Happy / Merry Winter Solstice

[hugo_sam]

I know there are a number of our AH litizens who celebrate Winter Solstice as opposed to, or in addition to the other holiday celebrations. Sub Joe inquired as to what every one is doing by way of celebration.
I want to wish them glad tidings in their own right rather than a part of another celbration,

Happy / Merry
Winter
Solstice

Merry
Yule
and
A
Joyous
Coming
Year !!​

 

[fairysong]

What he said!!

 

[Blackie Malone]

Without Winter Soltstice being celebrated, we would have no Christmas.

Thank you early Pagans.

 

[MissBri]

 

[hugo_sam]

little bump for the day folks

 

[Liar]

Day? What day? It's early afternoon, I woke up just a little while ago, and I'm watching the sunset.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

Merry meet and blessed be!

 

[McKenna]

I'm posting this here, too, because it's such a groovy song.



The Christians and the Pagans

Amber called her uncle, said ’we’re up here for the holiday,
Jane and I were having solstice, now we need a place to stay.’
And her christ-loving uncle watched his wife hang mary on a tree,
He watched his song hang candy canes all made with red dye number three.
He told his niece, ’its christmas eve, I know our life is not your style,’
She said, ’christmas is like solstice, and we miss you and it’s been awhile,’

So the christians and the pagans sat together at the table,
Finding faith and common ground the best that they were able,
And just before the meal was served, hands were held and prayers were said,
Sending hope for peace on earth to all their gods and goddesses.

The food was great, the tree plugged in, the meal had gone without a hitch,
Till timmy turned to amber and said, ’is it try that you’re a wtich? ’
His mom jumped up and said, ’the pies are burning,’ and she hit the kitchen,
And it was jane who spoke, she said, ’its true, your cousins not a christian,’
’but we love trees, we love the snow, the friends we have, the world we share,
And you find magic from your god, and we find magic everywhere,’

So the christians and the pagans sat together at the table,
Finding faith and common ground the best that they were able,
And where does magic come from? I think magics in the learning,
Cause now when christians sit with pagans only pumpkin pies are burning.

When amber tried to do the dishes, her aunt said, ’really, no, don’t bother.’
Ambers uncle saw how amber looked like tim and like her father.
He thought about his brother, how they hadnt spoken in a year,
He thought hed call him up and say, ’its christmas and your daughters here.’
He thought of fathers, sons and brothers, so his own son tug his sleeve, saying,
’can I be a pagan? ’ dad said, ’well discuss it when they leave.’

So the christians and the pagans sat together at the table,
Finding faith and common ground the best that they were able,
Lighting trees in darkness, learning new ways from the old, and
Making sense of history and drawing warmth out of the cold.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

http://images.astronet.ru/pubd/2002/01/18/0001174325/solsticehalo_appleton_big.jpg

Sun Halo at Winter Solstice

 

[matriarch]

Yule Wreath

The Yule Wreath is made from evergreens, and is a symbol of the cycles of nature. The words Yule and Jul are names for the Winter Solstice time (and Christmas), and they mean 'wheel.'

Don't forget when collecting your evergreens (holly, ivy, pine), always thank the tree from which you are collecting. Only take what you need, never more.

When you have assembled your wreath, think of something you appreciate about winter as you hang it in a visible location, such as on the front door of the house, on an inside wall, or as the centrepiece to the Winter/Christmas dining table.

When the 'season' is over, never throw a wreath into the trash; if made from real greenery, it should always be returned to the Nature from which it was borrowed. On or after New Year's Day, your wreath can be returned to Nature, or kept until Summer Solstice and then burned in a bonfire.

My favourite way of return, is to burn the wreath, gather up the ashes, and then take them to the top of a cliff close to my home, and throw them to the sea.

If you don't have any way of burning the wreath, place it in a compost heap, or some such thing. Anything borrowed of Nature, should always be returned.

If we continue to honour Nature, then Nature will always honour us.

SOLSTICE GREETINGS TO ALL MY FRIENDS.
MAY THE NEW SEASON BRING YOU JOY, HAPPINESS AND CONTENTMENT.
MAY YOUR SPIRITS INCREASE ALONG WITH THE DAYLIGHT THAT WILL BEGIN TO HERALD THE ARRIVAL OF SPRING.

 

[matriarch]

Winter Solstice Celebration