon and Demeter, respectively; this will probably be more of a "just me" thing, less of a household celebration. Same with my monthly libation, which in December will be to Dionysos. Pretty simple stuff, but still part of the festive season. In the same vein, on the day of the full and new moons I'll do some personal rituals to honour the gods of my ancestors.

Now, Saturnalia is a different story. That will be the major celebration for our household. A week-long festivity leading up to Brumalia on the 24th, a feast in honour of Sol Invictus on the 25th, and a feast in honour of Heracles on the 26th. My interest and care for Christmas has waned, and I never really felt in-tune with Yule back when I was Wiccan. So I'm making the Roman winter festival my main thing for December.

As far as purely secular festivities go, yeah, the wife and I will still go to see our folks for Christmas. But it's a waning tradition. My mom is getting tired of the Christmas season, and dislikes making family dinner plans; my grandparents are old and doddering, so they can't host family dinners like they used to; and my in-laws are just so bland and...normal. Eurgh.

Altair

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Re: Winter Holiday Plans
« Reply #5 on: November 20, 2014, 03:07:26 pm »
Quote from: Nyktelios;165777
So what are you up to this year?

Besides Up All Night, just my totally nonreligious family's nonreligious Xmas celebration--a blizzard of wrapping paper torn off too many gifts, and Xmas dinner. I'm too busy for much else, since my first-ever self-published book (my first-ever book, period) is slated for a Dec. 21 release. (Yes, I will trumpet it loudly when it happens!)
« Last Edit: November 20, 2014, 03:08:21 pm by Altair »
The first song sets the wheel in motion / The second is a song of love / The third song tells of Her devotion / The fourth cries joy from the sky above
The fifth song binds our fate to silence / and bids us live each moment well / The sixth unleashes rage and violence / The seventh song has truth to tell
The last song echoes through the ages / to ask its question all night long / And close the circle on these pages / These, the metamythos songs

Mountain Cat

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Re: Winter Holiday Plans
« Reply #6 on: November 20, 2014, 04:41:35 pm »
Quote from: Nyktelios;165777


So what are you up to this year?


This will be my first time celebrating a pagan holiday, and it will be a Winter Solstice celecration. I'm the only non-atheist in the family, so it will be a quiet ritual marking the longest night. Maybe I'll make a mini-feast to go with it. Or at least some cookies and tea.

I'm a bit worried that it will feel awkward and empty, since it is my first, and it'll be alone. But I'll invite my cats. :)

After that, I'm hoping for a big secular Santa-based Christmas. At least that's the plan. I always worry so much over the holidays.

Sefiru

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Re: Winter Holiday Plans
« Reply #7 on: November 20, 2014, 06:58:42 pm »
Quote from: Mama Fortuna;165790

I'm gonna try. I'm putting together a Solstice-y music playlist to combat the aforementioned hated carols


Have you taken a look at carols from other languages/countries? (Such as , , or ?)

For myself, I mostly do secular christmas as a family thing and an excuse to decorate the sh*t out of my living space with sparkly ornaments. And cookies, of course.
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Valeria Crowe

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Re: Winter Holiday Plans
« Reply #8 on: November 20, 2014, 07:15:03 pm »
Quote from: Nyktelios;165777
I know there is already a thread about how people celebrate Yule, but it's old and maybe things have changed since then. Also, instead of Yule, let's make it more general and talk about plans for any holiday you celebrate this time of year, whether it be the Winter Solstice, Yule, Christmas, Hanukkah, the Poseideia, the Lesser Dionysia, etc.

So what are you up to this year?

.

 
A general ritual to honor the gods on Midwinter, probably at night. Incense, ritual dancing (I'm getting into that), libations, proxy-sacrifices (sacrificing effigies of people who bloody well deserve it: fundamentalist hate-mongers, terrorist mass-murderers, Justin Bieber), meditation...

My parents celebrate a very secular christmas, so I'll make the traditional big meal with lots of sugary treats into a sacrifice to Slaanesh.

And I swear I'll steal mother's copy of the Maine fucking Childrens Choir christmas CD and sacrifice it. I didn't even know it was possible to create music that is displeasing to Slaanesh, but that crap truly is!
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Emma Eldritch

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Re: Winter Holiday Plans
« Reply #9 on: November 20, 2014, 09:57:41 pm »
Quote from: Sefiru;165815
Have you taken a look at carols from other languages/countries? (Such as , , or ?)

