Tag :) You're It!!!

umm, my computer skills are limited and I'm shy about what to do. ya, actually shy. Strange.

Thanks for playing the game!

The Christmas issue in interesting. I squat between loving the celebration and avoiding shopping and commerce in that season. I definitely do Christmas with the children.

We exchange personal gifts on the Solstice–encouraged to be hand made by us. We do the tree and the candles. There is a real reverence for having all of our decorations made from natural materials, and bringing in the bows of the evergreen to celebrate life in the darkest days. We go to a few  seasonal festivals which lean towards pagan roots. And Santa does come on Christmas Eve, but in a much more limited way than most families.

As a Buddhist, it is a trip to honor a Christian holy-day. But my famiy roots are in Christianity and the celebration of the holiday. I have so many magical memories of Christmas as a child.

Now I do it in a real elemental way–that is semi-pagan. Not much commercialism, not much Baby Jesus. But much family and warmth and light. It works for me now, but it was a real struggle for a few years.

What's your cat friend called? We started with Whiskers, and now we have Kitten [aren't we original!]—it's fascinating watching the various steps in their relating to each other!

ok, so what does it mean to 'link to' someone else's blog?  How do I do this?

Hi,

This 'Tag You're It' looks like a fun game!

Baby Jesus was not born around 'christmas' time at all. He was a Summer baby. When my 6 year old started asking confused questions about Jesus and Christmas I simply told him that some people celebrate the birth of Jesus at Christmas time. Period, end of story. If he ever wants to know more about Christ consciousness, I may tell him how he can learn more and find out for himself. Allthough I feel he already has it, as well as my Jewish husband. I support that my children choose their own path, and their own mentor(s).

So my Jewish husband buys a tree every year! Our first Christmas he went to town and bought decorations from all over the world. Every year he finds more ethnic treasures. Between cats and kids some disappear or break, so we keep a good balance. All continents are represented in our tree. We celebrate the Solstice, and create our own magic.

For gifts we buy only what is needed and something fun we can all play with. Winter time is also great to enjoy board or (oracle) card games or  connecting through play in other ways. I like the handmade gifts idea. In my family we used to celebrate Sinterklaas (St. Nicholas's birthday on December 6). We used to put our names in a hat, pick a name and make something for this person. It also included a poem. We were relentless. These are sweet memories. 

Even though I was 'raised' Catholic once upon a time, I was the one who bought a beautiful menora (in the form of children holding hands up high) for our first Hannukah. Eventually I learned how to sing the song (in Hebrew) to light the candles to celebrate the miracle of Light.

As free spirits we get to visit different religions without attachments or hangups, and celebrate what unites us.

Tag me!

ooohhhhhhhhh,you already have wings-the wings of love, and you are flying! I'll send you lyrics to one of my songs,it's called flying!  And yes ,the best mom,ents with people are those without words……….thanks for being nice to that cat ; like I say, everything that is,has a purpose…including that cat!
Keep smiling!