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Author Topic: Imbolc Exchange 2017  (Read 3330 times)

Aster Breo

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Imbolc Exchange 2017
« on: January 08, 2017, 04:28:28 pm »
Hi, Cill-Mates.

Is anyone interested in an Imbolc exchange?

I'm VERY late getting started on this, and I apologize for that.  I wasn't able to be on TC for several weeks, thanks to family stuff, but things are settling down a bit now, so I'm back.

And I realized yesterday that I had completely forgotten about the Imbolc exchange.  But it's not too late!  

Please see the info below, and follow the instructions if you want to participate.

For those of you who are new to the cill, we do an annual voluntary gift exchange in celebration of Imbolc.  Here's how it works:  Everyone who is interested in participating PMs me (specific instructions below).  I do a (mostly) random draw to assign each participant a recipient.  (Mostly random because I adjust for people who opt out of international shipping.  Again, specifics below.)  Then, participants make a Brighid's cross and/or a brat and send it to their recipient.  That's it.

I assume most Cill members are familiar with Brighid's cross.  If not, here are a couple of links showing the variety of shapes and designs they are made in, a traditional method for making them, and another method.  Traditionally, Brighid's crosses are made of rushes, but exchange participants have used all sorts of materials, including corn husks, pipe cleaners, yarn, wood, wire, paper, and fabric.

Brats might be a little less well known, so here's what I posted about them previously:

A brat symbolizes Brighid's mantle and is basically any piece of clothing or fabric that is left outside over night on Imbolc Eve (the night of January 31-February1) for Brighid to bless as She visits each family. To be completely clear, this tradition is attested with regard to *Saint* Brigid, not the Goddess Brighid. Which should make sense to anyone who has done any reading on ancient Celtic religion and/or Brighid -- since there is so little extant evidence about the Goddess Brighid or how the Celts worshiped Her or other deities.

However, many of us -- myself included -- have chosen to use information about Saint Brigid to inform our practices honoring the Goddess Brighid. The way I feel about it is that the saint was likely a means to an end; a way for the Irish laypeople (as opposed to priests or monks or nuns) to retain an important and beloved goddess as they moved toward Christianity. That idea can be easily challenged, of course, and there are probably just as many people who think the goddess died with paganism in Ireland and the saint is a completely independent entity.

I've read about different ways to carry out the tradition of leaving a brat out for blessing. There are numerous regional variations on the theme. For example, people who lived on the coast would often leave out the coats worn by the men involved in seafaring. In other places, the brat was simply a handkerchief or just a piece of cloth, pieces of which would be cut or torn off and used throughout the year to foster healing (especially for headaches), ease the pain of childbirth, protect the cattle, etc. In some areas, the brat had to be a specific color or had to be put in a particular place (a bush or just outside the door, f'ex) or had to be brought inside before sunrise, etc. (Sean ODuinn's book, The Rites of Brigid: Goddess and Saint, is the best source I've found for Irish Imbolc traditions.)

The way we -- members of the TC Cill -- have done the Imbolc exchange in the past is to give the sender the option of making a Brighid's cross OR a brat OR both. But it's important to note that the exchange is NOT about spending money. It's about creating and sharing a powerful symbol that is special to us, as Cill-mates.

When I have received a brat, it has usually been knitted or crocheted. I have two that are squares -- like the squares my grandmother crocheted and then put together to make a blanket. I also have one that is a knot, which uses two colors of yarn. I don't knit or crochet (although I'd LOVE to learn -- it's on my 2012 To Do List  ), but other Cill-mates do and can do a better job of describing this kind of brat.

Since I don't knit or crochet, I've had to rely on other materials. And I've also adopted a pretty loose definition of "brat." For the purpose of the exchange, I've sent strips from the very first brat I put out many years ago, squares of cloth with fabric Brighid's cross sewn onto them, even one of those fleece blankets that are knotted together instead of sewn. For my family's personal use, I've put all sorts of things outside to be blessed: scarves, bandanas, hats, pieces of fabric, ribbons, even jewelry. Other people might take a more traditional view of the practice, though, and feel that I'm going too far astray.


The last few years' exchanges went well, so I'm just going to reuse those instructions, modified for later notifications, since we're getting such a late start:

If you want to participate, please PM me BY END-OF-DAY on JANUARY 16 and give me your "real" name and your snail-mail address. Also, note whether you are OK with sending a package to someone in a different country. (That can be important, since the postage on international packages can be significantly higher than on domestic packages.)