For myself, I mostly do secular christmas as a family thing and an excuse to decorate the sh*t out of my living space with sparkly ornaments. And cookies, of course.

 
Some! I think I just like, sense the good will in some of them and flee or something.

God I love sparklies.

Altair

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Re: Winter Holiday Plans
« Reply #10 on: November 21, 2014, 11:52:26 am »
Quote from: Mountain Cat;165813
This will be my first time celebrating a pagan holiday, and it will be a Winter Solstice celecration. I'm the only non-atheist in the family, so it will be a quiet ritual marking the longest night. Maybe I'll make a mini-feast to go with it. Or at least some cookies and tea.

I'm a bit worried that it will feel awkward and empty, since it is my first, and it'll be alone.  


We here at the Cauldron can provide cybercompanionship at least! Drop in on solstice night to our Up All Night thread, and we'll help you get rid of any awkward or empty feelings right quick.
The first song sets the wheel in motion / The second is a song of love / The third song tells of Her devotion / The fourth cries joy from the sky above
The fifth song binds our fate to silence / and bids us live each moment well / The sixth unleashes rage and violence / The seventh song has truth to tell
The last song echoes through the ages / to ask its question all night long / And close the circle on these pages / These, the metamythos songs

Nyktelios

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Re: Winter Holiday Plans
« Reply #11 on: November 21, 2014, 03:44:19 pm »
Quote from: Mountain Cat;165813
This will be my first time celebrating a pagan holiday, and it will be a Winter Solstice celecration.

 
I was just thinking that the Winter Solstice was the first holiday I celebrated as a pagan too. It was actually really nice, even though I was on my own. The appeal of secular Christmas is more for children, as it revolves around presents, so the holiday was pretty empty for me then, as an angsty teenager frustrated with society's commercialism. Having religious associations with it, even just in the generic sense of it being the rebirth of the sun after the longest night of the year, brought the holiday season back to life for me.

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Re: Winter Holiday Plans
« Reply #12 on: November 21, 2014, 06:03:25 pm »
Quote from: Nyktelios;165777
I know there is already a thread about how people celebrate Yule, but it's old and maybe things have changed since then. Also, instead of Yule, let's make it more general and talk about plans for any holiday you celebrate this time of year, whether it be the Winter Solstice, Yule, Christmas, Hanukkah, the Poseideia, the Lesser Dionysia, etc.

So what are you up to this year?

I'm getting more into secular "Christmas" this year. I bought a few decorations, including a little artificial tree, and I'm looking forward to listening to Christmas carols, though I'm holding off until December to add them on to my iPod. Religiously, I follow gods from warm climates, so I'm never really sure what to do about a winter holiday, though it's not like Jesus came from a cold climate, either. I do like the concept of bringing symbols of life and fertility into the home during the darkest, coldest time of year. I'll probably connect it to Dionysus, and/or Isis/Hathor giving birth to the sun. I will also probably go to a high Anglican midnight mass, and I might even do church on Christmas day as well. I'm a sucker for tradition, no matter the religion.
I'm doing the traditional gift giving thing, and Christmas morning with in-laws / afternoon with my family, but I'm also throwing an ugly sweater party the day after (the 26th). I'm looking forward to that the most.
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Mountain Cat

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Re: Winter Holiday Plans
« Reply #13 on: November 21, 2014, 11:05:40 pm »
Quote from: Altair;165854
We here at the Cauldron can provide cybercompanionship at least! Drop in on solstice night to our Up All Night thread, and we'll help you get rid of any awkward or empty feelings right quick.

 

I saw that thread. What a cool idea! Thanks for the invite. I'll check it out. I was thinking about it anyways, but not feeling sure what the social norms are here, so I thought I'd lurk around. It would be cool to talk with people that night. :)

Caffeinated Autumn

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Re: Winter Holiday Plans
« Reply #14 on: November 22, 2014, 12:29:23 am »
Quote from: Nyktelios;165777


So what are you up to this year?

 

I'm gonna do a special Yule ritual this year complete with special cookies and stuff like that. I'm also planning to do the Up All Night thing on here after my ritual. Lets see how long I last before I fall asleep ha ha.

For Christmas, I don't start doing Christmas-y things until Thanksgiving or after. I plan to decorate my room a bit with paper decorations. Childish, I know, but I miss cutting out snow flakes and putting them in the windows!

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