[Siobhan]

Re: Christian holidays . . . to celebrate or not to celebrate and how?

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Originally Posted by NatureMama

But what do we do now that we have Rowan? Do we arbritarily celebrate holidays in which we dont believe just to "be like everyone else"? Do we continue with Santa Claus because its fun for kids but ignore the fact that we dont believe in Jesus or that he was born on Dec 25? The same with Easter and the Easter Bunny? Or, do we try to celebrate the Pagan holidays at their proper times according to the season and, consequently, be totally out of sync with most everyone else?

I celebrate at Christmas/Yule/Midsummer with gifts and singing and excessive food, much like most people I know. I enjoy it, and there's a lot of cultural meaning/context for it in our society. My group of uni friends has its own tradition at Easter, which is cooking up a big feast on one of the public holidays (usually Friday, as only one or two of the group are Christian, and they're happy to participate).

However, I also celebrate the changing of the seasons in my own solitary way, although I've recently started celebrating with a likeminded friend. At Yule/Midsummer, we decorated wreaths, and shared home-baked treats, and chatted/shared with each other. It was lovely. I hope to include Maeve in all these traditions as she grows up, and she's welcome to take what she likes and leave the rest.

I try not to worry too much about squishing the wheel of the year into Australian/Southern Hemisphere shape. A cycle based on a very different latitude and climate to ours is never going to be a perfect analogue, even reversed. As a wise friend once pointed out to me, the growth cycles of our part of Australia are less about the return of the Sun, and more about the rainfall patterns and water! So, I celebrate what feels appropriate, and it's gradually becoming a coherent pattern over the years, sort of like my spiritual practice as a whole. Does that make sense?

Enjoy creating a festive tradition for your family! Have fun!