Plus Two Leads Worldwide, and a Nickel’s Worth of Free Advice.

We are pleased to have not one but two circles celebrating the Spring Equinox (called “Ostarra” by many Pagans). They are both indoors, and in the Rochester area that’s important this time of year! They are also both on this coming Saturday, March 20^th in the City of Rochester at Psychic’s Thyme 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm, and the second one, in Williamson, starts at 7:00, so, technically, if you really want to be a road warrior, MapQuest does say it’s precisely a 35 minute drive… not recommended, though.

Psychic’s Thyme Ostarra Celebration
Saturday, March 20, 2010: 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Psychic’s Thyme
439 Monroe Avenue
Rochester, NY 14607

The first one, which is within to the city of Rochester, is held at Psychic’s thyme (“Char’s Place!”) at 439 Monroe Avenue. While your friendly neighborhood clergy can not claim that either Rev. Adrian or I have worked with the high priest that’s scheduled to lead this ritual (Doug Gill), Char and her shop have stood as one of the pillars of the local Pagan community for a long time. Char herself is an out-loud-and-proud Pagan and active supporter of Second Chance Pet Rescue (Warning: her shop contains several kitties, all of which will want to be your friend!). When a shop is this public and active in the community, several folks need to come together for it to work. Even though it would be silly for us to clam to know every single person who has lead a ritual through Psychic’s Thyme, Char has always come across as very sober, reasonable, and knowledgeable in any of our dealings with her.

Details about the Psychic’s thyme Ostarra Celebration can be found by clicking here.

For more about Psychics Thyme, please click here.

Spark of Divinity Ostarra Celebration
Saturday, March 20, 2010: 7:00 pm
Meddy’s Musings
4122 Main St
Williamson, NY 14589

The second circle is at a lovely, cozy small-town church that had us at “hello,” and in spite of the half-hour drive from Rochester, both the Rev. Adrian and I have found that the Spark of Divinity Congregation in Williamson, NY is where we go when we need to just sit quietly in the audience and re-charge our own batteries. They hold a weekly Sunday service, open to all regardless of belief or practice, with healing and spiritual messaging as regular weekly elements (features?) in the service. While some seasoned Pagans will find mediumship yesterday’s news (many Witches claim it’s vital as part of the “advanced course” in Witchcraft), the less experienced Pagans may be in for a surprise or two, as both Jeff and Meddy, along with many members of their congregation, have this skill and are willing to share their “Gifts of Spirit,” and share their teaching and guidance with the willing. The shop, “Meddy’s Musings,” and the conjoined “Ushered Path Wellness Center,” will be celebrating their third anniversary earlier in the day from 11 am to 5 pm.

Even though the Sunday service is open, accepting, and very interfaith, I have no worries: these folks are very knowledgeable about all things Pagan/ Witchy/ Native/ magickal/ etc, and I have no doubt their Ostarra will rock the house just as hard as if all they ever practiced was Pagan.

For more about Meddy’s musings and the Spark of Divinity Congregation, please click here. Their calendar (which is full of great events!) can be found here.

Worldwide:

If you are not in the local area, there are several ways to find groups close to you. Witchvox has an exhaustive list, separated into what the group’s focus is, what type of group it is, and more, hopefully giving a better idea of what a new participant is likely to experience. The Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPS) is a nation-wide umbrella group, dedicated to recognizing “Pagan paths as a valid expression of spirituality and a legitimate path to religious truth for individuals,” with all the clout of the (much larger) Unitarian Universalist Association to back it up.

Afterward:

When deciding if a new group is right for you, I would advise anybody to contact the group’s liason ahead of time, speak with them, and consider a first meeting or an “open” or “public” circle (such as one of those described above) while  maintaining an open mind.  This is a great way to get a better idea for the sort of group we’re talking about.  A look at the categories available on Witchvox reveals a dizzying array of choices, and each of them is perfectly valid for somebody. After all, somebody put the required time and energy into writing up that page, creating that entry, and flying it up the flagpole on a witchy website, risking flame-wars from a community that doesn’t suffer fools well.

With that understanding,  please do not feel intimidated into being silent and not asking questions! As long as those questions are presented in an open and respectful manner (preferably BEFORE or AFTER the circle, so as to cause minimal disruption), the high priestess or priest (HP) should have no difficulty answering “why we did it this way.”

Beliefs can be dearly held, precious things that we’re wiling to protect and defend with our lives, so please remember a little compassion can go a long way. Even if the best answer they can give is , “because the big, blue book said so,” that’s not necessarily wrong, but this is an indicator of the nature of the HP who will be leading these rituals, their level of experience within the Craft, and their thought process. Do you enjoy working this way, or would you prefer something else?

Many Pagans in my experience come to eventually work very deep, personal magic with their coven-mates, and this creates strong ties. These strong ties create lasting friendships, and we regularly hear our friends in various Pagan circles to refer to each other as “families,” using familial titles (such as “brother” or ”sister”) within the group. Can you see these folks becoming a sort of family over time? Do you “click” together, or do they annoy you?

Do not feel the need to “force it.” If you do not feel comfortable, welcome, or safe, there are plenty of other fish in the sea, and plenty of non-toxic groups!  Feel free to write to us if you have concerns or questions or concerns:

adrian@churchofancientpaths.com
tracie@churchofancientpaths.com

(Of course, spring has so much magic all on its own that our solitary practitioner friends will have plenty of energy to work with all by themselves… and they’ll swear this suits them just fine!)

Regardless of how or where you celebrate, Blessed Ostarra!

Hearing the One Voice (originally posted at http://www.dailyom.com,reprinted here for not-for-profit educational purposes only.)

Gathering in a circle is the perfect container to hear our truths as there are no hard edges, only endless support.

When we sit in a circle together and share our thoughts and feelings, we participate in a powerful, unifying practice whose origins stem from the very beginning of human time. All early cultures practiced some form of this ritual, which gives each individual in the group a voice, and at the same time reveals the one voice, and the ultimate unity, of the group. This profound and simple way of talking and listening has experienced a modern rebirth in counseling, social work, and spirituality.

