Yule + Christmas

[Malflick]

Have any of your guys celebrated Yule and Christmas together before?

Obviously that sounds like a pretty easy thing to do, because so many of the traditions overlap since we nipped em', but I suppose I mean in a "celebrating both of the religious elements together" sort of way.

If Nightingale sees this, yeah, I'm thinking ahead to when we live together :P lol.

[thalassa]

Re: Yule + Christmas

My family does when we are there. I mean, other than go to the midnight service, there isn't really that much religious about how my family celebrates Christmas. And who the heck doesn't want to listen to a 100+ person choir do Handel's Messiah by candlelight? It's beautiful and soul-tingling. So, we do our little Yule ceremony and we have a big fattening Christmas eve party, go to church, and open presents in the morning. At home though, we open presents for Yule as a family, rather than Christmas Day...we also have a nativity and (usually, when its at the same time) a menorah, and we talk about the different holidays. But then again, we observe Diwali too...so... I don't know if that helps.

[Tylluan Penry]

Re: Yule + Christmas

And who the heck doesn't want to listen to a 100+ person choir do Handel's Messiah by candlelight? It's beautiful and soul-tingling.

Especially if one subversive soul sings 'Aluminium' in place of Allelujah - I suspect this works best in a Brit accent as I've noticed in the US it's often pronounced something like Aloo-minum whereas we have the full five syllables instead of four.
And yes, before anyone asks, I have done it... because I'm like that.

In my experience one can combine just about any religious views and festivals providing you have the right attitude and don't over-do the alcohol...
Also, Mr Penry strongly believes there is no Christmas carol that cannot be improved by judicious addition of the word 'feck.'
As in 'Feck the halls with boughs of holly...'

Can you imagine the celebrations in our house???
But then, perhaps I wasn't much help as regards the original question. Sorry.

[Rick]

Re: Yule + Christmas

My favorite carol (which I suspect Mr. Penry would enjoy) is Hark! The Hairy Angels Sing.

[Rae'ya]

Re: Yule + Christmas

Have any of your guys celebrated Yule and Christmas together before?

Obviously that sounds like a pretty easy thing to do, because so many of the traditions overlap since we nipped em', but I suppose I mean in a "celebrating both of the religious elements together" sort of way.

If Nightingale sees this, yeah, I'm thinking ahead to when we live together :P lol.

I live in Australia, so Christmas is actually near midsummer rather than midwinter. So while I like the concept of celebrating Christmas and Yule together, it doesn't work here.

[Tylluan Penry]

Re: Yule + Christmas

My favorite carol (which I suspect Mr. Penry would enjoy) is Hark! The Hairy Angels Sing.

Nice one!

[volcaniclastic]

Re: Yule + Christmas

I celebrate Yule, and then four days later, celebrate the secular version of Christmas (aka open prezzies, eat lots of food, etc)

[DanieMarie]

Re: Yule + Christmas

I celebrate Yule, and then four days later, celebrate the secular version of Christmas (aka open prezzies, eat lots of food, etc)

Yep this is what we do.

It basically means that Christmas lasts almost a week, because Germans celebrate on the 24th, 25th, and 26th.

I will be making some non-traditional sushi this year at my house. I wanted to make a roast goose, but a couple of friends are vegetarian and sushi is easy to make with veggie options (avocado, cucumber, marinated mushrooms, etc). Plus it's a fun party food because everyone can make their own.

[Carlin]

Re: Yule + Christmas

I celebrate Yule, and then four days later, celebrate the secular version of Christmas (aka open prezzies, eat lots of food, etc)

Us too. It's a week long thing here, starting with Winter Solstice. I have a big (estranged) family who I visit on different days, and there's a special birthday too.

[Heka]

Re: Yule + Christmas

I live in Australia, so Christmas is actually near midsummer rather than midwinter. So while I like the concept of celebrating Christmas and Yule together, it doesn't work here.

