winter solstice celebration

[Malcolm]

I am recently divorced, and this Christmas will be my first away from home. I have 3 teenage children, and to avoid fighting over which part of the day my ex and I have them, I thought of having a winter solstice celebration on the 21st instead, leaving my ex-wife to all the glories of a traditional Christmas.

I do not want to make it a plug for atheism, paganism or anything else, but just an excuse for a good party. I expect that there will be some form of feasting involved, as well as giving each other gifts.

Any ideas on particular decorations or themes that we could use? I've always hated Christmas trees and all the soppy paraphenalia associated with it, but I'm not clever enough to think of any suitably creative alternatives. Help please!

[Rhea]

We do solstice as a light-hearted celebration around the "Return Of The Light".

We light 7 candles the week before, then each night light one fewer until Soltice when the candles are all dark. Then start lighting them again one by one in ther following days.

We put a sticker on a window and mark on the floor where the shadow falls at noon so we can watch the neat astronomical changes.

We talk about the nature of winter - what's hybernating, what's living & about.

We talk about how scary this was for the ancients and play games with their traditions & superstitions.

And we do presents, because what better way to pass the long winter nights! This year, we're going to do a few leading up to solstice, and a few after. Maybe pieces of one present.

We do foods which represent the available crops during thosde two weeks,

and,

We have an enormous bonfire around which we revel in the beauty of nature's winter. And we drink then. ;)

[brighid]

<a href="http://www.circlesanctuary.org/pholidays/SaturnaliaInfo.html" target="_blank">http://www.circlesanctuary.org/pholidays/SaturnaliaInfo.html</a>

You certainly don’t have to have a Christmas Tree, or decorate in any way you don’t find pleasing. The above link discusses some of the ancient aspects of the Winter Solstice/Saturnalia festival. One part that I like is the masquerade! That could be something totally unique that your children are sure to love and it will separate it from the usual commercialized X-mas stuff.

You may want to start a tradition with your children in creating a Yule log. It smells wonderful burning in your fire place :) It’s another fun thing to do with them. Traditionally it was done with some pomp and circumstance, but make it whatever sort of tradition fits your lifestyle. All you need is a wooden log, perhaps you can venture out with the children into the nearby woods, or visit the local Christmas Tree yard and ask it they have one, or buy a few logs from a local store. You will also need some evergreen branches, cinnamon sticks, 3 candles and you can secure the cinnamon and evergreen with a hot glue gun. Either melt the candles to the log itself, or you can drill holes in the log and secure the candles. You can use the log as a centerpiece until the Solstice and on the night of the Solstice remove the candles and put the log in the fireplace (if you have one.) Do some research on the traditions behind it and share the legend of the Yule Log with your children.

Another good link: <a href="http://www.religioustolerance.org/winter_solstice.htm" target="_blank">http://www.religioustolerance.org/winter_solstice.htm</a>

Hope that helps some.

Brighid

[Godless Dave]

Got a fireplace? <a href="http://msm.byu.edu/emp/new/cmas/cmast04.htm" target="_blank">Yule log</a>

I think most Christmas stuff will do: Xmas lights, wreaths, garlands, and especially mistletoe. Maybe have a big holiday brunch so you don't compete with your ex's dinner. Or have a holiday dinner. Or do both. Organize an activity, like making your own holiday decorations that you can leave up until the new year.

I like Rhea's candle idea.

[The Bobby Llama]

Or you can try using elements of the secular holiday <a href="http://www.interlog.com/~porteous/festivus.html" target="_blank">Festivus</a>! :D

[Radcliffe Emerson]

Festivus for the rest of us! Time to air out our grievances.
I have a lot of problems with you people!
(just kidding, that's from the show)

[vixstile]

[quote]Originally posted by Radcliffe Emerson:
<strong>Festivus for the rest of us! Time to air out our grievances.
I have a lot of problems with you people!
(just kidding, that's from the show)</strong><hr></blockquote>

Damn! You beat me to it.

[Viti]

3 teenagers, huh? What about a trip somewhere? Skiing perhaps. Some of our best holidays have been away from home.

Or plan a party with some unusual traditional foods (try to dig up old recipes) and let them invite their friends over...if they feel they are taking part in the "hosting" they will be happy to help with decorating and cooking.

[ October 18, 2002: Message edited by: LadyShea ]</p>

[Danish]

[quote]Originally posted by Radcliffe Emerson:
<strong>Festivus for the rest of us! Time to air out our grievances.
I have a lot of problems with you people!
(just kidding, that's from the show)</strong><hr></blockquote>

Beat me to it, too!

I say you get a couple of kegs and some strippers! ;)

[Malcolm]

Thank you all very much - some good ideas there. I'll certainly work on some of them. Hopefully not too many grievances to air, but lots to festivate about!

[Pheadrus]

Dont forget the traditional festivus greco-Roman wrestling.

For intructions on how to hold a proper Festivus check out Wikipedia.org.