Most circles benefit from the presence of a leader who opens the circle by calling in angels, spirit guides, and ancestors—beings of light who will be present with those taking counsel. The leader may announce a theme for the circle, or one may simply evolve from the unstructured expressions of each participant. The circle continues for as long as feels right, at which point the leader may summarize what has been said, perhaps leading everyone in a moment of silence before the circle disbands. One of the most powerful components of this work is the talking stick, which can be any object—a crystal, a flower, or a candle—that is passed around the circle from person to person. The person holding the object speaks until he has fully expressed his feelings, and no one else interjects, interrupts, or even responds until they are holding the stick. This enables people who have a hard time speaking out to express long buried feelings and points of view. This is powerful because in a! community it is often what is not said or acknowledged that causes the most pain and suffering.

The circle, which contains no hard edges or angles, is the ideal container for these difficult truths. As we hear the many perspectives the subject at hand inspires, we begin to see that our individual truth is just one of many. Our own hard edges begin to soften as the circle flows from one person to the next, and each wave of words cleanses us of one more layer of mental and emotional armor, freeing us to be closer to the people around us. Try using counsel during your next family meeting, school class, or any setting where you feel a centering communication method is needed.

Daily Spiritual Practice is a crucial part of the journey to the Divine. Thousands of books have been written on this subject, and how everything from washing dishes to cleaning the bathroom can be a part of Daily Practice. One valuable piece of advice I heard while studying Celtic Shamanism was to say “Grace”, a blessing of gratitude for the meal, every day, at every meal, as part of daily practice. At the very least, this connects you with the divine an average of three times a day. This brings a “mindfulness” to the meal, an awareness that by taking nourishment into our bodies we join in a kind of sacred communion with the Earth that brought forth that food, and the beings who gave their lives so that we might continue ours.

The sacred practice of “mindfulness” is the cornerstone of many paths to spiritual enlightenment. The 2006 Random House Unabridged Dictionary defines “mindful” as “attentive, aware, or careful (usually fol. by of): mindful of one’s responsibilities.” The practice of doing all things with a sacred intent has been vital to the teachings of many modern-day gurus, including Titch Nat Han and Ram Dass.

Achieving mindfulness through saying grace can be as simple as bowing the head in silent reverence for a moment, or ad enduring as an entire “silent meal.” (Imagine an entire dining hall filled with people eating in silent mindfulness!) However, the basic “Grace” has an enduring charm. It’s simple enough for a child to learn, it often rhymes, and it tends to get to the point.

The shortest Grace I know of is simply, “Ta, Pa. Amen.” Second place goes to, “Bless the bunch that munch this lunch,” followed very closely by the ever popular, “Good food, Good meat, Good Lord, Let’s eat.”

Graces transcend time and culture, but there are a few favorites which endure. Most of these can be traced to the 1928 and 1979 Episcopal books of common prayer, and the Roman Catholic Church. “Bless us, O Lord, for these, Thy gifts, which we are about to receive…” seems to be the standard for most Catholic families I’ve known, although the variation, “Bless us, O Lord, for these, Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy bounty. Help us to be mindful of all our blessings, and the needs of those who have less,” strikes a cord with me.

The basic Grace my Presbyterian Grandfather used was always, “Father, bless this food we take and bless us all for Jesus sake.” As I’ve researched through various graces, they all seem to follow a similar pattern: Gratitude, request for blessings of food and family, optional request for blessings for others or society at large. Within that framework, there are thousands of variations.

Here follow a few of the ones I particularly enjoyed, although I’m sure you could add a few of your own!

The “Weslyan” Grace
“Be present at our table, Lord!
Be here and everywhere adored.
Thy creatures bless, and grant that we
May strengthened for thy service be.”
(Var: Thy Mercies Bless, and grant that we
May feast in Paradise with Thee.)

“Bless O Lord this food {these gifts} to our use and us to thy loving service; and keep us ever mindful of the needs of others. Amen.”

The classic Grace taught to me as a child begins with:
“God is great, God is good.
Let us thank him for our food.”

However, there is a “Second Verse” I was not aware of, and there are several variations on this.
“By his hands, we are fed.
Let us thank him for our bread.”
-or-
“Gonna thank him mornin’ and night
Gonna thank our God ‘cause he’s out of sight!”

One mother tells of her five-year-old loves to belting out: the song from Walt Disney’s “Johnny Appleseed”:
“The Lord is good to me
and so I thank the Lord
for giving me the things I need
the sun and the rain and the apple seed.
The Lord is good to me!”

Another mother shares this prayer her daughter learned at daycare when she was four. Years later, it is still her favorite.
“Thank you, God, for loving me.
Thank you for my family.
Help me to learn more each day
To be kind at work and play.”

Finally, my personal favorite:
“For all the blessings you’ve bestowed
upon this home and this family,
For the days we’ve had together
and all the days still yet to be,
For all the joys and sorrows too
That bind us each ever closer,
For healing and support we gain
Each to each, unto each other.
For victories that bring us strength
For all the trials we’ve overcome,
Teaching we can do no great things,
Only the small things with great love,

We thank you. Amen”

(Original author unknown.)

PAGANUS, EXANIMO
A rebuke, and an invitation

I am a Pagan.
It comes from the Latin, ‘PAGANUS’.
It means simply, “country dweller”,
One who lives close to the Earth,
In harmony with nature, and her cycles of seasons and weather.

I am NOT a be-deviled worshipper of Satan,
Which to me is a demonized construct of the early Christian Church fathers,
An entity who is younger by eons than the Divine Spirit
Who quickens the life of my body
And animates the Universe itself.

I am NOT a godless person, devoid of spirituality, ethics, or moral feeling.
I am NOT a worshipper of “created things”.
I am NOT a “weirdo” who labels myself “religious”,
While having no real depth to my so-called spirituality–
Despite the contrary and zealous assertions of those
Who would force feed me their interpretations of Biblical doctrine
Like bitter castor oil “for my own good.”

No, in fact I connect with the Sacred, with the Divine
Immanent in all things, and I do not worship their material presence alone.
When the Sacred within me communes with the Divine within you,
That Truth and ancient Dance leaves little room for evil, hatred, and intolerance.
Though I daily encounter many who seem more than willing
To assail me with their own loathing, fear, and rejection
Of what they do not understand,
All in the name of One who preached only
Acceptance, compassion, tolerance, and understanding.

For me the Divine can be Goddess,
The Maiden Huntress of forest, field, and hill
The Eternal Mother, whose natural bounty and blessings surround us,
The Ancient Crone who imparts wisdom of ages and healing lore.

