Wednesday 4 January 2012

Pre Christmas Ramble: late post is late

This post is a little late but if I don't post it now I never will.

Yes I'm Wiccan and I celebrate Christmas.

Even though I was brought up to celebrate Christmas neither of my parents are religious. In fact they haven't a religious bone in their bodies. Christmas was, for us, a time to celebrate 'family' and to receive presents. School would put on the Christian Nativity and we'd all coo over the 4 year old Mary and Joseph (or be jealous that we were only the inn keeper :)). Christianity was always in the background even if it wasn't shoved down my throat constantly. I remember in Junior school there was a girl who didn't celebrate christmas (she was a jahovo witness) and I remember that we were all concerned that she didn't get any Christmas presents. What stuck in my mind though (I'm actually surprised I remember this tbh) was that she wasn't bothered because she said she got presents throughout the year instead. I remember liking this. I also remember that she used to bring in real snake skin that her snake had shredded. So she always seemed different to us. I think it must have been explained to us at the time in more detail but I don't recall.

It wasn't until high school that we were taught about other religions but I didn't really have an interest. RE (religious Education) was 40 minutes of kids messing around and colouring in jesus with a cross colouring sheets. It wasn't until around 17 that I started to be interested in spirituality. I'd try out a couple of religions hoping I'd feel a connection or something but I never did until I stumbled upon Wicca (I don't remember how that even happened). I've always celebrated the Christian holidays; Christmas, easter, etc. However I actually remember celebrating Mayday in junior school but that was early 80's. I don't know how or why it stopped being celebrated.

This year we celebrated Christmas but I also set up my Yule alter both in my bedroom and the sitting room (kinda disguised as I'm lodged firmly in the closet), performed a simple Yule ritual and spent a lot of time thinking about the Goddess and Wicca and what they mean to me. It felt good to celebrate my religion. Being my first year I didn't get to do some of the things I wanted
to do but I have good ideas for next year. I'm going to get crafty :)

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