Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Late December

I wish everyone a Happy Holiday.  Mine was a few days ago, but that doesn't matter.  I enjoyed it.  This is for most of the rest of you.

May this be a day that stays in your heart the year-round.  Holidays exist for reasons.  We need times to reflect and think about what makes us a society.  We have Christmas but also 4th of July.  We have Easter, but also Thanksgiving Day. 

We even have Groundhogs Day.  Do you know why?  It's the midwinter day...  Please feel free to check your calendar.

All the oldest holidays have a reason.  It doesn't matter that Christmas is a steal from the Winter Solstice, we ALL NEED a holiday at the shortest time of the year.  It keeps our hopes alive of longer days to come and the annual promise of warmth and successful planting.  We NEED that, because without the promise of new crops we would all die. 

The lengthening days told our ancestors that there would come a time to sow the seeds again.  Ritual days helped them to know when those seeding days would come, and to help us endure the hungry nights until then.

Some people grant the days of planting (and harvest) to deities.  Others don't.  But we have learned to plant seeds at the proper times, and historically, that was at certain holidays (and that was the reason for the holidays).

I wish you a Happy Solstice holiday for whatever reason you give it.  I will celebrate it for the reasons our ancestors did. 

A Happy Holiday to all for all reasons.  May hope and promise of better days follow you all the days of your lives...


11 comments:

Catio Tales said...

Happy Solstice to you too. And can I thank you for this blog, which has stirred so much in me this year.

Where I live the sun is above the horizon for three and a half hours on the shortest day. The next day has about 10 seconds more. But every year since moving here I have felt a change after the solstice, a pull of hope. It feels crazy, but heavens it feels GOOD. The spring will return and like you say the crops will grow. Life renews itself.

That is worth celebrating indeed :)

Karin

Fenris and Family said...

A belated Happy Solstice.

I am so looking forward to longer days and planting seeds.

Bcatsmom said...

Happy solstice to you and yours.As the days get longer,we all become a bit more positive and stronger, both inside and out.we all need that.

Bcatsmom said...

Happy solstice to you and yours.As the days get longer,we all become a bit more positive and stronger, both inside and out.we all need that.

Mariodacatsmom said...

Happy Solstic to you. I love the days getting longer now. Sounds like you had good holidays too.

ANGEL ABBYGRACE said...

A very Happy Solstice to you!

Unknown said...

Ah! The days are about 1 and a half minutes longer than they were on the solstice and IT FEELS SO GOOD!
Imbolic is on its way!
Happy Yuletide.
Nellie's Mom

Just Ducky said...

Happy Solstice, we are already gaining minutes on the sunset but still are losing another minute on the sunrise. Soon we will be able to tell the daylight is longer. We can't wait.

Andrea and the Celestial Kitties said...

I love your reasons, but I hope you dont mind me wishing you a Merry Christmas on this the fourth day of Christmas (because I'm late in commenting again!)

Megan said...

Thanks for an inspiring blog Mark and for being prepared to share aspects of your life with us.

Megan
Sydney, Australia

Megan said...

Thanks for your inspiring blog, Mark, and for being willing to share aspects of your life with us.

Megan
Sydney, Australia

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