For me the Divine can be God,
The Lord of the Dance, the Animals, the Hunt
The Sacred King, whose cyclic end
Renews and rebirths the Land and its people
The Ancient Sage, the Wise Old Man
Who beckons us to greater spiritual understanding.
I am a Pagan.
I honor the earth and the Divine within it.
I decry those practices
Which lead to and perpetuate its devastation and exploitation.

I listen to the ancient music,
Whose strains are yet audible in my modern songs.
It calls me to dance,
With the drumbeat, the pulse of the Earth itself.
My ancestors live again through me.
I follow the Old Ways, and those lost Mysteries surface again,
With new significance for modernity.

I care little if you choose to do as I do.
But talk to me if you will,
If you would understand me and what I represent.
For know this well:
The Old Ways are indeed returning,
And many of us are hearing the call
To follow these ancient Paths once again,
For the answers they provide to questions which burn in our souls.
Some of us have kept these traditions alive in our own families
With varying degrees of secrecy and success.
Others learn from the remnants found in old stories and poems,
And incorporate those remnants into entirely new practices.

Our numbers grow, though we do not proselytize.
Whatever you choose to do, we will not simply go away,
Whether you wish it so or not.
But talk to me if you will.
Let us share our stories with each other
And see what happens next.

Every year at this time, as we approach the cross-quarter of Fall, a tension begins to build among the various paths of Paganism, Christianity in general, and the assorted gods of commercialism.

Halloween is the second biggest holiday in the U.S. For the general sale of goods, it is only beaten by Christmas; there are probably a few more Super Bowl parties than Halloween parties; and it runs a very close second to Easter in candy sales. That last would probably change if chocolate pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns were to come into fashion.

Humans of all ages, whether they admit it or not, love to play “dress-up”. Along comes Halloween with a legitimized excuse and nearly everyone bows to the custom of becoming some else for a night (or two). Never mind that the original purpose was to prevent spirits from recognizing you and following you home – a feat which could could be accomplished by the simple expedient of wearing your clothes turned inside out or backwards when the custom began. For the pagans among us it should probably be noted that the tradition seems to have its roots in medieval Christian superstition regarding “witches, demons and fell (or foul) beasts and spirits” going abroad to do “The Devils work” on the “accursed” night before the Feast of All Saints on November first. That Samhain, a pagan festival celebrated on the night of the cross-quarter between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice, happens by chance to be the night before the feast is, I am sure, simply a matter of coincidence. As time passed, the superstitious tradition combined with a whistling-by-the-graveyard false gaiety. The origins faded, the gaiety became more real, and the whole thing morphed into Halloween (All Hallows Eve) as we know it today.

Interestingly enough, while the Christian superstitions regarding Halloween have been maintained and ritualized, so have the pagan beliefs that the Veil Between the Worlds is so thin that night that those Unseen can cross over to visit or communicate with us on this side. Jack-o-lanterns are carved to either light the way, or frighten away, the Unseen – depending on individual belief and intent. Divinations are performed in a variety of ways. Who has not bobbed for apples at some time in their life? Cauldrons, symbols of the Goddess, bubble and froth with assorted beverages – each a representative of the Drink of the Gods or the Elixir of Life. Assorted haunted entertainment (I saw an ad for a Haunted Pony Ride today), ghost walks, ghost towns, cemetery tours – the list is endless and expanding.

Surrounded by all this in the secular culture we have the assorted religious sects. Christians seem to divide into three general categories. The first, and largest, is made up of those who simply don’t care about any religious aspects or undertones of Halloween. They’re simply out to have fun on a night when the ordinary rules of conduct and propriety are set aside, within limits of course. Soaping windows – OK. Burning down the neighbor’s house down – Not OK. They don’t care, or even know, the marauding bands of costume-clad beggars with their cries of “Trick or Treat” originally represented spirits demanding tribute of some sort in return for not damaging person or property in some way.

The second category of Christians look at the carrying-ons of Halloween with a general distaste and disapproval, usually citing the “pagan origins” as their reason. They do tend to fall along a spectrum. Some turn off their lights and pretend to not be home, some resentfully pass out candy and such, some pass out religious tracts as their offering of a treat. If asked, most will express concern for the morals and/or souls of those celebrating Halloween.

The third, and least numerous group of Christians, agree with Pagans that the Veil is thin that night, but believe that it allows Evil to walk the Earth unchecked and therefore spend much time in prayer for protection of themselves and others they deem worthy. Some gather in churches, others lock themselves away at home. In either case, they are reacting from fear of something they don’t, or can’t, fit into their cosmology.

Pagans tend to fall into broad groups as well. Some consider the secular celebration of Halloween an adequate recognition of Samhain and do nothing farther to mark it. Some use the secular build-up as a forum (or soapbox) to try to educate the public regarding their beliefs and attitudes. Some are offended by Halloween and refuse to participate in the secular traditions, preferring to secret themselves away for their own religious rituals. Most are willing to enjoy Halloween, and later that night celebrate Samhain in their own way.

I am not going to pretend to know what the best response to the energies of the cross-quarter is or should be; whether secular, Pagan, or Christian. My tradition calls for tolerance, understanding and the recognition of Free Will in all beings. Each person is, in their own way, on their own One Right Tree Path toward their own understanding of union with the Divine. However, we each should be aware of the paths and traditions of those around us in the interest of expanding tolerance, understanding, harmony, and ultimately, Love.

May this Season find you walking Your Path with confidence and Divine Love for all beings.

Author: CatDancing
Posted: September 13th. 2009 to the Witche’s Voice
Re-printed for non-commercial educational purposes only

Only a few days ago when I looked out our front door and across the porch the foliage of the pink dogwood, viburnam and yellow twig dogwood was thick and green, obscuring the view to our country road and the hillside beyond. Now, in what seems only an instant, the leaves are beginning to turn shades of yellow and enough have already fallen so that I can get a glimpse of the big oak tree, hickory, sumac and others that border this side of the creek which runs down through the hollow.

In spite of the drought conditions we’ve been experiencing here in east Kentucky for many weeks now, late blooming plants are beginning to put on their early autumn show of color. The domed, dusty raspberry colored flowers of the tall Joe Pye along with the brilliant yellow of goldenrod and the vibrant purple of Iron Weed dot the hillsides and roadways, while here and there remaining cheerful blue corn flowers and little white umbrellas of Queen Anne’s Lace nod in the breeze. In shaded areas the tiny slipper-like spotted blossoms of orange Jewel Weed are everywhere, and occasionally the not as common yellow variety.

