Any non-Wheel holidays you celebrate?

[Jembru]

Re: Any non-Wheel holidays you celebrate?

Lol, no worries at all...I was worried about offending you!

I thought that his comments might add to what was being said, and clear up some potential misunderstandings.

And I am glad you did. The problem is that most of my Japanese friends are my age (somewhere around 30), and I think this generation is quite out of touch with the meanings of the holidays. It was very much, 'So what are we celebrating?', 'Putting on yukatta and drinking a lot of alcohol'. So I know very little about the genuine meaning behind most festivals and holidays there.

[Raven_Rin]

Re: Any non-Wheel holidays you celebrate?

I celebrate Wish Night, here's a link to a post I wrote on my circle's site about the practice http://cerridwensteachingcircle.blog...ish-night.html

[Just_Wondering]

Re: Any non-Wheel holidays you celebrate?

I'm really interested in celebrating dia de muertos but as a very white, non-hispanic american, I don't want to appropriate. I tried to tell myself that since my boyfriend is mexican that it's okay but I'm pretty sure that's not gonna fly. it's alright, I have my Samhain.

Other than that, christmas (I guess, as it's sort of intermingled with yule). I don't much care for holidays. Atm celebrating the wheel is just my way of keeping track of the seasons and keeping me in tune with nature. Does valentine's/st. Patrick's day count?

[Dez]

Re: Any non-Wheel holidays you celebrate?

Just_Wondering, Dia de los Muertos is based on the European tradition of All Saint's/All Souls day.

I actually take my kids to the graveyard, and we talk about death while we walk up and down. I also usually cook enchiladas on that day, but that's because my grandmother grew up in Chihuahua (not hispanic--Mormon colonies), and the retro-50's kind were one of her favorite dishes.

I doubt anyone would feel like that was stepping on anyone's cultural toes.

[Just_Wondering]

Re: Any non-Wheel holidays you celebrate?

Thanks for that, Dez. It's a fuzzy, blurred line between appreciation and appropriation, and it's hard for me to reason it out.

I like that you take your kids to the cemetery. Open discussion on sensitive topics is sorely needed, and most parents just try to avoid it altogether.

[volcaniclastic]

Re: Any non-Wheel holidays you celebrate?

International Pancake Day.

[Jembru]

Re: Any non-Wheel holidays you celebrate?

International Pancake Day.

You and me both! Since trying to make pancakes on Imbolc turned out to be such a disaster (even my mum couldn't get them to work on our hob), JP and I are going to my mum's on Tuesday so she can make them for us! Mum-made pancakes taste the best anyway!

[Dez]

Re: Any non-Wheel holidays you celebrate?

Thanks for that, Dez. It's a fuzzy, blurred line between appreciation and appropriation, and it's hard for me to reason it out.

I like that you take your kids to the cemetery. Open discussion on sensitive topics is sorely needed, and most parents just try to avoid it altogether.

Heh, I agree,too. That's something that tends to have a lot of gray area when you're trying to figure it out.

And thank you for that...it's been kind of tough for me trying to sort out good ways to do that. The "god did it" and "you go to heaven" model never worked for me as a kid, but what do you do instead? I figure, if nothing else I can be open and honest, including when the answer is "I don't know".

[Just_Wondering]

Re: Any non-Wheel holidays you celebrate?

Heh, I agree,too. That's something that tends to have a lot of gray area when you're trying to figure it out.

And thank you for that...it's been kind of tough for me trying to sort out good ways to do that. The "god did it" and "you go to heaven" model never worked for me as a kid, but what do you do instead? I figure, if nothing else I can be open and honest, including when the answer is "I don't know".

It's tough being a parent. that's why I stick with cats.

[Omidottir]

Re: Any non-Wheel holidays you celebrate?

April Fool's Day. Most of my deities have a Trickster aspect, so I started celebrating this as a ninth Sabbat.

My coven did a ritual this way: We had ridiculous quarter calls and the quarters were represented by things like squirting flowers for water, whoopie cushions for air, trick birthday candles for fire and I think we had fake poo or something for earth. Then we called upon the Tricksters to join us. Then we each shared stories of how we had been tricked, humiliated, or done something stupid that we ultimately learned alot from. We stressed the importance of not taking ourselves too seriously and learning from our mistakes. Tricksters are great for teaching this lesson.

Now that my coven has mostly dissolved, I try to spend the day reflecting on those same lessons... and playing jokes on people.

[anunitu]

Re: Any non-Wheel holidays you celebrate?

I think on the death aspect,it was very common in family's to spend time with the deceased
,and it wasn't so taboo for people to all come when someone was expected to die,and sit around be with the person. These days most people die alone,and that to me is really sad. To have family and friends with me as I passed would be the best way.
Today I think we try very hard to divorce ourselves from the actual fact that death exists,so we wont dwell on it to much.