Christmas Morning
[tag]Christmas[/tag] was just wonderful. My stepdad was visiting from Texas, and it was his first time seeing the house. I loved having up in Mass, we had a lot of fun. So I thought I would share the pics from Christmas morning. We all got some amazing [tag]gifts[/tag] and since I was the only one who took any pictures, there aren’t very many pictures and of course plenty of great things did not get captured. Well, that is what you get for leaving the photo taking to one person who isnt very good about taking photos!
Santa was generous and so were friends and [tag]family[/tag]. I can say that we all loved everything we got, it was a good christmas with friends family and great gifts and food!
Happy Jesus Circumsion Day aka. New Year!
In my unending attempts at collecting useless knowledge, which usually maintain a historical slant, I discovered something new. Well not really new, if history is accurate this little fact is actually 2008 years old. But it is new to me and one I have NEVER even heard the smallest suggestion by even the devoutest of Catholics.
In an attempt to be politically correct, something my friend Velvet Verbosity will smack me across the face for even suggesting as a behavior modification, I may have stumbled across an even more controversial salutation.? Happy Jesus’ Bris Day or Happ Jesus’ [tag]Circumcision[/tag] Day for those not hip to the Hebrew.
What is amazing is that I never made this connection. I feel like we get so caught up in the hullabaloo of Christmas that we forget to take the religion out of it or at least take the Christianity out of it.
[tag]Christmas[/tag] is supposed to be the celebration of Christs birth.? Argue this or not, it doesn’t really matter because societally we celebrate this day for this reason (at least theoretically).? I know that many of us celebrate Christmas for the family tradition or the gifts or because we like the pretty tree or because it is simply habit, and really what else would we do on this day.? Well, again, I guess we could go ask a Jew or a Buddhist…but then I know a lot of Jews (and Buddhists) who participate in Christmas as well. What I am trying to illustrate is how ingrained into American culture is the? celebration of Christmas.? There are businesses who make their money for the entire year in this one season. The biggest shopping day of the year, black Friday, is in preparation for Christmas.? The reason black Friday is named as such is it puts all accounting back into the black (or positive cash flow, for those of us who aren’t in school for an MBA or are not accountants or have never opened QuickBooks).
When was the last time you thought about what [tag]Jesus[/tag]’ birth was like. Yes, we know about the stable and camels and wise men and the star and the hay and all the animals and the manger and blah blah blah. You can’t drive past a town center without seeing that little scene played out like the stork just dropped him in that manger instead of Mary struggling through hours and hours of hard labor. That angelic glow she has, that is really just all the sweat of 18 hours of labor in a barn with no epidural.
Anyway, so there is Mary and Joseph and their crew of animal hospital staff and she gives birth to a baby boy.? Lets not forget, Jesus is a Jew.? What are the traditions that follow the birth of a son in a Jewish family?? On the eighth day there is a Bris, a ritual circumcision performed by a [tag]Rabbi[/tag]. This tradition originates from Gods covenant with Abraham. Why I never thought that Jesus would have a Bris, I don’t know.? Beyond that, this is Jesus we are talking about, of course that day would have to be recognized. ? This is not the only reason for New Years, but it is one of them. I always suspected that [tag]New Years[/tag] had Christian ties, or in this case Jewish ties.? And what is a better way to celebrate than put on silly hats, drink copious quantities of alcohol, smoke too much, eat too much, watch a big ball covered in lights drop to the ground and smooch someone to scream HAPPY BRIS! to the world.
Holidays | Comments (6)Biggotry is a symptom of the season
I have spent a large part of my adult life studying [tag]racism[/tag] and [tag]bigotry[/tag]. I was an American Studies Major with a focus on 19th century race relations. I know, most everyone asks me if that has been applicable at all in my career. Of course it has. The 19th century helped form the basis of race and racism in the the United States, and that is always applicable no matter what you do. Anyway, being an “out” [tag]pagan[/tag] for 11 years I have come across many anti-pagan sentiments. From the personal attack of informing me of my impending stay in hell to an entire parade in [tag]Salem[/tag], MA informing me of my impending stay in hell, I have always tried to roll that prejudice off my back. But it isn’t always easy, or sometimes it is too easy. It lends the question, what should we fight against and what should be ignore?
The going to hell theme is pretty prevalent. I personally don’t see why it bothers people so much. Why should I be concerned that you think I am going to hell? Not only do I not believe I am going to hell, I don’t believe in hell; at least not in the way you do. I do believe that we all walk the path that is relevant to us, but that we also have the same end result (more or less). So pray for my soul if you want to, I will always accept positive spiritual energy being sent my way. I mean that in all sincerity. But why is this idea so threatening to you? (By “you” I mean those who follow this belief structure)
I have had hours of conversation, heated and casual, with friends and family educating them on how I don’t worship the devil or sacrifice small animals and explaining that being Pagan (more specifically [tag]Celtic[/tag]) is a nature loving spiritual path that walks a pre-Christian tradition. It is that last little detail that seems to stick in people craw. Pre-Christian, what does that even mean? In a world so dominated by the old testament (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) it is hard to imagine an religion that existed before the names Adam and Eve were ever picked out of the “Most Popular Names in the Garden of Eden” baby book. More significantly, it is hard to imagine that those religions could possibly still exist, surviving the Age of Enlightenment, the Crusades and the [tag]Witch Trials[/tag]. But they do, very actively, all over the world. Our traditions are not only alive and well within these old followers, but exist in various form within other religions (though they don’t necessarily like to admit that, we often take pride in it).
