A Special Cauldron Event, Coming Soon...

[Altair]

We have several traditions here at The Cauldron, but only one involves the sheer madness of sleep deprivation...

Up All Night: A Technopagan Solstice Celebration

It's the one night a year when we all "gather" in this here cyberspace in real time to celebrate as a community that spans the globe. Some of us stay up all night (it being the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, the longest night of the year), reveling or contemplating the return of the light...some of us just stay a while and cheer the insomniacs on...but *everybody* posts in a special thread created just for that night: photos, poems, artwork, links to music or videos or fascinating tidbits, hopes/dreams/fears/crazy ideas/random thoughts...we chat, we chew (chocolate mug cake!)...and in the process we paint a collective picture of the December solstice as experienced by us Cauldronites wherever we are.

Or really, we just party and have a good time!

This year is extra special, because it marks the tenth anniversary of our Up All Night (UAN) celebration

So mark your calendars for the evening of Thursday, December 21, through the night until the sun rises on Friday, December 22. We hope to have some special things for the tenth anniversary, but the most special thing of all would be to have all of you join in.

More info to follow! In the meantime, feel free to share ideas on how to make this milestone anniversary of UAN a standout. (First question: What are your do's and don'ts for staying up all night?)

[Morbid]

So mark your calendars for the evening of Thursday, December 21, through the night until the sun rises on Friday, December 22. We hope to have some special things for the tenth anniversary, but the most special thing of all would be to have all of you join in.

More info to follow! In the meantime, feel free to share ideas on how to make this milestone anniversary of UAN a standout. (First question: What are your do's and don'ts for staying up all night?)

I will have to stop in briefly in the early evening, I have a wedding to attend early the next morning.  It's so unusual for me to be a part of something celebrating life, rather than its counterpart.

[ehbowen]

It's so unusual for me to be a part of something celebrating life, rather than its counterpart.

That's rather morbid.

(Couldn't resist!)

On topic, I'll try to stop in for a while. I usually go to bed about midnight, central time.

[MadZealot]

Or really, we just party and have a good time!

Is it the dark half of the year already?

Shit.

Well, I look forward to spending the darkest night with you fine folks. It'll be fun.

[Morbid]

That's rather morbid.

(Couldn't resist!)

On topic, I'll try to stop in for a while. I usually go to bed about midnight, central time.

Well...  Most of my social life does consist of funerals, burials, memorials, and putting makeup on a dead person.  How do you think I keep up with the rumors around town?  Someone dies, everyone meets up at the funeral to gossip about who is sleeping with who, who is skimming from the charities, etc.  Funerals are a social event, you know, if they're done correctly that is.

[missgraceless]

That's rather morbid.

(Couldn't resist!)

On topic, I'll try to stop in for a while. I usually go to bed about midnight, central time.

Duh-dum, chh!

Hilariously, I believe that night is the night we're looking at driving back up to CT for Christmas. In which case Fiancé will be driving and I'll be playing on my phone. But our dates are unknown yet so I'll let you know.

Edit: phone was dumb and didn't add the quote.

[Jenett]

More info to follow! In the meantime, feel free to share ideas on how to make this milestone anniversary of UAN a standout. (First question: What are your do's and don'ts for staying up all night?)

I have taken the week off work as my winter vacation, which helps with the staying up all night part. (Especially this year, when I have several more days after to get my sleep schedule back to my 'be at work at 7:45am' normality.)

[ehbowen]

I have taken the week off work as my winter vacation, which helps with the staying up all night part. (Especially this year, when I have several more days after to get my sleep schedule back to my 'be at work at 7:45am' normality.)

I just requested the 22nd off as a personal day, so I should have no excuse this year.

[mona lizard]

So mark your calendars for the evening of Thursday, December 21, through the night until the sun rises on Friday, December 22. We hope to have some special things for the tenth anniversary, but the most special thing of all would be to have all of you join in.

More info to follow! In the meantime, feel free to share ideas on how to make this milestone anniversary of UAN a standout. (First question: What are your do's and don'ts for staying up all night?)

I won't be able to join you guys in my timezone but i'll come to cheer on y'all when it's nearly midday where I live! I love the idea of a technopagan festival.
I don't know if it technically counts as a "staying up all night" tip but I fancy a very short power nap every few hours, to make the most of the rest of the night. Fresh air every hour is also crucial to stay in a good mood.

[Altair]

I won't be able to join you guys in my timezone but i'll come to cheer on y'all when it's nearly midday where I live! I love the idea of a technopagan festival.

Mona, you can join in no matter what time zone you're in! In fact, for many of us one of the great pleasures of UAN is getting reports from across the globe, hearing about the impending spread of darkness from others already experiencing it. The thread deliberately launches nearly a full day "early," so that those in the far east of the world can get things going as their night falls.

The same inclusivity goes for hemispheres: there's a solstice south of the equator just as much as north of it. So if you're down there, use UAN to tell us about your summer warmth, so we can live vicariously.

[HarpingHawke]

We have several traditions here at The Cauldron, but only one involves the sheer madness of sleep deprivation...

Up All Night: A Technopagan Solstice Celebration

*waves* I'm still alive! And seriously pumped! This is my favorite holiday (and therefore the only one I celebrate reliably XD). Can't wait to stay up with y'all!

(First question: What are your do's and don'ts for staying up all night?)

- karaoke
- friends (whether in person or on the phone; text chat is lower maintenance and means it's easier to fall asleep)
- comedy and/or horror media
- light exercise and chores

[Altair]

I don't know if it technically counts as a "staying up all night" tip but I fancy a very short power nap every few hours, to make the most of the rest of the night. Fresh air every hour is also crucial to stay in a good mood.

Yes to a nap in the afternoon beforehand; and YES to cold, fresh air! Above all, don't get cozy, or its lights out

[Altair]

*waves* I'm still alive! And seriously pumped! This is my favorite holiday (and therefore the only one I celebrate reliably XD). Can't wait to stay up with y'all!

YAY, HH!

- karaoke
- friends (whether in person or on the phone; text chat is lower maintenance and means it's easier to fall asleep)
- comedy and/or horror media
- light exercise and chores

Good list. There's a karaoke place only 2 blocks from me, so I'll have to try it as a stay-awake technique.

I'll make my annual solstice call to my Zen former college roomie on the west coast...and maybe I'll get TheGreenWizard to hang out for a while. (TGW...?)

Media? Hmmm. If I watch TV or a movie or read a book in the later hours, it puts me to sleep.

But exercise/chores? Great stay-awake move. Speaking of exercise...

DO
Grab a partner and have raucous sex

DON'T
Stay horizontal afterwards. Guaranteed sleep. At least for us guys.

[Naunau]

Up All Night: A Technopagan Solstice Celebration

I can't tell if I'd be unable to this for mental health reasons or it'd cheer me up.

[Chatelaine]

So mark your calendars for the evening of Thursday, December 21, through the night until the sun rises on Friday, December 22. We hope to have some special things for the tenth anniversary, but the most special thing of all would be to have all of you join in.

More info to follow! In the meantime, feel free to share ideas on how to make this milestone anniversary of UAN a standout. (First question: What are your do's and don'ts for staying up all night?)

I plan to go the usual way and be around early in the evening (time zones, yay) and then again early in the morning before work. Dealing with full-on festive retail madness will mandate sleep in between.