How Do You Celebrate?
When young around five years of age Christmas was a time of getting Christmas cards from family or friends, I think that was the highlight. Waiting for the postman to arrive with gorgeous pictures from overseas depicting snow or little red robin birds.
No chimney for fat Santa to come down, now how did the children in warmer regions fall for this story? The church, no matter where you live, each religion all hold a similar story.
Normally a few small gifts passed under the tree, after church, one per child, Mum sewed us new clothing adding a soap or talc powder or similar, Aunt an avid knitter a new sweater, these were our gifts for which we were grateful.
Our wealth was in sharing a brilliant Christmas meal together with my spinster Aunt in attendance more often than not, much laughter and teasing would follow after a beer shandy (half beer/lemonade).
Stories about our ancestry which is where most began with the talk about far off places where different ways are celebrated, similar not quite all the same. Being a 'white' South African we are mixed with Norse or Gaul who knows what else, influencing our direct bonds with Africa many local beliefs also introduced living in a diverse country each with their own beliefs.
Tree of Life
Monolith sculpture with 121 figures scrambling ever upward, has been interpreted as a kind of vision of resurrection, our longing and striving for spirituality. Found in Frogner Park, Oslo where Gustav Vigeland, born as Adolf Gustav Thorsen, a Norwegian sculptor displays 212 sculptures made in bronze, granite, wrought iron as part of his works, fills the park from birth to death celebrated unclothed not to age, but display human nature.
Northern hemisphere celebrate Winter Solstice when days slowly start to alter from deep winter back to some more sun, over the ages worship of Sungod or fruitful new year ahead with good harvest, festivities have taken place over eons of time. Today's Christmas is linked to ancient pagan celebrations of Winter Solstice, Saturnalia, and Yule. To me there is no right or wrong simply change in season, now light your fires, sing, drink not too much be merry, enabling us to face our next step forward as humanity.
Southern hemisphere in South Africa more often than not we celebrate outdoors, later fires lit, cooking pots will arrive bringing harvest from homes then shared. All religions practiced whether under a big tree, church, temple, synagogue, mosque are welcome. A time of year to bring and be together, following hot on the heels the day after Christmas is our Day of Goodwill which the North celebrate as Boxing Day.
Doesn’t matter season name, cultures in the Northern Hemisphere have celebrated the return of the sun in December with festivals, feasting, gift-giving, and debauchery since the dawn of time. We in the Southern Hemisphere are effectively seasonally opposite yet brought these festivities with our forefathers when the traversed from from far off lands.
Celebrate and share knowing it is symbolic to break out of gloomy dark into the light. Enjoy decorated pines (real or fake), preparations for the New Year's Eve perhaps a wee drop of mulled wine or similar, celebrate with our ancestry connecting us over time, it is symbolic, a good time for everyone to unwind and relax.
One tree which is homemade baobab decorated with twinkling lights, my decoration to celebrate the season. Plants outside, living flowers to enjoy, along with true life in greeting friendly neighbours, sharing gifts of kindness goes a lot further.
Personally I find Christmas overrated, completely taken out of context to original intent whether religious or seasonal, commercialism has killed the narrative. Share your thoughts in the comments below, this time of year do you overspend on items not really needed simply spoiling oneself?
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Thought for Today: "A child doesn't belong to the father or mother; a child belongs to the ancestors." - African Proverb
Weekend Experiences - Join In Link Here - "Do you hate Christmas or find it irrelevant, too commercial or overrated? If so, explain why. Remember to use your own photos."