With September comes a subtle change in the light and the sun beckons us outside to enjoy the beauty and remaining days of harvest. As the month progresses the nights become suddenly chilled and we cannot fail to see, hear and feel the turning of the wheel within every aspect of nature. Soon, as we celebrate Mabon, we will be at the time of perfect balance of light and dark of Goddess and God.

This season is more than the time bounded by the summer solstice and an equinox. It is a time for taking stock, not only in the sense of the harvest, but in our own lives as well. Author and poet Hal Borland said of autumn that it is a summing up without the finality of year’s end. As summer fades, out thoughts turn more and more to hearth and home, and the slowing of the natural world helps to slow us down as well. Communities take time out for fall festivals and celebrations, giving us a chance to reconnect with friends and neighbors. We are reminded of the blessings of home and family and of the abundance present in our everyday lives.

Mabon brings a quiet, but magickal feeling to autumn and also into our homes. Sometimes called Harvest Home, it is associated with rituals for giving thanks and remembering that we need to make time to share our blessings.

Of all the seasonal and holiday decorating I do, autumn is my favorite! The rich reds, golds, greens and browns we find all around us in nature and the changing leaves can lend a feeling of warmth and intimacy to our surroundings inside as well. Decorate your altars with colored foliage, interesting bare twigs, stones, nuts, gourds, small pumpkins, mums, autumn colored candles (in safe containers of course!) , and other natural items from your particular locale.

This is a wonderful time for spending together as a family or with special friends. Have fun with activities such as nature walks, simple picnics, making corn dollies, popcorn balls, and caramel apples.

As days lengthen there is more time in the evenings for curling up with a good book and a cup of your favorite brew, or to gather the young ones close to hear their favorite stories read.

When we gather our herbs from the garden throughout late summer and fall, we are of course thinking of preserving them for future magickal, medicinal and culinary uses, but what about the stems and twigs? If you have a fireplace or outdoor firepit (or even the occasional campfire) , dry them as well. Herbs such as lemon verbena, lavender, rosemary, lemon balm, sage, oregano, bay, bee balm, etc. can be tied into bundles with raffia or scraps of ribbon and used as wonderfully fragrant fire-starters!

Many of us spend a great deal of time these days during hot weather shut up in air-conditioned homes and offices. When the weather cools enough for windows to be opened again, let the autumn breezes blow through to give your rooms a good airing out before winter comes along to close us in again. You can put your favorite essential oils to use in making your own homemade room sprays. Just combine the following in an empty spray bottle:

about 1/3 cup of vodka (the cheap kind works fine for this) ,
and 3-6 droppers of essential oil (in your favorite combination) .
Shake well then add enough water to finish filling the bottle and shake well again.

This spray lasts longer than most commercially bought ones and can be used once or twice a day on rugs and upholstery, keeping away from glass and windows. You can even make up these sprays with a certain magickal focus if you match the scents to your intent. Try creating special ones for different rooms of the house.

All of the colorful and many-shaped leaves that are in abundance now can serve as a reminder of their magickal importance. Think about pressing and drying them between the pages of books for use in craft projects such as framed leaf collages or to carry as a special amulet. There is much information available in books and on the Internet about the magickal properties and correspondences of various trees.

For instance, Pennsylvania German tradition holds that the five-pointed leaves of most maples resemble the outspread fingers of a hand, and that these five points also represent the five senses. You might also think of this as a reminder of the four elements plus spirit. Among others, oak is sacred to the God and elder to the Goddess. The sometimes three-lobed leaves of sassafras are said to represent the Triple-Goddess, and the lore goes on and on! Leaves can also be dipped quickly into melted paraffin and left to dry on waxed paper. They can then be displayed in bowls or jars.

You can celebrate the abundance of this season with the making of prosperity candles. Choose a pillar candle in a harvest color, and using a stylus or sharp pencil inscribe symbols to represent your intent, such as Fehu, the rune for prosperity. Dress your candle with cinnamon, orange or ginger oil by rubbing rubbing the oil between your palms to warm it and then rubbing it over the candle from bottom to top. Burn your candle on Mabon and then throughout the season to attune to the change of the seasons and bring peace and prosperity.

A wonderful, magickally charged potpourri can be easily made to bring love, protection and prosperity to your home by the following recipe.

Harvest Potpourri

1 ½ cups oak moss
2 cups dried oak leaves
1 ½ cups dried honeysuckle
1 cup lavender buds
1 cup dried rosebuds
1 cup rose petals
¾ cup dried pine needles
2 tablespoons dried crumbled sage
a few bay leaves
a few pieces of dried citrus peel
a few acorns
rose essential oil

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl, sprinkle with the rose oil and toss lightly together with you hands. As you work repeat the following chant. These herbs I combine for protection, to bring love and peace and prosperity. May they bless all those who enter within, and keep us from every adversity.

Pour the potpourri charged with your magickal intent in a decorative bowl and place near the front door. If you wish you can decorate the top with small charms, crystals or pinecones.

Especially during the autumn, one of the things that most speaks of home are the aromas of wonderful things being cooked and baked coming from the kitchen. The following recipe has been in my family for many years and always makes an appearance at our fall and winter family gatherings and celebrations. It will fill your home with the spicy smell of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg and bring the ambiance of the season to all within.

PUMPKIN BREAD

1 ½ cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 2/3 cups flour
½ cup cooking oil
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
½ cup water
nuts, dates or raisins if desired

Sift sugar, soda, baking powder, salt, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and flour into a large mixing bowl. With a spoon make a well in the center. Add oil, eggs, pumpkin and the water. Stir until well mixed. Bake in greased and floured loaf pan (s) at 350 degrees F. for a little less than an hour if making two small loaves, and a little longer if making one large loaf. If adding nuts, dates or raisins, toss them in 2 tablespoons of flour before stirring into batter to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the pans.

Until next time I wish you and those you love many special blessings of the harvest season and wonderful moments to remember.

