Good Afternoon,
Well the holiday season is upon us, and many witches celebrate the upcoming winter season in a variety of ways. With owning a witch shop, one gets a pretty good view of how others choose to celebrate. Some witches have disregarded the "Christmas" part of the holiday and celebrate Yule, with a celebration on the 20th or 21st of December and treating the 25th a just a day off from work. Others due to work requirements and such, celebrate Yule, just on the 25th when almost everyone gets the day off to spend with family. Some still celebrate Christmas, and still others celebrate both! Yes, you can celebrate anyway you choose.
Many witches and magickal people whom I have met have bad feelings about Christianity and the Church and don't wish to be associated with it. But in my view, if we stop to think about it, what has the church or Christianity actually done to you, that is so bad? Now, yes, there are those who have an actual bad experience or memory that causes them to dislike the church. But many of us, don't. We just dislike what the institution of the Christian Church has done over the centuries to so many. Some, today, actually wave the banner of hatred and disgust against the Christian church as if they are on a crusade! My personal feels are, I try not to hate anyone, I might hate actions of cruelty and neglect, but the actions, not the person.
I wasn't brought up in a religious household, but like so many in our country, we celebrated what would be considered Christian holidays, like Christmas and Easter. In our family we would have a big family dinner and all the trappings of the holiday at hand. For Christmas, there would be presents, a tree and decorations and lights around the house.
I have had my years with just celebrating Yule as a younger witchling (just getting started) and of course, like so many others, absolutely appalled at the history of the Church against the pagan population in Europe. A few years of celebrating on the 21st and just treating the 25th as any other day. But I felt as if something was missing.
And over the years, my life as a witch has evolved as much as my practice of witchcraft. In the beginning we read all sorts of books, take classes and learn from others. But eventually, if you stay on the path long enough, you must branch out and start doing it your own specific way. Make the lifestyle your own, not someone else's. Like spell casting, where you get to a place where you start writing your own spells, designing your own recipes and making magick that is completely your own. You do this by observations and seeing what works for you and disregarding that which does not work for you.
So over the years I have become what I would call a hybrid Witch. Enjoying the tradition of both Pagan and Christian traditions. For truly, especially in the United States, we have the luxury of celebrating exactly how we choose to. For me, and I don't make the assumption that my way is the way for everyone, shudder to even think that!! But, for me, I love the idea of a Yule log, whether burning in the fire place or the yummy chocolate cream filled rolled cakes one might find on the buffet table for dessert.
I also have a Christmas/Yule tree as it just doesn't seem like the season without one. The decorations can be as Christian or Pagan or sentimental as you like. It's also a really nice way of incorporating both faiths on one tree, especially if there are both Christians and pagans in the family, no one will feel left out.
One decoration I like to put out every year in a special nativity scene. I had collected the white bisque porcelain figurines for several years and my husband made the manger of the creche, so that has sentimental value to me. And the scene itself highlights a time when all the world was pagan and is on the cusp of the new religion being born into the world. And while many could argue that many bad things have happened over the centuries in the name of Christianity, it can also be argued that many good, charitable things are being done everyday in the same vein.
I like my nativity scene because when I look at it, it gives me peace and hope for a better day in our world.
Nativity Scene
So celebrate the holidays the way that feeds your soul. If you want to bring some part of the Christmases of your childhood into your current Christmas celebration, there is no one to tell you no! Or if you wish to start a new tradition and make your holiday season different from what you experienced as a child, that is just fine too! It should be about what makes you happy, in the end.
So, especially if you are new to the craft, think about what makes you happy in observance of the Yuletide holidays and decide what you wish to do. If it make you happy, it can't be wrong.
Peace and Happiness! Ms. Faith
© 2010-2015 Faith M. McCann. Portions of this blog posting may include materials from my book “Enchantments School for the Magickal Arts First Year Magickal Studies.” For more information, see www.enchantmentsschool.com or go to the title of tonight's discussion and click, it will link you to my school's website. Please note that the copying and/or further distribution of this work without express written permission is prohibited.
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