In addition to the PM, please post in this thread to let me know you've PMed. That gives me a way to check that I've actually got everyone. After I receive your PM, I will acknowledge it via reply PM.


I know that sounds overly complex, but I've learned from experience that this system will head off problems down the road.

By the end of January 18, I will PM you with your recipient's name and address.

Please EITHER plan to send your package in time for your recipient to receive it on or before January 31 so the recipient can put it out for blessing on Imbolc Eve OR plan to put the materials for your gift out for blessing yourself, and then send it after Imbolc.  Either way, the item will receive Brighid's blessing.

If you plan to ship your gift BEFORE Imbolc, ideally, you should aim to get your package in the mail at least one week before January 31 (by January 24).  So, you could go ahead and start planning and making their crosses and/or brats, so they're ready to go when you get your recipient's contact info.

If you plan to ship your gift AFTER Imbolc, please try to send it by the end of February, so it doesn't get put off indefinitely and then forgotten.


Finally, please remember that this exchange is NOT about spending a lot of money. It's about celebrating together with our Cill-mates and sharing Imbolc with each other. Nobody should feel that they have to spend much money on this project. We strongly encourage using found materials for your cross and/or brat, if possible, and inexpensive materials, if you need to purchase something.

I think that's everything, but if you have questions, please post here and ask.

Let the PMing begin!
"The status is not quo."  ~ Dr. Horrible

Anisaer

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Re: Imbolc Exchange 2017
« Reply #1 on: January 08, 2017, 05:06:37 pm »
Quote from: Aster Breo;201206
Hi, Cill-Mates.

Is anyone interested in an Imbolc exchange?

 
I've PMed you!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Aster Breo

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Re: Imbolc Exchange 2017
« Reply #2 on: January 08, 2017, 11:30:23 pm »
Quote from: Anisaer;201207
I've PMed you!

 
Hi, Anisaer.

I have not received a PM from you.  Please try again!  Or just email me at asterbreo@gmail.com.

Thanks!
"The status is not quo."  ~ Dr. Horrible

Anisaer

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Re: Imbolc Exchange 2017
« Reply #3 on: January 08, 2017, 11:54:30 pm »
Quote from: Aster Breo;201228
Hi, Anisaer.

I have not received a PM from you.  Please try again!  Or just email me at asterbreo@gmail.com.

Thanks!

 
Odd - maybe it doesn't work on Tapatalk? I will just email you instead!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Aster Breo

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Re: Imbolc Exchange 2017
« Reply #4 on: January 09, 2017, 12:11:54 am »
Quote from: Anisaer;201230
Odd - maybe it doesn't work on Tapatalk? I will just email you instead!

 
Possibly. I don't think I've ever had trouble with PMs, but Tapatalk can be very fussy.

I received your email and replied.

Thanks!
"The status is not quo."  ~ Dr. Horrible

Aster Breo

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Re: Imbolc Exchange 2017
« Reply #5 on: January 13, 2017, 05:29:41 pm »
Quote from: Aster Breo;201206
Hi, Cill-Mates.

Is anyone interested in an Imbolc exchange?

(thread bump)

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
"The status is not quo."  ~ Dr. Horrible

Aster Breo

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Re: Imbolc Exchange 2017
« Reply #6 on: January 15, 2017, 11:53:37 am »
Quote from: Aster Breo;201393
(thread bump)

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
(thread bump)

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
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Garnet

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Re: Imbolc Exchange 2017
« Reply #7 on: January 15, 2017, 04:11:53 pm »
Quote from: Aster Breo;201206
Hi, Cill-Mates.

Is anyone interested in an Imbolc exchange?


 
I'm interested and I just PM'ed you. :)

Aster Breo

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Re: Imbolc Exchange 2017
« Reply #8 on: January 16, 2017, 10:56:55 pm »
Quote from: Aster Breo;201206
Hi, Cill-Mates.

Is anyone interested in an Imbolc exchange?

 
Our deadline for the Imbolc exchange was today, but I want to extend it a little, to see if anyone else might be interested.  At this point, there's only 3 of us -- which is fine, of course.  But, if anyone else wants to join in, please let me know by Friday, January 20.

These exchanges are a lot of fun!  I've been doing them for years, and I really cherish the gifts I've received.  I have several truly beautiful crosses and brats, and even some pretty unusual brats including a hand-knit headscarf and handknit fingerless gloves.  I LOVE each gift I've received.