ABOUT…

CatDancing

Location: Mayking, Kentucky

Bio: CatDancing is a solitary eclectic green/hedge witch practicing in the mountains of eastern Kentucky where she shares a mostly quiet lifestyle with her husband, 5 cats, 4 dogs, 1 ornery goat, and a small flock of hens and noisy roosters! When she is not tending hearth,
home and herb garden she enjoys reading, writing, designing pagan-themed needlework, painting and photography. She is currently the
owner of the ‘Mountain Witch’s Cottage’ group on Yahoo, co-owner
of ‘The Mother’s Magickal Herb Garden’ and moderator of ‘Stormy’s Book of Shadows’, also both on Yahoo. She can be reached at catdancing@fastmail.fm.

“Spirited away, my energy gently glides above the treetops like a down feather blown within the circling wind. Below, I see the quilted workings of Mother Earth in the patches of green grass, freshly plowed ground and fields of grain ready now for the harvest. The air is sweet and cool as it moves round my body and delights me like loving whispers of voices unknown. Faeries dance on wing; their joyous laughter calling my spirit ever on. Reaching down, I try to grasp a bright purple leaf from atop the sugar maple. As my energy moves within the magickal moment, I feel the sun warming me as it moves through the essences of my being, giving glimmers of what possibilities lie just beyond. . .”

So begins Lady Abigail’s “Autumn: The Croning Time.”  For the entire article, please click here to  visit the original post on Witchvox.

By Josie (Baton Rouge, LA)
Posted to The Witches’ Voice, September 13th. 2009

It’s a week before Fall Equinox, one of two days of the year when daylight hours and nighttime hours are equal. After the equinox, the hours of daylight are less than the hours of night. It’s the end of summer in southern Louisiana. Although the days are still warm and the leaves are still green, the morning air is crisp and cool and brings us the promise of cooler days to come.

For Neopagans, the High Day goes by many names. Many call it Mabon, after the Welsh God (Dugan 3) . I’ve heard it referred to as Harvest Home, after the English harvest festival, which originated in the 19th century. Some modern Druids call is Alban Elfed, meaning the Light of Water, because on the Wheel of the Year, Mabon in on the Western spoke and the west is associated with water (The Order of Bards Ovates and Druids) . It is a lesser Sabbat or lesser High Day.
Autumnal Equinox is probably the least emphasized of the 8 Pagan High Days. Not as flashy as Samhain, the third harvest festival, the fall equinox is passed over with little pomp and celebration. Perhaps it is because few myths correspond to the specific date. Perhaps it is overlooked because it is the second of three harvest festivals. Or perhaps we have such a tenuous notion of this day because we have so little historical evidence as to how our Pagan ancestors celebrated it or if they even did acknowledge it. Although we cannot point to a definitive ancient counterpart, it is still a unique date in our Wheel of the Year, offering a theme that should not be overlooked.
What is the theme for this holiday? What do the myths, stories and customs of the present and past tell us about this day? Regardless of whether ancient Pagans celebrated the exact equinox, many Pagan cultures had a harvest festival near this time of the year.
If we look at how this fits into the year in the life of our Pagan ancestors, maybe we can extrapolate the meaning of this oft overlooked holiday. Mabon is the second harvest festival. Whereas Lughnasadh, the first harvest festival, was the celebration of the first grain ripening at the very beginning of the harvest season, by Mabon the harvest is over, the crops are in and the labor is done. If all has gone well, for Mabon we would be thankful that the hard work of harvest is done and give thanks for our full storerooms and the bounty of food we now have. Where Lughnasadh was a more global event with many tribes traveling to central locations to celebrate, I would presume that Mabon was more localized to your tribe and your community. It celebrated how your own community fared.
Even in modern day we see similar celebrations. County fairs are in abundance at the end of harvest season. Even the modern American Thanksgiving is a type of Mabon celebration – family rejoicing over the bounty of their lives together.
How would the harvest-end be treated if the harvest went poorly? One example I found comes from the Ynglinga Saga, the Norse poem written by Snorri Sturluson around 1225. It tells of a time period in Upsal, an area in Eastern Sweden, when there was famine in the land. For the Norse, the autumn festival was ordained by Odin as a time to make sacrifices to the Gods for prosperity for the coming year (MacCulloch 143) .
In the saga, the first year of shortage the people sacrificed oxen, but since the harvest for the following year did not improve, human sacrifices were made the second year. The third year was worse yet, and the chiefs consulted each other on what to do. They decided that the king needed to be sacrificed in order to restore balance to the land. It wasn’t that he was a bad or evil king, but simply that “to bring good seasons to the land” they needed to “sprinkle the stalle (place) of the gods with his blood” (“The Ynglinga Saga”) . He was needed to make the ultimate sacrifice a king can make for the good of his people – his own life.
Through this story we see that, after the harvest was done, a religious celebration was held and, depending upon the success or failure of the harvest, varying degrees offerings were made at the place of the Gods. Maybe if the harvest was good, grain, fruit and mead were offered to the Gods. The offerings would increase in severity if the harvest were poor. The worst of failed harvests called for the king to offer himself for the land.
So, in addition to giving thanks for our good fortune, if need be, Mabon is a time for sacrifice to ensure that the coming year is favorable. Most people in the modern Pagan community shy away from the word sacrifice. Possibly because we were once associated with more nefarious groups who made animal or human sacrifices, sacrifice has gotten an ill-deserved bad rap.
Yet, sacrifice and the more comfortable “offering” are acts of giving up something we value. In our current economic troubling time, the nature of sacrifice should be reexamined. If we find ourselves at Mabon having a bad “harvest, ” sacrificing luxuries and things not needed for survival may be in order. Sacrificing dining out, cable television and buying new clothes may help ensure that next year’s “harvest” is better. Mabon is the time to look at the things in our lives that can be sacrificed so that the future is more prosperous than the present.
To understand sacrifice better, let’s look at the dance the Wiccan God and Goddess perform throughout the Wheel of the Year and see where They are at Mabon. The God is represented as the life of the Sun. At Yule, when the Sun’s strength begins to wax, the Goddess gives birth to the God. By Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year, He is at His peak. By Lughnasadh he wanes. Since by Samhain He is journeying to the land of the dead, with the Autumnal Equinox, when day and light are equal and night begins to wax, it makes sense that Mabon would be the day of His death. His sacrificing Himself so that the land can rest and be reborn anew in Spring, for the good of the Earth and His people, is like the king in Snorri’s saga.
This story teaches us that sacrifices on Mabon are not just for personal gain, but also to help the world be a better place. What can we sacrifice from our lives to make the Earth a better place? We can give time by recycling items instead of throwing things away. We can sacrifice the aesthetics of our lawns by using a mulcher on lawnmowers rather than bagging and throwing away the clippings. We can give up a little comfort by setting the heat and cool of our homes to more moderate temperatures. We can offer up eating meat as often as we do because of the harm the meat industry does to the environment.
I view the Autumn Equinox as a day to celebrate the good things we have received through-out the year, but also as a day to pare down those unnecessary extras to make sure every year the harvest is abundant.

