Thursday, December 25, 2003
Okay - Did actual Christmas this time ^^. went to Rick's Mom's - My step-grandmother (?) Lorraine and had dinner and watched them open gifts. I got a card and 20$ - it was a surprise. We had ham and turkey and a whole mess of stuff. It was good.Not much to speak of, really. *grin*
More Christmas Customs from Alchemy Gothic
Christmas Day; Feast Day of the Nativity (Orthodox)
Celebrating the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. Originally introduced around AD 336, the festival was held on 6 January, the date of the Christian celebration of Epiphany. His actual birth date was probably in April, in the year BC 7, which astronomers calculate was when the coincidental conjunction of Saturn, Jupiter and the constellation of Pisces appeared in the sky, creating the 'Star of the Magi' described in Matthew.2; 2.
The Eastern Orthodox, or Byzantine Church, still recognizes 6th January as the celebration date of Christmas.
Crying Christmas
The town Waits would sing Christmas carols and perform narrative poems to the public, in a secular form of sermonising and merriment, in return for voluntary financial contributions.
Carolling; Vesselling
Carol singers carrying a Milly Box, or ‘My Lady’s Box’, also called a Vessel or a Wesley-Bob, a decorated box containing a wax effigy of the Virgin Mary, would perform door-to-door carols while collecting alms for the needy.
Visiting Wassail
The pagan-evolved equivalent of carolling, starting today, charitable Wassailers went collecting from house-to-house, often led by a mock ‘Mithras’ bull, offering drinks from the Wassail Bowl while singing songs of festive cheer.
Church Bells
Bell-ringing is heard everywhere from churches and cathedrals as Christmas services are performed and carols are sung.
Christmas Feast
The biggest feast of the year, traditionally including, depending on wealth: Swan, peacock, bustard, turkey, goose, Christmas Pies, haggis, boar and pork, followed by fruit and nuts, Christmas pudding and mince pies, all consumed with copious amounts of alcohol, especially strong Christmas Ale.
Boar’s Head Ceremony
The greatest Christmas fare for the wealthy throughout the Middle Ages and up to the 17th c. would be a decorated and garlanded boar’s head, ceremonially presented to the hall table on the finest available dish, followed by Plum Porridge.
Exchanging Gifts
Following ancient pagan customs at around this time as offerings, talismans and tokens of good things to come, gifts are given to friends and family.
Glastonbury Thorn
The tree that grew from Joseph of Arimathea’s staff on Wearyall Hill, where he thrust it in the ground and it took root, miraculously flowers on Christmas Day.
Christmas Baby
Anyone born on Christmas Day will have the ability to see ghosts and spirits, talk with animals and is protected against drowning and hanging.
The Grim Reaper
If anyone should die between today and Twelfth Night, their family will be prey to the Grim Reaper for the coming year.
.:.Uniquely maladjusted... But fun.:. 7:24 PM
Wednesday, December 24, 2003
Yeah, yeah. Should'a done that last night. Oh well. ^^;;.:.Uniquely maladjusted... But fun.:. 11:27 PM
From Alchemy Gothic -
Pagan and Christian Crossovers~
Christmas Eve
Early, pagan, Winter Festival customs were adopted by the Christians and included in the rituals of Christmas, to help with the conversion of faiths.
The Christmas CribModels of the Holy Family in the stable at Bethlehem are set up, with candles that are lit to burn throughout the Twelve Days.
Yule Candle
A very large, decorated, red or green candle is lit on Christmas Eve, and relit on each of the Twelve Days of Christmas. The stub must be kept until the following year as a charm against evil and for good luck in the year.
Christmas Tree
A fir tree is set up in the house and decorated with candles, (or lights), and baubles, fruits and sweets. The custom originated from Germany and is said to have been conceived by Martin Luther, though he will have adapted an ancient pagan ritual from much earlier.
Christmas Greenery Decorations
Originating from old Roman Saturnalia customs, garlands of evergreen decorations, especially holly, ivy and mistletoe are put up as symbols of life through winter. It is ill omened to bring Christmas greenery into the house before December 24th.
Holly
Protects against witches, faeries, fire and other malign forces.
Mistletoe
Amongst the Celt’s most sacred and magical plants, curing all ailments, causing fertility and as an amulet against evil forces. It was cut down with a golden sickle on the sixth day of the moon and not allowed to fall to the ground. Churches forbid the pagan associated mistletoe to be taken inside. Kissing under the mistletoe, and the Kissing Bough, is an English tradition. A berry must be plucked from the branch first, before asking for a kiss, which if refused, condemns them to an unmarried life.
