Christmas Eve Wishes - What I Love About the Season

Even though we don't celebrate Christmas, per se, I do love the season and the opportunity to tell people that you care about them.

This guy appeared at my bird feeder on Christmas Eve morning, it was a wonderful gift from Nature.  Isn't he magnificent?

The Christmas Season is interesting.   Looking around me daily, I see few people who keep the Christian interpretation of the season.  Most indulge in the commercial side.  I find it interesting that it has become so.  And they say Phil Robertson is a bad person.

So much more fun!

I like some, but not all, the carols.  Grandma Got Run Over by the Reindeer just doesn't do it for me like the Little Drummer Boy does.  Or I Came Upon a Midnight Clear.  Frank wanted to know how I knew all the words to all the carols.  I told him of the years of Christmas programs as a child in the public school system in New Orleans.  Most people don't have a concept of someone not being a Christian.  So all the kids in the class sing the carols in the Christmas program.  And like it.

I like multicolored lights rather than the white ones.  White is so bland.  I guess the quilter in me comes out.  Color is just so pleasing to me.  The people down the street had white lights decorating their crepe myrtle trees in the front yard.  They must have known I like colored lights because they put red lights in a layer on top of the white ones last night.  Kudos to them--it looks fabulous!  I really love the creativity of that patterning. 

And I love giving and getting presents.  The practice of gift exchange comes from the Romans.  They celebrated the Saturnalia, the Festival dedicated to the God of Agriculture.  And for the week after the Solstice they celebrated the Juvenalia, children.  Without children, who would care for you in your old years, if you made it that long.  During the long cold winter, the solstice brought the rebirth of the sun.  The Winter Solstice is around Dec 21st each year.  That is the longest day of  the year and then the sun begins to rise a few minutes earlier each day.  It was the darkest of winter, the food had to stretch until spring harvest.  So the god Mithra was born.  Each year was entreated to bring back the sun and their ability to cultivate food.  Gifts were fruit and grains.  Very practical, not like my Avante, but I like my Avante much better than oranges!

So Happy Dies Natalis Solis Invicti!

And however you celebrate this time of year, I hope you have a wonderful and happy day, surrounded by your loved ones and your friends.  We will be at Carrie's celebrating by eating and exchanging presents with the one who will be directing our care when we get old.  So you bet I am going to give her nice presents!