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Footnotes:
Dugan, Ellen. Autumn Equinox. Woodbury: Llewellyn P, 2005.
MacCulloch, J. The Celtic and Scandinavian Religions. London: Constable, 1993.
“The Ynglinga Saga.” February 1999. Sacred-Texts.com. September 10, 2008

Reprinted from the Witches’ Voice for non-commercial, educational purposes only.  Copyright remains with the original author.

Author: Ozark Avalon

From the Witches’ Voice, December 14th. 2008

Redistributed for not-for-profit educational purposes only

Early Solstice Celebration

The original reason for the season is the Winter Solstice. Solstice is a word from the Latin that meaning “stands still.” For six days at this time, the sun appears to stand still on the horizon. This was a time of uncertainty and mystery as people wondered if indeed the sun would return. When it did year and year again, festivals grew up in just about every place and culture. Even today in our modern indoor society the Solstice continues to be a time of celebration across the world. The theme of light emerging from darkness is universal at this time of year.

In primitive societies the priests and shamans were most certainly the astronomers. Knowledge of the mathematical calculations needed to calculate the time of the Solstices would be seen as high magic in these cultures. From New Grange in Ireland to Chaco Canyon in New Mexico, to the great solar temples of Egypt, peoples developed elaborate sacred sites to track the movement of the Sun across the sky and to note the times of the Solstices. Stonehenge is the most famous of the solar calculators and its construction is one of the great unsolved mysteries.

The celebration of Horus or Ra the Sun in ancient Egypt involved decorating with greenery especially palm branches with twelve fronds and directly linked the Sun God to the natural rhythms of the Sun in the sky.

The Solstice time in Babylon was Zagmuk. The Babylonians incorporated their Sun god Marduk who defeated the Monsters of Chaos during this dark and shadowy time. This holiday introduced the idea of the struggle between good and bad; continued today in the magical persona of a Santa Claus who uses the granting of presents or coal and switches to judge children.

The festival of Sacaea continued this theme. The Persians and later the Greeks celebrated the reversal of order that was stirred up by Kallikantzaroi, mischievous imps who roamed about during the twelve days of Sacaea. These imps had a darker side than the elves Santa associates with today.

In Rome the major festival for this time of year was Saturnalia, the birthday of the Roman God Saturn. This festival was celebrated from December 17 – 24. This holiday included pig sacrifice and gift exchange and was followed by the Kalends an early January celebration of the New Year where houses were decorated with greenery and lights. Both of which are usually still up on New Year’s Day in modern America.

The Norse, largely independently arrived at a similar holiday that bears the closest resemblance to the modern celebrations and unlike the Celts and many others, made this a major holiday. We can thank them for the word Yule that still is used interchangeably with Christmas by many contemporary persons. We can also thank them for the traditions of caroling, the Yule log and the first custom of bringing an entire evergreen into the house. It is fitting that this would be a major holiday for those who lived so far north that the winter nights literally swallowed the days in the time directly before Solstice.

Modern Solstice Celebrations

Christmas: The earliest record of a Christmas celebration was in Rome in 336 CE. Pope Liberus in 354 CE placed the holiday on December 25. The Armenian Church still celebrates on Jan 6. The holiday remains an almost universal celebration around the World. Many people participant in the cultural elements of Christmas to a much greater extent than the religious. Unfortunately Christmas has come to represent consumerism in our society with many stores and businesses dependent on large sales this time of year. Many Christians are trying to reestablish the religious aspects of the season by moving away from large scale elaborate gifting and returning to homemade and personal services gifting. Many see this as an environmental imperative as well as a religious one. There is also a movement towards joint celebrations with many other spiritual seasonal celebrations to allow us all to experience the diversity of spiritual experience as well as the Christian teachings of peace and good will towards all.

But even as Christmas seems to be everywhere it is important to remember that other solar festivals remain and new ones have been established.

Pagan Yule: The word Yule is from the Scandinavian word Jul meaning “wheel”. Many pagans honor the turning wheel at this time. Many Wiccans honor the theme from the Celts: they see Yule as the time of battle between the aging Holly King and the young Oak King. Others may use the Greek myth of Persephone and the Underworld to enact the theme of dark giving way to light. Still others see the waning God passing to the waxing Goddess.

For many Wiccans Yule is a lesser Sabot: with Beltane and Samhain being more significant. Common celebrations involve all night bon fires, Yule log rituals, and rituals celebrating the return of the light with large numbers of candles. Drumming, chanting and ecstatic dancing are often a part of these rituals as they tend to be in all Wiccan and Neo-Pagan rituals. Many Norse Pagans or the other hand see Yule as the major festival, a time for swearing oaths, toasting and boasting.

Solstice/ Midwinter Night: Celebrated by many neo-Pagans, New Agers, and even by some atheists we see new traditions are arising out of the old. They may borrow liberally from many older traditions and add to them with new traditions. It may be elaborate ritual or a simple bonfire to celebrate the returning sun. It may have religious or spiritual connotations or it may just be a cultural celebration. People are finding old and new ways to celebrate with friends and family.

Hanukkah (Chanukah) : This eight day festival of lights celebrates a victory by a small Jewish army, led by Judah Maccabee over the Assyrian Greeks in the second century BC. After regaining their right to worship in the temple they had only enough sacred oil to last a short time. Myth has it that the oil miraculously burned for eight days straight. The festival is celebrated by lighting the menorah candles each night until all are lit. Gifts are exchanged and seasonal food shared. Gelt, which is chocolate or real money, is often given. A dreidel or four-sided top is also a popular gift and game to be played. Latkes or potato pancakes are often served.

Kwanzaa. This modern holiday was created in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, an American academic to celebrate the African roots of Afro-Americans. The word is from Swahili and translated to “first fruits.” Seven candles, one black and three each of red and green are lit each night for the seven principles of Kwanzaa. These principles are Unity, Self-determination, Collective work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity and Faith. Other symbols are the colors of red (struggle) black (unity) and green (future) from flag created by Marcus Garvey at the beginning of the century, the unity cup, the candleholder for the candles, which is called the Kinara

Common Elements of Solstice Celebrations

Child of Wonder, Child of Light

A great many of the winter solstice festivals celebrate the birth of a wonder child. The child, especially a magical child represents hope and rebirth embodied.

The child is almost always a male and is often the result of a non-ordinary birth. The divine feminine is usually embodied in the birth and the Madonna/goddess image of fertility is often a part of the symbology.

Osiris, the Egyptian Sun god underwent death, dismemberment and resurrection yearly with the travels of the Sun and the rise and fall of the Nile River and thus the fertility of the area. In his guise as Horus he was the sun as well as the son. Pictured sitting on the lap of his mother Isis, his portrait is very reminiscent of the Christian Madonna with child images and is one of the earliest children of promise.

In ancient Greek myth the son god Attis was born in a cave around the time of Solstice and was the son of the Goddess Cybel or Isis. Attis grew to full strength with the sun and was yearly cut down to be reborn.

While Saturn was the sun god for whom Saturnalia, the great Roman solar festival was celebrated for, another god Mithras who was worshiped well (6th Century BC) before but then contemporarily (second century BC to fifth century CE) with Jesus. Mithras was also born in a cave of a virgin and later went through death and resurrection. Because Mithras was worshiped by Emperor Constantine before his conversation to Christianity he may be a more direct influence on the Christian story as well as the date since Mithras’ birthday was celebrated on December 25.

Even in North American among the Huron along the northern shore of Lake Ontario, a child of wonder named Deganawidah was born of a virgin. This child was sent by the Great Spirit as a messenger to bring peace to humankind. He traveled among the tribes and is credited with founding the Iroquois Confederacy. It is believed that he too will return to Earth at the time of greatest need. This is a clear parallel to the return of King Arthur and the Second Coming of Chris and would indicate that the story is an archetypal myth shared by humans all around the world.

Santa and other Father Winters

Is Santa a Shamanic concept? Many pictures of northern Shaman are very similar to woodland Santas — both ancient and modern. He appears in long fur robes, often with Bells and is often an older man. The Shaman works both in the spiritual realm and in the material sphere. The Shaman climbed the world tree to bring back gifts of spiritual knowledge as well as calling the herds to supply food and materials for the material lives of his people. Often he went up the smoke hole, the early chimney at night probably in trance, possibly with the herd of reindeer that supported his clan.

Like the Shaman, Santa embodies magic and mystery, the spirit of nature as well as universal human values of caring and generosity. The word Shaman is a Siberian word and this is the land of the reindeer. In his Primitive Mythology, Joseph Campbell describes a legendary Shaman who received his enlightenment in the nest of a winged reindeer in a tree, which was thought to reach the heavens.

There were also Goddesses who rode sleighs and delivered gifts. The Norse goddess Freya rode a chariot pulled by stags.

The life and legends of the Christian St. Nickolas continues the magic of the Shaman. As a young man St. Nickolas traveled to the holy land and on his way back was blown around in a storm and ended upon the coast of Lyca near Myra. He went to pray at the nearest church where the bishop was retiring. One member of the convocation (committee) to choose a new Bishop had had a vision that the new Bishop would be coming to the church and his name would be Nickolas. Arriving as he did the boy was made Bishop of Myra. After serving a prison term under the Romans, young St. Nickolas participated in the decision of Pope Liberus to make Dec 25 the official date of the birth of Christ and the celebration of Christmas. He was a generous man who gave much to the poor of Myca through out the year but especially around Christmas. He was also a Christian Shaman whose miracles that lead to his sainthood was bring back to life and form three boys who had been chopped up and boiled in a pot for stealing.

Modern Santas: Our modern image of Santa in a red suit can be traced to Thomas Nast, an amazing commercial artist of the 19th century. He developed Santa for President Lincoln as well as the Donkey and Elephant of the Democrats and Republicans. His illustration was used in New Yorker publication of Clement Moore�s famous poem, T�was the Night Before Christmas.

Coca Cola: Haddon Sunblom popularized most common image of the modern global culture in 1931.

Contemporary Santas: Even today the image of Santa grows and expands to fill hopes and dreams of all children. Modern Santas of all races and nationalities join woodland and other artist Santas to adorn homes and businesses. Woodland Santas stand on store shelves beside Santas who play golf, surf, and just about any activity you can imagine. Some even have electronic movement and sound.

Evergreens: The obvious symbol of eternal life, green when all else is barren and brown. Evergreens were probably held sacred very early in human prehistory. Again the palm fronds in Egypt and the greening during the Kalends are recorded examples.

The Christmas tree: In the sixth century it is said that the Christian St. Boniface cut down a sacred oak to spite local druids. As the tree fell, it crushed everything in its path except one cedar. He declared it a miracle and that the tree belonged to the Christ child. This is often cited as an example of cultural assimilation of Pagan religious symbology for political purposes.

Hanging of the greens: Decorating with evergreens was first noted in Egypt. It was also popular during the roman Saturnalia and Kalends. The Norse also brought in evergreens for decoration during the long snowy winters. Where Christmas is celebrated, the evergreens are often used to mark the start of the season, which is longer than any of the preceding cultures, now beginning shortly after Halloween and withering out sometime in middle January, marked mainly by clearance sales.

Holly: A symbol from the Celts, the male symbol of rebirth is again an evergreen, this time with red berries. A plant of protection, holly is the symbol of the god of the dark year.

Mistletoe: Mistletoe may have first been used in the Greek winter ceremonies. The Norse legend said it was blessed with luck and fertility by the goddess Frigga after Balder, her son, was shot by Loki, the dark and mischievous imp god, with an arrow of mistletoe. Her tears restored him to life and fell also on the mistletoe giving it magical properties. Mistletoe was also sacred to the Druids. As it dried, it became the golden bough, symbolic of both sun and moon, of the male and female mysteries.

Winged Goddesses, Angels and Elves: These range from representations of the Goddess Iris to the Catholic Holy Spirits. From the many spirits of the holy host to Santa�s magical elves these winged fairies bring another element of the mischievous imps to our Solstice season.

Madonna: The female remains firmly in the season, firmly eternal throughout the turning of the wheel, the force of nature herself. Her consort, son, partner going through continual birth and rebirth is the wonder child.

