Quick musings on holiday spirit

[beetiger]

I took Rhys out for a little errand after it got dark this afternoon, over to our local nursery to get pine garland for the house. I pointed out a few of the lit houses in the neighborhood to help him get his eye on for pretty decorations. I told him we were going to decorate in our house, but not with lights or things on the house, just some green things in the house. He seemed a little disappointed, but basically satisfied.

In my world growing up, somehow a big part of being Jewish was actually more being not-Christian than anything else. Philosophically, I'm pagan these days, and bringing Yule into my home with lovely pine roping, and maybe a wreath on the door, seems right. But I could never have a tree in my home, or lights on the outside of the house. Not having those is in my blood still, somehow.

Though once Rhys is old enough to really push me on this, if he does, I'll probably give in. After all, I've kinda sorta secretly wanted to do that since I was about six.

There's a lady in my Fellowship who lights her tree in her home the old German way, with real candles. I hope she invites us to see it again this year. I wish I had the guts, or the skill, to do that.

I've promised myself that I won't go into a mall again between now and New Year's. We ended up there on Black Friday, due to some poor planning I won't get into, and I had a headache and a deep welling anger inside my body within minutes. If I haven't bought a gift for someone yet, I'll be making it or purchasing it online.

Comments

[cktraveler.livejournal.com]

I have experienced what it's like to share a house with a live tree. Even then, I could feel what the tree was feeling. I'm not saying one way or the other, but I honestly don't advise doing it.

On the other hand, I believe you have trees outside that would look fantastic dolled up with lights, and if I recall correctly that is much closer to the original original custom.

Yule Traditions

[sheherazahde.livejournal.com]

My family does the candles on the tree. We also get a white pine. they have sparcer branches so the candles are farther away from anything that can catch fire.

When I was a child the school fire safty lectures had me convinced that our house was going to burn down because of the candles on the tree. I used to pack a bag and leave it by the door just in case. But we never had a fire.

We only light the candles for a few hours when we are siting around singing carols, then we snuff them out.

[kibbles.livejournal.com]

Having kids does make it different, I think.

Plus I sit with having been around big Christmases, and that confuses things.

I'm Quaker, so I don't like holiday fuss, and I like the reasoning behind it.

I have kids, so they like the whole Christmas thing. But this year, without being with family, and in these years since Nana died, I find myself drawn to the traditions of my childhood and want to make a BIGGER fuss.

So for me, I honestly look at holidays as being a community and family bonding experience. Like this past Halloween, a holiday I didn't really fuss over (it was Samhain when I was Pagan and it was just nothing when I wasn't), I had the time of my life sitting outside with my neighbors, smiling at the kids in costume, lighting up the pumpkins, all that stuff. The experience was important more than the trappings, but they offered a light to neighbors that I was part of their community. I feel the lights I may put up will be similar. (My plans for decorating are lighted evergreen garlands, a wreath, and some bows. Probably.)