In more ways than just the overall scope of things.
Families gather because of tradition.
If you google the tradition of Christmas trees you find – The first records of Christmas trees being cut for display comes from the 1820s in Pennsylvania’s German community, although trees may have been a tradition there even earlier.
In my house we get certain gifts every year because it is traditional. A box of Christmas Crunch, a bag of Andes mints, A thing of Sparkling Cider, and some Hot Chocolate.
We stretched out the holiday by letting our daughter open one present a day until Yule in December. (That meant she got 21 presents at least although we really did not do stockings and such.)
We did a lot of homemade gifts. Which focused on time spent together. We still do. Jams, and Jellies are likely to be a favorite this year.
What are your traditions? If you celebrate a different holiday please don’t hesitate to tell me your holiday traditions. I honestly want to know. This is not a place of judgement. This is a time when sharing knowledge makes us all wiser.
Though I know it is an American Holiday…I do currently reside in the United States. And I have my whole life. So pardon me for wishing you a happy holiday.
Thanksgiving has always been a large feast of a meal for me.
I spend days ahead cooking.
Sometimes traditions change.
The last couple of years have been bad because I have not been able to do the big meal. So I am doing it again this year. With minor changes.
We have to adapt to changes or they will wipe us away.
One of the Changes for me is the inability to make my favorite dishes. We have several Diabetics at the table so making so many desserts is a bad idea. Since I cannot make it, I wonder what recipes you are making, or cannot make.
Yes I realize it is really early for this… but I kinda am in the mood for the conversation.
We do yule. It is a wonderful thing where we celebrate the time together more than anything else. Yes we do presents but we don’t make it a big deal. Most of my gifts to my daughter have been homemade for years. I try to get the rest of the family something that will make them smile.
So much of the people end up feeling like they have to go into debt to get the best gift for the holiday thing… for me the best thing about the holidays is that I get to see some of my family that are too far away to see otherwise.
I was working in the lab, late one night When my eyes beheld an eerie sight For my monster from his slab, began to rise And suddenly to my surprise
He did the mash, he did the monster mash The monster mash, it was a graveyard smash He did the mash, it caught on in a flash He did the mash, he did the monster mash
From my laboratory in the castle east (Wa-ooh) To the master bedroom where the vampires feast (Wa-wa-ooh) The ghouls all came from their humble abodes (Wa-ooh) To get a jolt from my electrodes
They did the mash, they did the monster mash The monster mash, it was a graveyard smash They did the mash, it caught on in a flash They did the mash, they did the monster mash
The zombies were having fun (Tennis shoe wa-ooh) The party had just begun (Tennis shoe wa-ooh) The guests included Wolfman (Tennis shoe wa-ooh) Dracula, and his son
The scene was rockin’, all were digging the sounds (Wa-ooh) Igor on chains, backed by his baying hounds (Wa-wa-ooh) The coffin-bangers were about to arrive (Wa-ooh) With their vocal group, The Crypt-Kicker Five
They played the mash, they played the monster mash The monster mash, it was a graveyard smash They played the mash, it caught on in a flash They played the mash, they played the monster mash
Out from his coffin’, Drac’s voice did ring (Wa-ooh) Seems he was troubled by just one thing (Wa-wa-ooh) He opened the lid and shook his fist and said (Wa-ooh) “Whatever happened to my Transylvania Twist?
It’s now the mash, it’s now the monster mash The monster mash, and it’s a graveyard smash It’s now the mash, it caught on in a flash It’s now the mash, it’s now the monster mash
Now everything’s cool, Drac’s a part of the band (Wa-ooh) And my Monster Mash is the hit of the land (Wa-wa-ooh) For you, the living this mash was meant too (Wa-ooh) When you get to my door, tell them Boris sent you
Then you can mash, then you can monster mash The monster mash and do my graveyard smash Then you can mash, you’ll catch on in a flash Then you can mash, then you can monster mash
Mash good Easy, Igor, you impetuous young boy Mash good, grr
My 2 Cents –
Continuing the theme from last week…It’s Halloween Time Y’all. Celebrate the dark and spooky with me.
It’s close to midnight and something evil’s lurkin’ in the dark Under the moonlight you see a sight that almost stops your heart You try to scream but terror takes the sound before you make it You start to freeze as horror looks you right between the eyes, You’re paralyzed
‘Cause this is thriller, thriller night And no one’s gonna save you from the beast about to strike You know it’s thriller, thriller night You’re fighting for your life inside a killer, thriller tonight Yeah Ooh
You hear the door slam and realize there’s nowhere left to run You feel the cold hand and wonder if you’ll ever see the sun You close your eyes and hope that this is just imagination, girl But all the while you hear a creature creepin’ up behind You’re outta time
‘Cause this is thriller, thriller night There ain’t no second chance against the thing with the forty eyes, girl Thriller, ooh, thriller night You’re fighting for your life inside a killer, thriller tonight
Night creatures call And the dead start to walk in their masquerade There’s no escaping the jaws of the alien this time (they’re open wide) This is the end of your life, ooh
They’re out to get you, there’s demons closing in on every side (ooh) They will possess you unless you change that number on your dial Now is the time for you and I to cuddle close together, yeah All through the night I’ll save you from the terror on the screen, I’ll make you see
That this is thriller, thriller night ‘Cause I can thrill you more than any ghoul could ever dare try Thriller, ooh, thriller night So let me hold you tight and share a killer, thriller, chiller Thriller here tonight
‘Cause this is thriller, thriller night Girl, I can thrill you more than any ghoul could ever dare try Thriller, ooh, thriller night So let me hold you tight and share a killer, thriller (ow)
I’m gonna thrill you tonight
[Vincent Price:] Darkness falls across the land The midnight hour is close at hand Creatures crawl in search of blood To terrorize y’all’s neighborhood (I’m gonna thrill you tonight) And whomsoever shall be found Without the soul for getting down Must stand and face the hounds of hell And rot inside a corpse’s shell
[Vincent Price:] The foulest stench is in the air The funk of forty thousand years (Thriller night, thriller) And grisly ghouls from every tomb Are closing in to seal your doom And though you fight to stay alive Your body starts to shiver (I’m gonna thrill you tonight) For no mere mortal can resist The evil of the thriller
[Into maniacal laugh, in deep echo]
My 2 Cents –
Continuing the theme from last week…It’s Halloween Time Y’all. Celebrate the dark and spooky with me.
The first day of May AKA Beltane is also the beginning of the planting season. (It’s a pagan holiday) I have a lot planned for May, but I don’t know what to do for a daily thing. I have several things that I am going to be doing… and I am hoping to get more information for you. From an upcoming anthology that will have some of my poetry, and another one with one of Serena’s stories in it, to the next volume of Poetry I am publishing (Immortality) which is releasing in June. Fae Corps Publishing has a full release schedule for May. And June is looking full as well. I am hoping to get some art squeezed in and posted through the month of May.
My 2 Cents – As a pagan I have always loved the songs the Christians have during this time of year but often felt uncomfortable with them because of the religious overtones on them. I love how this does not have the religious overtones, but it has the lovely softness of the carol. The singer is absolutely amazing as well.
Pattimouse 