Today is the shortest day of the year... and the longest night. It is the first day of Winter. It is the celebration of Yule. It is an acknowledgement of Hope. That Light and Warmth and other good things will always return after the darkness. It is the day that G. and I celebrate as our personal Winter Holiday. In ancient times, this was the festival of the rebirth of the new god and a promise that after today the days would get longer, the nights would get shorter, and warmth and Spring WOULD come.
Yes, secularly we, like so many others, celebrate Christmas. In the United States, Christmas is no longer just a religious holiday. With the gift giving, and Santa, and the decorations... Christmas has become more, and less, than what was originally intended. Everyone takes the pieces and parts of the holiday that works for them. Some embrace the religious parts, and try to ignore how secular it has become... others embrace the secular with it's parties, lights, Santa, and presents and ignore any religious beginnings of the holiday. But, at it's heart, it is still a Winter Holiday.. A celebration of Hope. And every religion/belief system seems to have a celebration of some type that embraces this.
I grew up in the States, and therefore my memories of a Winter Holiday include all of the above. And Christmas itself is as much a melting pot as the United States itself. The Christmas tree is German, and Santa is the culmination of a blend of traditions from many countries. Mistletoe? Druid. Christmas Cards? England. You see what I mean. G. and I will be celebrating with my brother and his family on Christmas Eve at his house. That's the day we all have off together. Christmas Day G. is working so a co-worker can be home with his small children for the Santa Claus ritual <g>.
I think what I'm trying to say is that it doesn't 
matter who you are, or what your core beliefs are... There is a place in the Winter Holidays for all. But, please, take a moment this season, whether you celebrate Kwanzaa, Chanukah, Yule, or Christmas, to remember that the REAL reason for all of these celebrations is to celebrate HOPE in all of its forms.
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Tuesday, December 21, 2004
Celebrations of Light & Hope
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12 comments:
A great IRISH Holiday tradition is the Christmas 7-course meal:
A six-pack and a potato.
What a beautiful message. Thank you for this food for thought!
Vivian
The month of the Oak moon, Winter Solstice, Yule, envokes all sorts of feelings from me, the only one I stuggle the most with is the Santa Claus concept, I've been so unmotivated to go out shopping and such! This is a wonderful entry, beautiful, and a great reminder of what all of this is really supposed to be about. A celebration of things to come, of hope and light. Thank you for the reminder. Now bring on Spring :o)
Rebecca
This was a beautiful entry! I loved it! Very moving!! Do you mind if I share this with others? It's so true!!!! And I read the comment you left in my J, don't worry, stop by whenever, you are busy busy busy! LOL!
Hugs,
Kell
I wish we could take both Santa and Jesus out of the equation so that there could just suddenly exist a Winter holiday where people poked their heads around and noticed that people out there need comfort and fellowship. And we notice that it feels really good to give to and help and encourage the folks who have fallen on bad times. It's amazing that people with those "WWJD" plaques on their walls usually forget that, but they try really hard to get nativity scenes set up in front of the DMV. Merry Everything to you, hon. Russ
I was so moved by your entry. I just had to say thank you.
I also wanted to wish you and G. a wonderful solstice.
Blessed Be
Aurora
like you said in your entry about christmas being celebrated as a combination of traditions from many countries it's also celebrated from many religions all balled up in one and most people having been taught what they have through the generations and not learning by themselves don't even know half the real reasons we have a yuletide celebration, or better known today as christmas. Far as santa goes I like the Italians point of view. What ever the celebration reason I agree let's remember no matter who's version like you say it's it's about hope and new beginnings. Blessed be.
Cindy
The Christmas Season should be a happy, wonderful time, celebrating the birth of Jesus. It has gotten so commercialized and many fail to remember the reason for the season. Sometimes I wish I could take away all the gift giving or at least change it in some way. Great entry!
Very nice. I've been writing Holiday Trivia entries for my journal lately, so holidays have been much on my mind. I have found it's a lot easier for me to write about Christmas, with its huge accumulation of traditions and history and lore, than to write good Solstice, Yule, and Hanukkah entries. But I've tried! In the research, I've found some good sites that promote interdenominational tolerance and the celebration of diversity. Good on them! - Karen
http://journals.aol.com/mavarin/MusingsfromMavarin/entries/1451
I hope you had a most blesssed Yule and join you in celebrating a seaon of hope. The Wheel has once again turned driving the circle around. As the light grows, so may our hope and joy! Thank you for your beautiful entry. Blessed Be, Aryanna
Such a nice entry.
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