Yule Log
By Viking tradition, a large log of oak, ash or fruit-tree is dragged onto the hearth and kindled with a remnant of the previous year’s Yule Log, and must be kept alight for twelve hours, (or days, depending on custom), to ensure good omens. Sometimes, the log is substituted by an Ash Faggot, (see 16th Jan).
Carols
Christmas carols, the songs of praise and joy, begin to be sung in church, at home, in the streets and door-to-door.
Christmas Feast
When the Yule Log has been lit, the feasting can begin, with mulled ale and cider, spiced mince pies and cakes, and fruit and roast chestnuts. Festivities, including many indoor games, go on through the night.
Santa Claus; Father Christmas
In Britain and America, stockings are hung by the fireplace for Santa Claus, who travels through the night on his sleigh pulled by reindeer through the sky, visiting every house and, entering by the chimney, leaves gifts for the children before Christmas morning.
His origins are an amalgamation of myths and beliefs from many cultures, principally the ancient’s Mithras, Norse/Teutonic Odin/Woden, and St Nicholas, of Orthodox Christian extraction.
Evening Mass
Mass is held, usually up to and at midnight.
Ghosts and Fearies
The Eve of Christmas is a very active anniversary night for ghosts, with many sightings being recorded everywhere, and faeries can be seen at many sites across Europe, especially in Celtic lands.
Laidley Worm
The King of Northumberland’s stepmother turned his daughter into a huge dragon, which then moved to and terrorized Bamburgh. The King’s son, as the Childe of Wynd, fought the dragon and, under the sword, gave it three kisses out of compassion. This broke the spell and the dragon transformed back into the princess, and the witch became a giant toad.
.:.Uniquely maladjusted... But fun.:. 11:20 PM
Tuesday, December 23, 2003
Well! More Swag - this time for Christmas, since that's what the Boy celebrates. ^^He got me a throw with a red fox on it, two little necklaces - also foxes, a fox puppet and a knife with J. E. Bowser paitings on it. Forest Light on the sheath and one I can't identiy on the hilt. Hmm. I'll have to look harder.
Oh. Horror. :snicker:
I also got Mom's presents. And I'd give them to her. If I'd seen her anytime since Sunday that is...
Ah well. I'll see her eventually.
.:.Uniquely maladjusted... But fun.:. 8:05 PM
Sunday, December 21, 2003
And I forgot the MAGE tarot cards! Augh! And UI was getting used to them while I was typing too....:.Uniquely maladjusted... But fun.:. 11:47 PM
Whee!
Friday was fun - hung out for a long time before the ceremony - saw Hope and her mom and they gave me prezzies! ^^V Well...Okay it was more along the lines of -
Hope: "What? You don't want your presents?"
Tema: "Well, it might help to know I had some."
Still fun.
Dressed up some, played around, hung out...Whee!
The ceremony was really pretty - I almost, Almost, cried. It was a close thing.
Afterward, there was present openings, more hanging about and clean up wiht some more hanging out done. I went back to Springpatch with Kay and Hope and hung out with Hope for a little while - decided to sleep in my bed and be like that.
She didn't pout too much. ~^
S'okay though. :shrug:
Saturday - nothing I really wanna tell you about.
Sunday - Yule Celebration at my OtherOtherMother's home. It was fun - even with the kid brushing and playing with my hair.
Let's see...
Since I'm so materialistic...
One new blank book (with sequins on it *giggle*); a new pen (with inks in assorted colors, going to want more soon); slippers (leopard print and v. comfy) a copy of Sandman: Endless Nights; face paint (that I'm actually going to wear, just not too often); Some brushes; Dragon stationary (HEE! Dragons!); A cute little Greatful Dead Bear dressed like a dragon and a set of Sherlock Holmes radio mysteries.
WHEE!
What fun! Now...I'm going to bed. Ish.
.:.Uniquely maladjusted... But fun.:. 11:45 PM
An Introduction to the World
Web-Home of Parvastur Tultema, Tecilquar of the Spring-fed Field, Lover of Nature, Smiter of Idiots, Watch-Warden of the Squirrels of Inconvenience, Nazi of the Grocery, Wielder of Sword of Bronze and Emerald, Inciter of Bunnies, and Wereslut of a Thousand Forms.
Much more subtlety like that, and I'm going to have to become a used car salesman just to maintain my self-respect.
Being able to fly would be cool, but only if I could fly fast. Flying slow is floating, and that's just creepy.
Look, Lemmings -- a Cliff!
Proper Nouns
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