Since 911 even Canadians have flags all over the place. Ours and yours!
My tree will be it's usual self of children's homemade ornaments, plus mounds of other stuff. Not a maple leaf in sight.
Don't mind maple-leaf cookies for an autumn snack, though....
Enterprise begins season 2 tonight... I have a class-chat but the guys say they'll tape for me... And Survivor tomorrow night, my tacky self and daughter enjoy that silly show... When oh when will Buffy start??????
I agreed with Bill Maher about a bunch of stuff too. I think the red, white and blue Christmas stuff is crazy... But, also typically American (if some is good, tons of it is better). I think there's a time and place to show your patriotism, but on a holiday such as Christmas/Yule, no, that's not the place.
Soozie - Yep, Jesus predates Santa - but the idea of an "old man winter" does go far, far back to the days of the Holly King, an old Pagan icon for winter.
To me, the thing that bothers me the most is that besides religion being taken out of the holiday, it's that the sentiment's gone. No longer are we thankful to have an abundance of food on a cold winter night, or that we're healthy and together. There's no celebration or acknowledgment of the fact that the worst, darkest nights of winter are now working back to the promise of long summer days again (winter solstice being the longest night of the year). Yea, I'm Pagan and these are the things *I* celebrate so of course not everyone's going to feel the same or mourn the same loss of these ideals, but when Chrismas stuff starts making its' appearance in August/September when we haven't even celebrated the fall equinox - yea, we've lost touch!
Ok, off the Terri....
Besides, Samhain is one of my favorite holidays... I'd like to relish and wallow in IT before diving into Yule!
terrigrrl, Samhain is the Pagan New Year, coinciding with Hallowe'en. It is a time for reflection, and letting go of the old and looking towards the new. It also marks the end of the harvest season, and the death of the God, who will be reborn of the Goddess at Yule, as the cycle continues. Some believe that the veil between this world and the next is at its thinnest and that the departed walk among us. It is common to honor those who have passed into the Summerlands by displaying their photographs on the Pagan alter, and even setting a place at the table for them during the Samhain feast. It is from Samhain that the tradition of carving pumpkins originated. Long ago, however, it was more often turnips that were carved and lit to keep away any evil spirits who might be about that night, with townspeople dressing up in each other's clothes to walk among the visiting departed unnoticed.
Anyone who wants to learn more about Paganism might want to look at http://www.witchvox.com . It is a very in-depth, current site addressing all aspects of Paganism. I don't know if providing a link like that is considered advertising, but if it gets deleted, I'll understand.
Well, I have a permanent filling in that tooth now. Done without any freezing, too. So now that I'm good for a bit before they put a crown on it, my dentist tells me he wants to replace an old filling that I got when I was a teenager. To prevent this scenario from happening again, of course. Yeah, of course.
You know, the whole red, white, and blue thing has been done at Christmas for a long time in the form of Americana decorating. But, I absolutely agree that's it's being pushed too far for all the wrong reasons.
I have to work late tomorrow, but I'm using Survivor as an excuse to go home by 9pm.
Christmas at my house does not involve Santa or religion and I try to avoid the abundance of commercialism.
We have an open house on Christmas Eve where friends and family can just drop in for a visit. We put out a buffet, a bar/drink table and home baked goodies. I sometimes theme it around a country, one year was Italian, one year was Spanish food.
We decorate with fresh pine wreaths tied with festive ribbons.
We don't bother with a tree as we don't have room for one in the apartment. I decorate the table with a pine and holly centrepeice and my Grandmother's brass candlesticks.
The idea is to celebrate our friendships and family ties and truly enjoy what the season represents for us. We don't exchange gifts but our friends are kind enough to bring a bottle of wine or something for the drink table or some treats for everyone to share. We end up having a great time and kick the last few stragglers out at 2am
I have enjoyed so much your stories of how you all celebrate the different holidays. I love learning about different cultures, religions and all that sort of thing. So please keep them coming, and Wildfire thank you for sending the website on Paganism, I am going there now, as I really know nothing at all about it, but am very intersted.
Virginia
Me again,
In your own Pagan words could you describe to me what it means to be a Pagan, are you born into , can you convert, what are your rituals, etc,,, anything. I really am intersted!
Virginia
I love to fill people in a bit - like there is NO satan involved and I'm pretty sure eating children has been outlawed... I know not everyone on this thread is Pagan, so I hope you don't mind me butting in here...
The first thing you'll learn is that if you ask 5 Pagans a question, you're going to get a different answer from each of them - very rarely do we all do everything the same.
