Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, joyous Kwanzaa, and good Eid ul-Fitr to allgreenspun.com : LUSENET : Unk's Wild Wild West : One Thread |
Just wanted to take a minute to wish all here happy holidays. Whatever your belief or persuasion, may you have peace and joy now and in the New Year. This is a nice 'community' and I enjoy all of you and wish you the very best.Casey
-- Casey DeFranco (caseydefranco@mindspring.com), December 25, 2000
Have a sassy Saturnalia
The very ancient God Saturn was honored on this, the Roman Saturnalia. He was pictured with a half-bare chest and a sickle or ears of corn in His hand. His consort was the Goddess Ops, Goddess of Fertility. This begins a week of feasting, merriment, charades, gift-giving, and the lighting of torches and candles. The festival ran for seven consecutive days and can best be described as a festival of extravagant decadence. Slaves were allow to meet with their masters on equal terms during the time of the Saturnalia. On this day of goodwill to all, the common greeting was "Bona Saturnalia!" The festival is the origin of most all carnivals and revels we still observe today. The modern celebration of Christmas is somewhat a continuation of this Midwinter festivity.
-- (goatman@the.orgy), December 25, 2000.
Have a mega modresnach, jawold
Mother Night (Modresnach)
December 21, 2000
On this night, a Germanic/Scandinavian Midwinter festival known as The Mother Night (or Modresnach) was observed. It was believed that dreams on this night foretold events in the upcoming year. Many of its traditions live on in modern Christmas celebrations. The decorated evergreen tree was a symbol of the Tree of Life, or World Tree. The star atop the tree represented the pole star (Polaris) of the Star Goddess. The dinners and gifts were in honor of the food and prosperity given by the Mother Goddesses to their human children. The elves connected with our current Santa Claus are remnants of the Nature Folk of the Old Religion. The reindeer are symbols of old shamanic abilities used by the people and having eight of them represents the eight Sabbats of the year. The mistletoe is said to have first been picked and used to collect the kisses of the Goddess Frigg, long before it was used as a weapon to kill Her son. Mistletoe later became of high importance to the Celtic Druids and has been considered one of the most important plants used in many Pagan ritual since.
-- (Helmut@Hamburg.Deutschland), December 25, 2000.
Have a pogo-stick Pongol
Pongol of the Cows,/b>
December 21, 2000
The Hindu celebration of the Pongol of the Cows takes place on this day.
-- (Prakesh@Calcutta.mooo), December 25, 2000.
Birth of DievDecember 18, 2000
The birth of the God Diev and the rebirth of the Sun is celebrated annually in Latvia with a four day winter festival. Houses are festively decorated and traditional feasts are prepared to welcome the four gift-bearing celestial beings who are the heralds of the Winter Solstice.
-- (lassitude@Latvia.lattitudes), December 25, 2000.
Festival of the Wisdom GoddessesDecember 16, 2000
In ancient Rome, the Festival of the Goddess of wisdom, Sapientia was held annually on this day, the eve of the Saturnalia, a day when wisdom may not be the ruling quality. She was also known as Sophia in Greece, and Sapientia-Sophia in medieval times. This day is also sacred to the following Goddesses of wisdom: Athena, Kista, Maat, Minerva, and the Shekinah.
-- (wisdom@tooth.fairy), December 25, 2000.
Hopi Soyal CeremonyDecember 16, 2000
The Native American tribe of the Hopi in the southwestern United States celebrate the Soyal Ceremony annually on this date (approximately). The rites of the Soyal celebrate the return of the Sun (Life) and commemorate the creation and rebirth of Spider Woman and Hawk Maiden.
-- (spiderman@Hopi.homecoming), December 25, 2000.
Alcyone HonoredDecember 15, 2000
The Greek Goddess Alcyone, who was symbolized by the kingfisher, is honored beginning on this day with the Halcyon Days Festival which begins seven days before and continuing until seven days after. According to legend, these days are a special time of tranquility and calm, due to the magickal powers of the Halcyon (a fabled bird much like a kingfisher, who nested on the sea and calmed the wind and waves during Winter Solstice). Interestingly, the kingfisher's eggs hatch at the this time of the year, but only if the tides are low and the sea is calm.
