'Tis the Season

editors — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 18:10:00 GMT

If you celebrate Christmas, you have undoubtedly been spending your fair share of time in the mall recently. In our (comparably) affluent society, many people fear that Christmas has become just this: an overly commercial binge of materialism and decorating. Perhaps knowing the intentions behind the holiday rituals so many of us participate in can help us to feel more in the true spirit of the season this year. So, if you’ve ever wondered why we are rockin’ around a Christmas tree and decking the halls with boughs of holly, check out this enlightening post on CafeMom.

According to “Yule: What It Means to Me”, Yule is the winter holiday that originated with the Celts and is now celebrated by most Pagans. Many Christmas traditions seem to have their origin in the Yule celebration. We put up Christmas trees because the Celts saw evergreens as a symbol of life in the barren winter. Our modern Christmas lights are reminiscent of Yule candles, lit to encourage the sun’s return. We decorate our trees with ornaments just like the Celts hung the evergreen with symbols of things they hoped for in the coming year. Ever heard of a Yule log and wondered "What is that?" It’s a symbol of protection and health.

My favorite Yule tradition is one that anyone could use, regardless of beliefs or holiday practices. Paganpiratemama writes, "We give each other gifts at Yule to show our appreciation and love of our family and friends. We always say a little something or write a note telling them why we are glad to have them in our lives. Rarely do we give things that cost a lot of money, but something thoughtful and from the heart.”

I really can’t remember the last time that I told someone how much she meant to me as she unwrapped her gift, but it is definitely a ritual I’d like to begin. Thoughtful and from the heart…I can get on board with that. - Lindsay Armstrong

(Image taken from crazy-frankenstein.com)

No presents for this kid - just donations

Brett Singer — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 15:00:00 GMT

More nice news – an 11-year-old in Greensboro, North Carolina told her friends not to bring presents to her birthday party. Instead, she asked them to bring canned goods that she will donate to a local food pantry.

This isn't the first time Audrey Mangum decided to forgo gifts in favor of more charitable pursuits. This has been going on for four years. Previous birthdays included items such as teddy bears and toys to be donated to less fortunate families.

Some kids, of course, brought presents, and Audrey was happy about that, proving that she's nice, but not nuts. "That is pretty cool," said Mangum. "They didn't even have to do that."

Cool kid! I have a friend whose daughter did something similar one year, and everyone was pretty charmed by the gesture. Frankly, I think it would be nice if more kids did this sort of thing, but I think the idea needs to come from the child. That is, if you say, "Hey, Toy Boy. How about this year you don't get presents and your friends just bring cans for the food pantry?" you may not get a great reaction. Then again, maybe not every kid is going to think of this on their own, or they might be embarrassed to bring it up for fear of being teased (not to mention not getting any cool gifts.) Has anyone ever done this with their children?

Image/Source: digtriad.com

Strollerderby : gift

'Tis the Season

No presents for this kid - just donations

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