Merry Xmas

[Bullockmush]

Merry Christmas to everyone on UK420

[mickle]

Cheers, nice card mate, merry xmas to you too

[maryjane]

thanx bullockmush

can ya sent a yule one to those who dont do xmas .please .pretty please

mj

[Bullockmush]

Hi MJ,

Not really sure what you mean, let me know and I'll do whatever you want

[maryjane]

Yule is celebrated on the 21st by those practising the old way

thanks

mj

[Bullockmush]

Excuse my ignorance please MJ, I'm right on it

[Bullockmush]

Have a good one all, also found this rather nice essay -

Celebrating Yule... or

A Pagan Families' Blend of Yule and Christmas

by SilvrSkys

Email: dperry@capeonramp.com

Sing the ancient Yule time carol.....

Sometime after Samhain, when the weather turns cold, the wind picks up, and the first snowflakes drift gently down around us, we are suddenly swept up in the Winter Holiday spirit. For some it is called Christmas, for some Hanukkah, for my family, it's Yule. When it hits depends on various things; where you live, which winter holiday you celebrate, and perhaps most importantly, how soon your children can get their "wish list" written.

But Yule to most is a religious holiday, despite the commercialism that dominates the minds of us all this time of year. Somewhere between the frantic shopping trips to get batteries at 3 a.m. and the equally frantic rush to bake 6 dozen sugar cookies and get them all decorated in time for the next day's party, tradition exists and there are reasons why. And while I can't tell you what your reasons are, I can tell you what my family does for Yule, and why.

Around the first of December, my family of five begins our yearly ritual. My hubby and I drag out the decorations while our three boys ambush us from all sides to get their favorite decorations before anyone else. After much sibling rivalry, my multiple use of time outs, and my hubby tearing out more of what's left of his hair, I give in and offer up cookies and hot chocolate so that we can get the boxes up from the basement. This is our first Yule ritual, and I wouldn't give it up for anything.

Now we get to dig out the holiday music. "Alvin and the Chipmunks" is always first. We have no choice here, it's best to just get it over with. Only after many a repeat performance of the hula-hoop song are the adults allowed to play their music. And here is where my hubby and I began in what we hope is a solid foundation for our children's futures. You see, we play anything and everything connected with this time of year. It doesn't matter if it's Pagan, Jewish, Christen, or Native American, what matters is that music can trigger strong memories later in life. Hopefully, our children will hear these songs when they become adults, and have memories of warmth and family; the same type of memories that come back to my husband and myself when we listen to holiday music.

The boys set out to cover our house top to bottom with every decoration they can find or make. Since they were born, they have received an ornament each year, and these are always saved for last. This tradition was started by my mother, who still continues to give me an ornament every year. Although I thought little of this tradition while growing up, every year my eyes tear up as I place each one on the tree, because I know now how my mother searched all year long for the one ornament that was "just right." Or maybe it's because I've always known. And the love that is in those little glass or plastic bobbles is something I cherish, something I want above all for my children to remember.

As the "big days" approach, our family divides itself between the commercial and religious aspects of the winter holidays. We shop for presents for family and friends, because this is how our parents celebrated. Although, truth be told, our shopping list gets shorter every year, as we are trying to place more stress on the spirit than the gift. Our children are encouraged by us to make presents for those whom they love, and the family and friends who receive their presents know that our boys worked long and hard to create their gifts.

Since our little ones are still little, and because my husband and I have more fun than they do, Santa Claus is a part of our Yule rituals. Again, partly because our parents indulged us by allowing us to believe, but mainly because I refuse to tell my children not to believe. Childhood is short, and the world we live in forces us to warn our children about the ugliness and danger that exists. Who am I to deny my children the idea of a magical person who not only delivers toys to them, but can fit down our chimney, and even knows every child by name? Yes, Santa for us is real. He is, to us, but one facet of the Whole, just like the Lady and Lord. And by the way, Santa doesn't deliver toys to our house based on whether or not you've been good all year, because he knows we all have bad days. Instead, he looks to see how you've grown, how you've cared, and how you've loved. That, to us, is Santa Claus.

So where is the religious side to all this? It's everywhere, in everything we do. But it is not just the Pagan religion we celebrate this time of year. We also encourage our parents to share their religious beliefs with our children. They believe in Christ, and they honor him on December 25, Christmas. My husband and I were raised to honor his birth on Christmas day, and we do through the exchange of presents. Our parents share the story of Jesus with our children, about how Joseph and Mary were constantly turned away until someone open their hearts just a little and gave them shelter. They have even attended Mass with our parents, and it is my hope that they will do so again.

Yes, I can hear you grumbling "Why are you doing all that if you're Pagan?" And all I can say is because of my children.

First of all, the traditions my husband and I create for our children stress tolerance, peace, and acceptance to all, regardless of religion. How can we expect our children to know about other religions if we don't allow them to learn about other religions? How can we show them that despite the different terms and names, religions are for the most part similar? Our children know there are major differences between how my husband and I honor the God and Goddess, and how their grandparents honor Christ, and that is our hope - to give our children a positive attitude towards religion, so that they may choose their own path without fear, and without basing their decision on misunderstandings or rumors.

Second, the traditions that my husband and I grew up with are precious to us. There is no reason to give them up. Our family traditions have been handed down through generations, and our family histories are intertwined throughout. But this doesn't mean that we follow them exactly. We are, in fact, creating our own version of our family traditions, including my husband's and my beliefs in with those of our ancestor's to create something new. We are creating traditions that not only honor our ancestors, but our family as well.

Third, when it comes down to it, we must all do what we feel is right. For our family, a blending of old and new is what is right for us. We refuse to turn our backs on those who have gone before us, instead we take their memories with us as we start our own traditions.

So, just where is the Pagan in all of this? Again, it's everywhere around us. It's in how we feel when we donate food, money, clothing, and our time to help others, a year-round activity that seems to only be given attention during December. It's in our actions, which our children see. They see their father go out on service calls at night, and they see him stop to help others when noone else will. They sit by me as I knit and crochet hats and mittens to give away to our local charity groups, and they have watched me work all summer to crochet and fill a group of stockings that we are going to give to a local children's homeless shelter. They watch as their grandparent donate money to help others, and as they pray for peace. And most of all, my children see us as people who are working for their future. And I believe we are doing something right when I hear my children telling Santa Claus that they want every child to be happy for Yule.

And of course, the big Tonka truck would be nice too.

SilvrSkys-