Quick musings on holiday spirit
Nov. 29th, 2006 11:36 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
beetigerI 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.
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.
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Date: 2006-11-30 03:51 pm (UTC)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.)