Tis the season of many festivities and traditions, and of doing nothing at all, but throughout time, man has celebrated this month of December in the northern hemisphere in many, but related ways and customs. I highly recommend the book titled "4000 Years of Christmas: A Gift from the Ages" by by Earl Count (Author), Alice Count (Author). It's a great read about this time of year, and the various customs through the ages.
There are many more traditions and stories through time of this wondrous time of year, but now as an adult, both my wife and I have come to celebrate this time of year in a slightly different manor than we both was raised and accustomed to. Yes, there is some gift giving, and the cards that are mailed, but we have found that as our lives changed from the concrete world of your typical American urban holiday consumerism (which isn't a bad thing, just not for us) in which we were both "corporate world players" with very comfortable salaries for what we did that also came with the obligatory list of gifts that we had to buy for the many friends and relatives, and business associates and clients, etc, etc, etc....which is customary at this time of year..... Yadi-Yadi-Ya.....You get the picture, I am sure.
But.... Both my wife and I realized over the years that the "happiness" of the season was gone. Something was missing, and it just wasn't us who were feeling that way.
What was up with that, we asked ourselves.
There are many reasons which I do not need to list, as many of you who feel the same probably share the same ones. The reason for this empty and sadness: Our lives had changed was the reason. Over the years, we have now come to realize in our lives that this time of year is really special, but in a different way. We have found that we have gravitated more toward the celebration of Winter Solstice, as this is for us, who work the soil and tend to livestock as we now do (from those corporate job suburban "daze") is the important day of the year: The shortest day of the year now reverses and the days get longer. This wasn't an overnight epiphany, but a gradual intellectual and emotional evolution of thought and deed put into practice. There is a cycle, and we are a part of it.
Really, we are.
Longer days for those of us farmers and ranchers and the coming of the Winter Solstice means a lot when you spend most of your day outside, and with caring for the lives of other creatures... Especially on those short days with very cold nights! It can affect those who do not even love the lifestyle as we do. One can really appreciate the suns warmth, and the reminder that Spring is around the corner, when new life and birth (lambing for us) begins, and the leaves reappear, and the garden grows it's abundance of fruits and vegetables for our life, and for the lives of our livestock for the year ahead.
It really is all about Nature and the cycle of life that everybody along with us move though daily in all of our lives. It is there, and can be enjoyed, and revered by some in many fashions and manner of appreciation. It can also be source of fear and insecurity in many as well.
My wife and I keep this in mind and look forward to the ending of the short days of darkness, and now find comfort in knowing, and witnessing the days getting longer with the light from the sun above. For us, this is the time where the reversal of the cold darkness gives way to the return of light, and longer days, and to hope and the renewal of rebirth, and looking forward to the future with optimism as the good and beauty of everything around us in nature cycles once again. We also have witnessed this slow change of our planet in relation to the sun, and how it affects our livestock, and pets as they are cognoscente of the change and react to it as well... Trust me on that: We have witnessed it first hand over the many years.
While we keep some traditions alive for close family, and some friends who are traditional and important in our life, (and for those relatives that are still in the world of Macy's, IPHONES, and Play Station technology and clothing and such with young kids), but we have come to realize a different time and meaning of this time of year as our lives and lifestyle has changed as well, and in our very small household, and farm, we celebrate the Winter Solstice as our celebration of this month, and time of year in our personal life.
How do we celebrate this time of year, now??
I now traditionally take sprigs of green pine, and Holly from outside in the late Fall when leaves are all but down, and bring it into our house and place those green decorations above the doors so as when we enter and leave, it catches our eye, and we are reminded that even though it appears that life is dead outside in the cold and dark of night in winter, life is always present and there, and with us throughout the year: Life is constant, cyclical, but always moving and is with us in our home. The cycle slowly begins anew, and life returns and flourishes with the longer days oflight as the days get longer, and Spring approaches.
"How Pagan-esque" you might say?
Well it did derive from Pagan ritual some time ago. It's kind of where the story of the traditional Christmas Tree started from..... Add that story of a St. Nicholas and such... Well, that's a story for another time. Right up there with the tradition of Mistletoe in and around the house (green - get it??) for that excuse to smooch "the one you're with", as they sing... Likewise the garland you might see indoors in many houses. Travel to Europe around Xmas, especially Germany and Austria and Switzerland and you'll see this in many homes as that is where a lot of the history of Pagan ritual began, and was, in later years, incorporated into the Christian traditions of Christmas.
Tomorrow night, we will, as we have been for the past 8 years, attend a traditional Winter Solstice Party with other very interesting and like minded people from all walks of life: That is the gathering and celebration we look forward to at this time of year. There are many ways to celebrate the Winter Solstice, but I won't get into those details as you can look it up how many celebrate it, but I can tell you, we eat, and drink, sing, and laugh with good friends. We all then attend the Yule log bonfire outside and make wishes with the traditional Yule log ablaze for peace and happiness for all, and for the desire and personal strength to be a better person and show sincere compassion both with ourselves, and for others they known, or stranger in the upcoming year. We also reaffirm our personal pledge to help others who suffer in any way we can, and give aide, and comfort for those in need. To be the best person we can be, and then try even more to be that which we wish to become.
That is how we celebrate the month of December on the farm. This is how we work through this time where the all to easy sadness and depression can take over our souls from the stress and strain of the season. I won't say that my wife and I do not exchange any gifts, but what we do is on Xmas day at midnight is we give all of the livestock their favorite treats & really fresh hay and grass, and our "kids", (all of the dogs and cats) eat like kings and queens as well, and then we go to bed, and wake up and we go, and enjoy the day over a very nice meal with wine.
We now really enjoy this time of year, and I hope that my diary of my personal life allows for others to read and see how they might approach this time of year as well, and not to be disheartened or caught up by the distractions of the season.
I leave you with this poem about the the shortest day....
The Shortest Day
By Susan Cooper
And so the Shortest Day came and the year died
And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world
Came people singing, dancing,
To drive the dark away.
They lighted candles in the winter trees;
They hung their homes with evergreen;
They burned beseeching fires all night long
To keep the year alive.
And when the new yearâs sunshine blazed awake
They shouted, revelling.
Through all the frosty ages you can hear them
Echoing behind us â listen!
All the long echoes, sing the same delight,
This Shortest Day,
As promise wakens in the sleeping land:
They carol, feast, give thanks,
And dearly love their friends,
And hope for peace.
And now so do we, here, now,
This year and every year.
Welcome Yule!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
CHAG URIM SAMEACH!
And Peace and good health to all!