Seasonal observances

[chanaleh]

I resist Christmas festivity on principle, but reframing it as solstice/Yule gratifies my secret pagan streak: marking the turning of the seasons, the waxing and waning of the light. Judaism incorporates the rhythms of sun and moon and earth, to a degree, but it pleases me that even Chanukah -- historical paean against religious assimilation, the righteous Israelites routing the decadent Hellenizers -- is at once so thinly veiled a solstice festival. Light increases in the world.

Anyway, so here it is December.

Last month, in Freeport with ablock, at the British-goods store, I saw some Christmas teas from Taylors of Harrogate. I didn't buy any, but then the thought of them stayed with me, so I stopped into Cardullo's the week before Thanksgiving and picked up some Christmas Earl Grey (spiced with orange, lemon, and clove). It doesn't taste that different to me from their regular Earl Grey, but it smells wonderful. I took it to my office, where I've been drinking it nearly every day since.

Despite the "preview" snowfall we got at the end of October, and despite the balmy Thanksgiving, as warm here as it was for me in northern California -- yesterday, suddenly, was the first snow that felt like winter (and ice that tied up the highways for hours). I neglected to dress for the weather, but I did go and splurge on an Eggnog Latte at lunchtime. Usually one of those a year is enough for me, but it's fun.

Today I broke out my longjohns and remembered to wear my hat, and life was much better.

I also (God help me) bought the December issue of Martha Stewart Living -- but having read it over tonight, in a mercifully quiet evening at home, I'm somehow relieved to say I didn't find that much in it to inspire me. I don't have a holiday table to spread nor to decorate.

It would be nice if I could clean up the house, though. One of the things I always take away from visiting Mom's is an appreciation for the cleanness of it -- free not merely of clutter but of the grime and dust that I almost forget to notice accumulating here. (It helps that they now have someone in to clean every other week. A miraculous intervention. Plus it's so much easier to see someone else's dirt than your own. I need to arrange for some guests, to force me to tackle the house with my "company" eyes on.) Cleaning isn't, of course, just for spring. If we're to be relegated indoors, it should be as pleasant a space as possible.

Speaking of decluttering -- time to winnow out those donations for the clothing drive (for those less fortunate, whose apartments are not heated to a cozy 80 degrees all winter, as mine is).

Comments

[infinitehotel.livejournal.com]

I love Solstice, both for the pagan and the practical aspects.(Finally, the days start getting longer!) However, in terms of sense-memory and tradition, it seems to mostly get run over by Christmas. The smells, tastes, and traditional decorations of the holiday have been co-opted such that it's going to take a concentrated effort to create Solstice memories that are unique to the holiday. Time to revive the mummers plays, the Lords of Misrule, mistletoe, and the storytelling around the fire, I think. :)

[skreeky]

I read recently that decorated evergreens at solstice originated in Germany. I'd like it to be true - there's got to be more to my heritage than thick beer and sweet wine. Um, and liversausage. Liversausage is good too. Leiderhosen, not so much.

[infinitehotel.livejournal.com]

How about a nice schweinhocken? :)