But despite thousands of years of pluralizing God, saying hello to the Goddess moon and literally hugging trees, our ways of meditation and healing still seem to threaten people. A fact of which I was recently reminded.
It wasn’t anything big. It wasn’t anything overt or even direct. It was passive bigotry at its finest. It was a moment where the full meaning of what wasn’t said is understood, while you simultaneously wonder did I really hear that? Am I reading too much into that? Did that really happen? Maybe I am just misunderstanding? These questions run through your mind, but you know all the answers. You ask the questions more with hope that that is what happened, not what you clearly understand and the not so subtle unspoken message.
It happened in a thirty second conversation. Hello, how are you? They ask for someone else, not rudely they just ask, though without responding to the question nor asking in kind. Sure, let me get them, Merry Christmas. That is when the bomb is dropped. I am pagan, they are Christian and there was an apparent trespass in wishing such felicitations, despite my open enthusiasm and loving meaning behind a frequently used salutation. The response, a short and jaded laugh followed with an articulated Yeah. In my shock I just said ok. It was more of an acknowledgment of what transpired. I hear you. I understand you. I know what you are saying to me. This moment has not gone unnoticed. Then I passed the phone.
Maybe because I was not expecting it, maybe because it was so passive and not an outright informing me of my reservation in hell, maybe because it was someone who I know feels that way but thought civility would always rule out, maybe because sometimes it is easier to let things slide then to confront them head on I let the moment linger in my consciousness for just a minute.
In all my studies, you would think that I would be more prepared. This isn’t the first experience with bigotry I have ever had, nor will it ever be the last, but this was the most subtle from someone I know and I am simultaneously taken aback and unaffected.
Holidays | Comments (3)Yule Celebrations and Halo on Christmas Eve
With a title like that you’d think I was talking about angels and a Christmas miracle. Now some might consider Xbox a miracle…actually I know many that would. I am not particularly of this camp. Though I do like that my partner gets to play online with his brother and best friend in NM, there is a serious addiction problem. But it gives me an excuse to write and do other things with out having any guilt.
Saturday night we celebrated [tag]Yule[/tag]. Some good friends and family were with us while we ate, decorated, opened gifts and wassailed the tree. We lite the [tag]bayberry[/tag] candles for luck and prosperity in the next year. We bought some new ornaments from [tag]Yankee Candle[/tag]. Years ago, at my first [tag]Christmas[/tag] away from my family, Dave and I had no [tag]ornaments[/tag]. So we made our own out of pipe cleaner and tissue paper. It was quite an endearing tree actually, all silver and white. I always think fondly of that tree. Now, every year I buy a few new ornaments for our tree. Is is about 60/40 ornament to pipe cleaner. But we do have a fine looking tree.
I love Yule. It is such a great time to spend with both friends and family. It is one of the things I look forward to the most during the [tag]holiday[/tag] season. After opening the gifts and eating, we wassailed the tree (aka. toasted the tree). I explained the origins of the Yule traditions and we quickly progressed into a discussion of early [tag]Christian[/tag] expansion. This is what happens when you get 3 students, one professor and two academics in a room together.
Tonight is Christmas eve. I have spent the day cooking mashed potatoes (it is spelled with an e right, this isn’t some Dan Quaile-ism stuck in my head), yams, pumpkin pie and cranberries. I wrapped the last of the presents and am now relaxing into the new holiday tradition of [tag]Xbox 360[/tag]. My step-dad (Patrick) and my partner Dave are playing [tag]Halo[/tag]…ah nothing says Christmas like killing aliens on Xbox.
I wish you all a Happy Yule and a Merry Christmas Eve!
100 Word Challenge
As one [tag]100 word challenge[/tag] finishes another begins. Velvet Verbosity passed the torch onto me after her challenge has now completed. She had the them of Holiday Spirit, so I now need a theme. I think I will pick Holiday Nostalgia. So the challenge to you is to write 100 words on something relating to holiday nostalgia. To me this topic can be anything surrounding the holidays that give you the warm fuzzies, whether it is a memory from your childhood, a special ornament, a famous family fight that now brings laughter rather than tears or even a tradition. So write something that gives you the warm fuzzies racing through your body and fills you with that wonderful feeling of nostalgia that seems to have its own soundtrack. The dead line is January 2nd and I will post the entries on my blog. So send me your beautiful words!
This was a video from last year that always gives me that feeling…
From Crackle:
