Today is the Winter Solstice...

[Terry Allan Hall]

a Holy Day for those of us who follow the Old Faiths.

Here's some appropriate tunes...hope you enjoy them.

[video=youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8C4mfpIM7qM&feature=related[/video]

[video=youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41TUyC52j3g&feature=related[/video]

[video=youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vdoh7TKnAyk&feature=fvwrel[/video]
(Good music for The Dance around bthe bonfire)

[video=youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3woM079L_4&feature=related[/video]

[video=youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wu-RFt-3zg8&feature=related[/video]
(Good music for The Invocation)

 

[Tom]

I'm just glad the days will start getting longer again! And soon the good tortoise weather will be back.

 

[Jacqui]

So how do you celebrate this in your home?

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

So how do you celebrate this in your home?

We celebrate all Major Magicks outside, Jacqui...basically, we gather around a great bonfire, do our rituals/invocations and then dance Skyclad (dancing Skyclad optional, of course).

Since moving out into Da Boonies almost 8 years ago, I've hosted it on our property, as it's less problematic if we Observe on private land...the last time we got permission to hold a celebration of Solstice in a public park, it got complicated by outsiders who misunderstood what was going on...Freedom of religeon is by no means absolute in the US, I'm afraid.

---

I'm just glad the days will start getting longer again! And soon the good tortoise weather will be back.

Yes, Indeed!

 

[Jacqui]

I guess I did ask that in the wrong way. I meant in your home as in your family, not the house itself. Ahhh the fun of using words to convey things.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

I guess I did ask that in the wrong way. I meant in your home as in your family, not the house itself. Ahhh the fun of using words to convey things.

Of our household, my wife, daughter and Grandmother are Christians, and follow that Path.

My two sons are Non-believers (the oldest is Atheist, the younger one I suppose is more Agnostic), so follow those Paths.

My wife and I refer to our Union as a "religeously mixed marriage".

We do have a Christmas Tree, but in deference to my faith, it's a live one, in a large pot, and spends most of the year out on the deck. He get's brought in the day after Thanksgiving Day and is returned to his usual location on New Year's Day.

Truly, there is no "Ctristman tradition", from the date to the decorative trappings to the giving of gifts and charities, that wasn't "borrowed" from the Pagan traditions...but we're happy to share all of these.

 

[jaizei]

Thank you for sharing, quite interesting.

How big is your tree and what type is it? I've thought about doing something similar and keeping a 'Christmas' tree in a pot so it could be used every year. Think you could borrow your daughter's camera and snap some pictures for us?

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Thank you for sharing, quite interesting.

How big is your tree and what type is it? I've thought about doing something similar and keeping a 'Christmas' tree in a pot so it could be used every year. Think you could borrow your daughter's camera and snap some pictures for us?

Here's a picture of "Arthur", possibly a blue fir (I'm not an expert on trees) from a few years ago...I keep him trimmed these days to about 7', which makes him easier to get through the door.

 

[Laura]

that tree looks to perfect to be real.. is it live? wow...

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

that tree looks to perfect to be real.. is it live? wow...

Thanks...and yes.

Picture was made the day after I'd trimmed the branches (to even them up...has to be done every year), for my wife/daughter's Holiday card project that year.

Wife and daughter get the credit for decorating it, though...they spent several hours getting it "just right". I'd've never been able to pull that off!

 

[ascott]

What type of lights are those? They look like the fiber optic type lights....so very cool

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

What type of lights are those? They look like the fiber optic type lights....so very cool

Probabbly...I'll have to ask my wife for sure, as she and my daughter change it up every year (the last time I got to "dress up" Arthur, I went w/ a Star Trek theme, which I liked, but they didn't )