-- (Halcyon@winter.solstice), December 25, 2000.
Saint Lucia's DayDecember 13, 2000
In Sweden, the Sun Goddess Lucina is still honored with a traditional festival of light on Saint Lucia's (or Saint Lucy's) Day (also known as Little Yule) each year on this date. At daybreak, the first-born daughter of the house wears a candle crown in obvious reference to the Pagan symbols of fire and life giving light, and serves her family cakes. There are processions and treats. Young females often wear white dresses and many of the males dress as elves, who are known as Lucina's Helpers.
-- (lucy@the.sky), December 25, 2000.
Day of ChangoDecember 4, 2000
The day is sacred to the Yoruban God Chango in West Africa. He is a God of lightning bolts and the son of the deities Yemaya and Orungan.
-- (fandango@chango.baby), December 25, 2000.
Rev. Algernon Crapsey Convicted of HeresyDecember 5, 1906
On this date in 1906, American Episcopal clergyman, the Rev. Algernon Sidney Crapsey (born in Fairmont, Ohio and rector of St. Andrew's Church, Rochester, N.Y.) was convicted of heresy for questioning the physical being, life, and divinity of Jesus Christ.
-- (crap@Crapsey.inquisition), December 25, 2000.
Fire Festival of SadaDecember 12, 2000
The Zorastrian Fire Festival of Sada celebrates the victories of good over evil and light over darkness at sunset on this date (approximately).
-- (pyromanias@Zoraster.Firefestival), December 25, 2000.
Festival of MinervaDecember 4, 2000
The Goddess Minerva was honored with an annual festival on this date in ancient Rome. Minerva, the Roman counterpart of the Greek Goddess Athena, is a Goddess of battle and also a patroness of the arts and wisdom.
-- (Minerva@Minnie.theMoocher), December 25, 2000.
Wind Whirling BacchanaliaDecember 4, 2000
In the Faerie tradition, today is the celebration known as the Wind Whirling Bacchanalia.
-- (Wallflower@the.orgy), December 25, 2000.
Rites of Bona DeaDecember 3, 2000
Women's rites were performed annually on this date in ancient Rome, in honor of Bona Dea, the Good Goddess. All males were barred from the ceremonies which were conducted by Vestal Virgins.
-- (VestalVirgins@Lesbos.Isle), December 25, 2000.
Day of CromniomancyDecember 1, 2000
December 1st is the time for young girls, in some parts of the world, to perform the ancient art of Cromniomancy (divination by onion sprouts) to find out the name of their future husbands. To find out who your future husband will be, take some onions and carve upon each one a different man's name. Place the onions near a fire and the man whose name is on the onion that sprouts first will be the one.
-- (Funnin'@onion.sprouts), December 25, 2000.
Bodhi FestivalDecember 2, 2000
The world's oldest and most sacred tree (planted in the year 182 BCE, and believed to be an offshoot of the Bodhi or Bo-tree (that the Buddha sat under when he achieved enlightenment) is honored annually on this date in what is now known as Bodh Gaya, India, by Tibetan Buddhist pilgrims with prayers, chants, and brightly colored flags
-- (Buddha@Bodhi.buddies), December 25, 2000.
Feast of Liu-HsingDecember 3, 2000
Today in China marks the Feast of Liu-Hsing, the Stellar God of Happiness.
-- (ChairmanMao@Tiennman.Sq), December 25, 2000.
Festival of Cybele and RheaDecember 3, 2000
This day was sacred to the Goddess Cybele and also to Rhea, the Great Mother of the Earth in ancient Greece.
-- (EarthMother@Greece.Greece), December 25, 2000.
Feast of LonoLono: God of rain and agriculture, and of peace. During the annual makahiki feast in his honor, October through February, war was kapu.
-- (BigKahuna@lei.meAloha), December 25, 2000.
I'll partake of any celebration that allows me to oogle naked women, drink gallons of good booze, and eat plenty of high fat foods. Bring them all on!
-- (dis@enfranch.ized), December 25, 2000.