Same. And it's problematic. I'm trying to do some kind of meet-in-the-middle thing with hubby, because I don't care for Christmas (except in the sense of presents, food and grog - not interested in family particularly) and it's hard. He's reluctant, and the symbolism doesn't work anyway. I've looked at Thal's 12 days, and that it was awesome and all encompassing, but hubby doesn't like it. AHH

[thalassa]

Re: Yule + Christmas

Same. And it's problematic. I'm trying to do some kind of meet-in-the-middle thing with hubby, because I don't care for Christmas (except in the sense of presents, food and grog - not interested in family particularly) and it's hard. He's reluctant, and the symbolism doesn't work anyway. I've looked at Thal's 12 days, and that it was awesome and all encompassing, but hubby doesn't like it. AHH

Why doesn't he like it? Has he said? I mean, its easy for our family, all of us are Pagan and Unitarian Universalist (and even when we visit my family, they are mostly United Church of Christ, which is totally progressive and liberal)--even if we believe different things, it doesn't impact how we celebrate them together...but, if he's coming from a radically different belief system with a much narrower view of theology (he's Christian right? what denomination?), its understandable. I mean...Hubby's family is all Catholic--we just keep our mouth shut when we hang out with them (although his brother knows we are pagan, and his mom knows we are UU).

[Rowanwood]

Re: Yule + Christmas

I would NOT like 12 days of holidays. Yuck. I can hardly handle 2.

But I celebrate winter. I do it on Christmas Eve and Christmas day because that's when my family shows up. Dates are arbitrary to me.

[Heka]

Re: Yule + Christmas

Why doesn't he like it? Has he said? I mean, its easy for our family, all of us are Pagan and Unitarian Universalist (and even when we visit my family, they are mostly United Church of Christ, which is totally progressive and liberal)--even if we believe different things, it doesn't impact how we celebrate them together...but, if he's coming from a radically different belief system with a much narrower view of theology (he's Christian right? what denomination?), its understandable. I mean...Hubby's family is all Catholic--we just keep our mouth shut when we hang out with them (although his brother knows we are pagan, and his mom knows we are UU).

Yes he is Christian, non-denominational (his family broke away from the Uniting and Catholic churches in town, founded their own 'Christian Fellowship' got re-baptised and pulled the kids out of school to home school through the Australian Christian Acadamy, bought up Creationist those kinds of things), but he is fairly unwavering and uncomfortable about the whole lot. I showed him your system, and told him how I admired that you looked at many different relevant religions and celebrations, and how I wish that I had been bought up with that bounty of knowledge. I discussed with him how I would like to find the parts of our beliefs that we both think are relevant to teach our future kids, and that a lot of the things you listed were relevant to me. The only relevant thing to him is Christianity. So I told him that of course Christianity is relevant at this time of year (though technically more relevant in June - our winter) and that of course we would include the relevant parts of Christmas, the story of Jesus etc, same as we would around Easter, but there are other relevant things at this time of year. Like explaining to the children that Christmas is a winter festival, and for us it is summer. Technically we could have Christmas twice a year! Once when the date is right, and once when the season is right! I talked about teaching our kids about all the different religions, and why they believe what they do, to give our kids the education they need to make a choice. Of course we will be biased towards Paganism (me) and Christianity (him) but it's important that we teach them, because they aren't going to learn it everywhere else, and that I was extremely uncomfortable bringing up my kids in a Christian-only household, what if they decide they like Christianity, then turn out to be gay and have a crisis? You're not going to love them less if they are not Christian, so why does it matter if they are happy in their choice?

etc etc etc (yes I know, wall of text, sorry), but he seems to be completely unwavering. I'm just trying to meet in the middle, but over the past 6 years I feel like the middle is getting closer and closer to him, because my beliefs have changed a lot (I was a Wiccan who was mad on equal God/dess - not that anymore) whereas his beliefs have not changed (except he accepts the idea of Evolution now, but that took me over a year I think).

It's just frustration. He's not very good at saying what he is thinking, so good discussion and debate is rare, and he get's defensive very easily. I'm trying to bring this up in small lots, over a period of time, but instead it feels to me like a prolonged attack, and that's not what I want. I've come across other examples of interfaith couples occasionally, and I share them with him to see how other people do it. But as much as I try, we're not finding a way for US to do it.

[Yorin]

Re: Yule + Christmas

I typically just tend to meander off by myself to celebrate. Light a candle or two, say a prayer for the day and what it represents, and then move on from there. Since we aren't around family, we'll possibly exchange presents on Christmas day and have a nice dinner, but other than that, we don't really do much together....mostly cause Colm doesn't care one way or the other

[Heka]

Re: Yule + Christmas

I typically just tend to meander off by myself to celebrate. Light a candle or two, say a prayer for the day and what it represents, and then move on from there. Since we aren't around family, we'll possibly exchange presents on Christmas day and have a nice dinner, but other than that, we don't really do much together....mostly cause Colm doesn't care one way or the other

But it's important to me to do things together. I've been alone in my beliefs and practices my whole life. I can accept being alone in beliefs, but I'd like to do things with people occasionally, especially the most important person in my life.