Happy (belated) Yule! Yeah, I forgot to wish everybody (anybody) that may be reaidng this a happy holiday, and I'm sorry for that. Can I blame the . . . *checks label* hydrocodeone/acetaminophen for that? No . . . okay . . . .
Well, my Yule went pretty well, got out of surgery just fine, as I may have already mentioned, I'm not sure on that, I'm kinda fuzzy on . . . stuff. I had my little Yule ritual last night, pretty informal, just lit some candles, spoke to the God and Goddess and . . . I feel good about it. A little sore because my cat decided my still-healing chest was a lovely place to sleep last night, but pretty good overall.
So, yeah, mostly just a blurb, but I thought it should be said and . . . you know what? I'm going to expand on it, so here it goes, ala the questions at Pagan Blog Prompts:
What plans do you have?
For Yule, my plans were have breast reduction surgery, and celebrate on Saturday, which I did. As mentioned above, I lit some candles, spoke, meditated, and lit some incense. Not a big formal ritual or as tidily(sp?) put together and planned as I prefer, but it worked for me. Considering what happened later in the evening, I think that that's about all I was able to handle.
Care to share some images of your altar?
Umm, no . . . I used the lapdesk/tray my mom got for my three-week recovery period as an altar, and took it down soon after. So, no pictures . . .
What does this time of year mean to you?
This time of year for me means music and midterms and family and fire. And, yes, maybe the last part sound slightly pyromaniacal, but it's true. Around Yule, I think of spending time with my family, mixing CDs for the season, studying for my midterms after the winter break ends, and just lighting a few candles each night, not for any particular reason, but because I like to, I enjoy it, and it's something my family and I can share, because we've done it ever since I was a little kid.
So, yeah, maybe it has a different meaning to me now, but the tradition is still there and it matters to me, it makes me feel closer to my loved ones. Winter is a time for family, because, so far as I see it, they are the ones that always put up with you, and vice versa.
Do you also celebrate Christmas or some other holiday, as well as Yule? How do you mesh everything together?
Yes, I do. My in-state family is predominantly Lutheran, and I grew up celebrating Christmas. I mesh that together with my own religious practices pretty easily: Yule is for religious purposes, and, admittedly, a couple presents from friends, whereas I treat Christmas the same way my Atheist friends do: a time to celebrate family and commercialism. I'm not going to Christmas Eve service with my parents this year, thanks to being on bedrest, and in past years I've popped in some earbuds under my jacket and hair, and listened to music throughout the service.
For Yule, I honor the God and Goddess. I devote some time solely to them. For Christmas, it's all about my family, and getting together and spending time with one another. We put together puzzles and listen to the Chipmunks holiday track, and eat cold cuts all day. It's pretty sweet, and I enjoy it.
So, happy Chanakwanzasmas-Solstice, everybody, and a Happy New Year,
- Janie L.
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