In my case, I was raised to learn about all the religions and choose from each what I wanted - then call it my own. Paganism, witchcraft, finding God and Goddess in nature is what came of that. Some people come to Paganism because whatever their previous beliefs they feel like they're missing something - some people combine Pagan beliefs with their current Christian beliefs - it's a "whatever feels right is right for you" religion.
Any religion that is not of Christian origin is considered "Pagan" - witchcraft, druid, asatru, etc. all fall under this term. For the most part, it is a worship of nature, the changing of the seasons and finding the Divine in everything and everyone. Divine for some Pagans also involves both male and female energy. Most also believe in Karma, or what you do to others will come back to you (whether it be 3 times or once is a personal belief). (that's a very brief synopsis of the belief system - there are no books or manuals and everyone can have a different opinion)
Rituals also fall under the 5 different answers catagory. Sometimes I'm alone, sometimes I'm with a group of people I love and trust, sometimes I do absolutely nothing but mentally acknowledge that that needs to be acknowledged and leave it at that. Simply lighting a candle can be a ritual. Oftentimes when I'm with my group it doesn't involve anything formal - we just share in each other's company, talk about why we're together - there's always food and laughter.
I know you have the witchvox site, but there's also paganwiccan.about.com and paganlibrary.com that are very informative. If you have any other questions feel free to PM me - I'm always happy to answer!
Just figured I would pop in and say hi. I am bored out of my mind. I have a ton of stuff to do but I have been watching this last program run for 20 minutes. I can't do anything else until it's done. It just keeps chugging along. And I have a meeting that starts at 5PM!!!!! What kinda stupid thing is that? I am normally home by 4:30. *bangs head against the side of the cube*
Ok I gotta find something else I can do to get my stuff done.
Terri, Thanks so much for filling me in a little bit. I have been reading a bit and will be looking a whole lot more into it. It is fun learning more and sounds like a great way of living life.
Virginia
Hi ladies,
Just thought I would let you Shakespeare fans in on a site I found while trying to educate myself on the finner things of life. It is the Complete works of William Shakespeare. http://the-tech.mit.edu/Shakespeare/
Most of you probably already have the site or have your own copies, however, I just stumbled acrossed it and thought I would share it with you. I am not sure how much of it I will understand but I am going to give it a go. I took only general english in school, to avoid him, and now 18 years later here I am reading his works. Go figure! This forum has really been the best thing I have done for myself in a long long while. You are all a fantastic variety of females, who I am proud to call my online friends. Thanks for all your support.
Virginia
I know we are all adults, but if you want to read some Shakespeare that is still very good, but easier to read - there is a book Tales from Shakespeare by Charles & Mary Lamb. It has about 23 stories in it. It is a kids book, but not a little kids book. It is written as stories instead of plays, but it still uses some of the language. There is no replacement for the plays, but it gives you a great look at the plots. I have a copy of it and a copy of the complete works.
I'm a Pagan too, I love the rythm of the seasons and discovering almost ancient memories as I learn more and more about my chosen path. Samhaine is a time when I reflect on my parents and sister, who are deceased and it is also a time to celebrate those new biths in this year. A time to mourn a little, a time to celebrate too.
Usually at Samhaine I go away for a weekend with my daughter to Womynspirit, but this year we are staying home.
Yule is great too ~ all the traditions are all mixed up with so many Christian ones... I can have a Yule tree and who the heck would know!!
Hi Ladies, Can you believe we're talking about religion and Shakespeare? And that I even learned how to spell Shakespeare?
Does anyone know where our beloved Ellis is? I haven't seen her around for awhile? There are so many threads now that maybe she was headed away somewhere and I missed her announcing it? Or maybe her computer is down? Can one of you Northern chicks go knock on her door and tell her to come out and play, that we miss her?
I am going to the gym today. I am going to the gym today. I am. I am. I am....
Love, Soozie
Hey Soozie,
You sexy hot babe you! Have a great workout at the gym. I really would like to get started at the gym, however, I am working so few hours now that I really can not afford to. Think I will improvise and make up my own routine here at home. Maybe all the Shakespeare talk scared Ellis away, I hope not. Come back to us Ellis.
Virginia
Terri....
I know not everyone on this thread is Pagan, so I hope you don't mind me butting in here... 
squeak
I really would like to get started at the gym, however, I am working so few hours now that I really can not afford to. Think I will improvise and make up my own routine here at home. 
Maybe all the Shakespeare talk scared Ellis away, I hope not. Come back to us Ellis. 
