Dave the Atheist Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Are you ready to install your Solstice > decorations? Yes. I enjoy this time of year and all the ancient Nature Worshipping Pagans who brought it to us, everything about Christmas goes back to Pagan roots, that got melted into one big giant myth of Christmas, which was the Roman "Pagan" festival of celebrating their Sun God, Mithrus, on December 25th, the Winter Solstice, (they were only off by 4 days) the time at which, from their vantage point, the sun began to get brighter every day. It was a celebration of the return of light in the darkest of times. It's the same myth that came from Greece, via ancient Egypt. It's a hopeful celebration of this perpetual journey we are on through space time, warping both to affect the shape of reality. I love this time of year when we all go in-doors, with family to reflect on our inner world. It's the best time to have all of your family together all around the world for one big celebration. Not everything about a pandemic sucks!
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/27/2020 08:22PM by schrodingerscat.
People all over the world rejoice! The Jesus Child is born! Traditions are man made and evolve over the years. Generation after generation hand over cultural heritage. The variety is a blessing!
We put up our outside decorations and lights about 2 weeks ago when the weather was nice. About 2-3 other neighbors have lights up now, too. Today I am in the process of changing the door wreaths and I've put up a couple of other decorations on the walls. It's a major furniture move to make way for the tree so that will take a couple of days but it will be done by the end of the weekend.
Even though we are not having anyone over for Christmas, I do like the house to look festive.
Yes, I have 2 Nativity sets. One I bought at Sears way back in the early 70's as a young newlywed. The figurines are looking pretty chipped and faded, but it brings back fond memories of Christmasas past. The other one is made entirely out of olivewood and I bought it when I went on a trip with former DH to Israel in 1989 or 1990. I bought it in Nazareth and it has great sentimental value to me but nothing religious. I also bought several wooden ornaments when we visited Bethlehem. This trip was in July but the tourist shops all had Christmas stuff for sale.
I have one of those Italian Fontanini sets that I had back when I was a Christian. I used to add figures every year, so I have a bunch of them.
Now, if I bother to get it out, it's because it became a game for the kids to rearrange it every day and hide the baby Jesus.
Every day I would find things like a peanut or toy lying in the manger and everything rearranged. One day the camels looked like they were humping (har). I might find the baby Jesus hidden in the fridge. My kids would add their action figures to the scene. He-Man and Skeletor blended right in.
Finally we had found a way to enjoy the nativity set!
I'm waiting until December 1 to put up the tree and the lights. Not only do I not own a Nativity set, I do more decorating for Halloween than for Christmas.
I have two nativity sets. One belonged to my parents, and it goes underneath my Christmas tree. It's a little ragged, but has sentimental value. The other is of more recent vintage, and goes onto a bedroom table.
I'm no longer a "believer." I see them more as cultural artifacts.
I don't begrudge those who do and I can enjoy other people's decor who find value in that activity. But I don't want to store things and put things up and down over and over. I don't have special occasion tableware either. I find no enjoyment in that and I'm glad to not have that cash outlay.
I move my clothes around in my closet to reflect the seasonal realities of dressing for the weather.
Walking my dog Halloween night, I saw a tree already up in someone's living room. Next door carried theirs in today. My experience with live trees is that it will be a fire hazard by the 15th. If the weather's nice next weekend, I'll put up some outside lights, so as not to look like a grinch. The Nativity scene was Great-grandma's, Great grandpa making the stable by hand, so it *has* to go up, burning bosom or not. These days, I much prefer the Dicken's Village my mother started.