Yule log: This harks back to the importance of fire during the darkness of winter. A whole tree was burned during the Greek festival of Sacaea to scar away the Kallikantzuroi (mischievous imps) . The familiar Yule log was a Norse tradition adopted by the Christians. In early America there was a custom �freedom of the Yule, � a week off for slaves and savants while the Yule log burned. �Firewood as wet as a Yule log� was a saying that this custom generated.

These are many of the ancient legends of the Solstice, which have been important in the development of our modern holiday celebration. As modern spiritual seekers we are borrowing from and saving the old ways while we create new ways. We take what is significant to us and add to it, creating personal, family and community traditions. There are kids, stories, and magick as the Sun and Son once again returns!

Copyright: Rev Rose Wise- part of a developing powerpoint presentation

ABOUT…

Ozark Avalon

Location: Columbia, Missouri

Bio: Rev. Rose is the High Priest of ozark Avalon, a Wiccan Church and land sanctuary in Central Missouri

By  Lori Dake (website is here)
Posted to Witchvox November 30th. 2008
Reprinted for not-for-profit educational purposes only

One of the things I truly enjoy doing is decorating for the Holidays, and the Sunday before Thanksgiving is when I start doing my yearly ritual. It was a lot later when I was growing up, sometimes as late as Christmas Eve, because we always had a real tree, and as you all know, real trees tend to dry out and look rather Charlie Brown-ish if it�s left up too long.

I do miss the wonderful pine smell, but I certainly don�t miss the pine needles all over the floor stabbing my toes, or the resin giving me a terrible rash as I string up the lights, nor do I miss the aftermath of what an urban Pagan apartment dweller is to do with a tree that was cut down for our amusement. So, since we use an artificial tree year after year, I get to decorate mine much earlier, as well as lavishly cover our humble abode in twinkly white lights and pretty red ribbons. So, early decorating is a bit of a tradition I have started, and hey – one of the perks of having your own family is to change things up a bit!

And why do I choose to decorate before Thanksgiving? I means seriously! Don�t we always complain about how the holidays are rolling around earlier and earlier, no thanks to the Big Box stores (and all their evilness!) trying to make a few more dollars? Well, quite frankly, I’m going to be busy preparing Thursday’s feast all this week starting on Monday, since I do prep work like a well-founded catering company! Also, since we run a home business predominantly through eBay, the Dakes will be in a retail full swing, trying to compete with those aforementioned Big Box stores and their incredibly low prices! And, Sunday is Clean Up The House! day around these parts, so this is really the only opportunity I have to decorate before Santa starts to pack up his sleigh. That, and well, decorating, for me at least, is a lot of work – an all-day thing actually! – so I want to enjoy the fruits of my labor for just a little bit longer. But I promise, after New Year�s Day, they really do come down! I swear! Really! No ornaments will be discovered with decorated eggs!

So, with this being the Saturday before, I’ve already started straightening up the living room / warehouse to make room for all the decorations, and I’ve even bought a couple new items for this year’s Yule Diorama, which is my version of the Nativity Scene; I have a wolf and a moose to add! I have such fond memories of playing with the cast of characters as a kid, so I restructured the scene to more accurately reflect my Pagan beliefs.

My husband said if I keep adding onto it, that by the time our son has his own kids, my little “manger scene” is going to take up a whole wall! And since almost all of the pieces in my Yule Diorama were originally intended to be children�s playthings, as opposed to being delicate, hand painted porcelain religious icons to be admired and not touched, I happily welcome the thought of having that wall of critters and magickal creatures readily available for my future grandchildren.

We also break another tradition of throwing ourselves into bankruptcy over buying the biggest and best gifts for extended family and ourselves. My husband�s family is huge, and their tradition is that everyone buys everyone a gift. When his sisters, their husbands, their children and now, their children�s husbands and children are factored in, even token five dollar gifts can easily jack up to over a thousand dollars!

So, in order to still manage to give something to everyone, I also invest a full day of cookie baking, with at least four varieties and a dozen cookies per gift bag. (Yes, that�s a LOT of flour and sugar, but soooo good!) Okay, so we end up looking like cheapskates to some of our wealthier family members, especially when the gifts we get in exchange are pretty darn sweet, but I am at least trying to convey the message we do care and hopefully one day, someone will do the math and realize just how much work and love was put into them all. If anything, I got to make my home smell delicious and was able to sprinkle a little magick into their tummies!

Now, one tradition I have retained intact from childhood is to add at least one new ornament for the tree. For at least the last decade, I’ve been desperately searching for a blue Santa, more like a Father Christmas than the Coca-Cola image people are mostly familiar with, because somehow, it just feel �right��, for lack of a better term. Our tree is very Pagan-ish, but without being blatant or tacky about it, and I feel it reflects our faith as a whole. So, to find that special Santa would be such a wonderful addition to all the birds, bells, stars, icicles, snowflakes and winter woodland creatures that currently adorn our happy little tree, and it would just plain make me happy.

Here�s the way I see it:

Yes, we’re Pagan, yes we celebrate Yule, but yes, we also open presents on Christmas and have no problem calling them Christmas presents. Sure, we also open a special gift at Yule, but just like any religiously blended family, that�s another perk: more presents for the holidays! But no, we do not send out cards that say “Merry Christmas!” on them, unless we specifically know the recipients celebrate the holiday as such.

Oh, and no – I wouldn’t be offended if you or anyone else were to wish me a “Merry Christmas”. I know a couple times, people have tap-danced around that term, and it always came off as rather awkward, even in email form. I was able to just sense that fumbling around with a half-hearted, generic “Happy Holidays”, and to me, it just took away from the gesture.

Now, while I honestly do appreciate that extra effort, the sentiment is all the same to me, so I kindly ask my friends and family to just say whatever comes to mind. It�s not necessary with us. We always appreciate the sincere wishes, in all its guises. I�m a vegetarian too; as just the same, I�m not out to inconvenience anyone when what he or she gives me is out of love (I�ll just stick with the sides!)

So in closing, I wish a Merry Christmas to you, a Blessed Solstice, a Happy Yuletide, a Happy Hanukkah, a Happy Kwanzaa, a Happy Boxing Day and a thousand other ways to wish you a wonderful holiday, however you wish to call and celebrate it!

PS. Pssst! So hey – if anyone comes across a blue Santa ornament, would you kindly let me know where to find it? I’d really like to start a new quest!