I hope more Cill members will join us.  :)
"The status is not quo."  ~ Dr. Horrible

Morag

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Re: Imbolc Exchange 2017
« Reply #9 on: January 17, 2017, 01:07:43 am »
Quote from: Aster Breo;201502
Our deadline for the Imbolc exchange was today, but I want to extend it a little, to see if anyone else might be interested.  At this point, there's only 3 of us -- which is fine, of course.  But, if anyone else wants to join in, please let me know by Friday, January 20.

These exchanges are a lot of fun!  I've been doing them for years, and I really cherish the gifts I've received.  I have several truly beautiful crosses and brats, and even some pretty unusual brats including a hand-knit headscarf and handknit fingerless gloves.  I LOVE each gift I've received.

I hope more Cill members will join us.  :)

 
I've been waffling on this because of lack of spoons and not knowing when my car is going to be repaired (so, unsure of how quickly I'll be able to get to the post office). (Dear car: windshield wipers are not optional in BC. Get it together.)

So count me in, with the caveat that it's very unlikely I'll get to the post office until a while after Imbolc, possibly mid-to-late-February. I'll be able to leave the brat with the rest of the items I leave out for Imbolc on my shrine (it's indoors, but I believe Brighid comes inside to bless things).

PM has been sent. :)
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rocquelaire

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Re: Imbolc Exchange 2017
« Reply #10 on: January 17, 2017, 04:27:07 am »
Quote from: Aster Breo;201502
Our deadline for the Imbolc exchange was today, but I want to extend it a little, to see if anyone else might be interested.  At this point, there's only 3 of us -- which is fine, of course.  But, if anyone else wants to join in, please let me know by Friday, January 20.

These exchanges are a lot of fun!  I've been doing them for years, and I really cherish the gifts I've received.  I have several truly beautiful crosses and brats, and even some pretty unusual brats including a hand-knit headscarf and handknit fingerless gloves.  I LOVE each gift I've received.

I hope more Cill members will join us.  :)

 
I really love doing the Imbolc exchange and have a special shelf below my shrine for the gifts I've received from my Cill mates.

I didn't sign up initially because I'm so swamped just now and I wasn't sure I would have the time/energy to make something but when this post came up Brighid gave me a nudge so I'm in. Sending PM now.

Aster Breo

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Re: Imbolc Exchange 2017
« Reply #11 on: January 19, 2017, 01:44:28 am »
Quote from: Aster Breo;201206
Hi, Cill-Mates.

Is anyone interested in an Imbolc exchange?

 
Come on, Cill Mates!  You know you wanna do the Imbolc Exchange.

All the cool kids are doing it! ;)
"The status is not quo."  ~ Dr. Horrible

Aster Breo

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Re: Imbolc Exchange 2017
« Reply #12 on: January 20, 2017, 12:09:23 am »
Quote from: Aster Breo;201206
Hi, Cill-Mates.

Is anyone interested in an Imbolc exchange?

 
One last thread bump.

If you're on the fence about participating in the Imbolc exchange, now's the time to jump off and come play with us!  It's fun!  And you'll get a cool new Brighid's cross or brat in the deal. :)
"The status is not quo."  ~ Dr. Horrible

Aster Breo

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Re: Imbolc Exchange 2017
« Reply #13 on: January 24, 2017, 10:54:14 pm »
Quote from: Aster Breo;201639
One last thread bump.

 
Hi, Exchange Participants.

You all should have received a PM from me, giving you the name and address of your exchange recipients.

If you did NOT get a PM, please let me know by email (asterbreo@gmail.com).

Please remember to get your package in the mail in time to reach your recipient by January 31, so the recipient can put the cross or brat outside for Brighid's blessing over Imbolc night

-- OR --

Hold onto your gift (or the materials, if, like me, you haven't made it yet) and put it out for blessing over Imbolc night, and then send it to your recipient.


Packages should be sent by February 15, and no later than February 28.

Questions?  Post them here or PM me or email.

Happy Imbolc!

~ Aster
"The status is not quo."  ~ Dr. Horrible

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Re: Imbolc Exchange 2017
« Reply #14 on: April 02, 2017, 01:03:56 am »
Quote from: Aster Breo;201639
One last thread bump.
And you'll get a cool new Brighid's cross or brat in the deal. :)


Indeed! Today I got a beautiful handknit cowl and kerchief made by Morag and blessed by Brighid. They are truly lovely. Thank you!

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