Our Growing Holiday Traditions
Dec. 17th, 2013 05:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
forestofgloryWe have been working on holiday traditions. I'm pretty pleased with how things are going. We don't have everything worked out, but have some major things. As member of an interfaith household in which no one is part of the dominate tradition it can be tricky. I'm and agnostic Jew, and R is an atheist with pagan leanings. Our families aren't Christian, but do celebrate Christmas. It make things complicated.
Hanukkah is pretty essay, we have a menorah which we light each night. One night we have a party and invite our friends over for fried food. In recent years this has meant latkes, but I might get ambitious and do donuts again some time.
Solstice is still a work in progress. However it is really a holiday I feel like anyone can get into -- winter solstice means that it is going to get less dark. Less dark is good. We went to a cool winter solstice ceremony last year that involved different shaped cookies -- so this year we are making cookies in those shapes. (Chickens for Freya fertility/creativity and domestic happiness; Goats for Thor and strength; and Ravens for Odin and wisdom.)
We are not celebrating Christmas this year, which I'm quite pleased about. I just find the holiday supper stressful. There is so much pressure. I'm happy to leave it to the Christians.
Last year on Christmas we went out to Chinese food with my parents. (It is an American Jewish tradition.) That was lot of fun -- my parents are going to do it again this year. I don't know if R and I will this just because none of the Chinese places in town are very nice.
Decorations are more of a challenge. I don't want a Christmas tree, but it so cold and dark that I could use some cheer. Right now we have a few branches of holly in a vase and big red candle we light in the evenings. I wouldn't mind a few more things.
New Years is one we don't really have any plans for. We could go to a party at R's sisters but it very noisy and we won't know many people there. Last year we just sat on the sofa and watched a replay of the ball dropping in times square then went to bed.
Hanukkah is pretty essay, we have a menorah which we light each night. One night we have a party and invite our friends over for fried food. In recent years this has meant latkes, but I might get ambitious and do donuts again some time.
Solstice is still a work in progress. However it is really a holiday I feel like anyone can get into -- winter solstice means that it is going to get less dark. Less dark is good. We went to a cool winter solstice ceremony last year that involved different shaped cookies -- so this year we are making cookies in those shapes. (Chickens for Freya fertility/creativity and domestic happiness; Goats for Thor and strength; and Ravens for Odin and wisdom.)
We are not celebrating Christmas this year, which I'm quite pleased about. I just find the holiday supper stressful. There is so much pressure. I'm happy to leave it to the Christians.
Last year on Christmas we went out to Chinese food with my parents. (It is an American Jewish tradition.) That was lot of fun -- my parents are going to do it again this year. I don't know if R and I will this just because none of the Chinese places in town are very nice.
Decorations are more of a challenge. I don't want a Christmas tree, but it so cold and dark that I could use some cheer. Right now we have a few branches of holly in a vase and big red candle we light in the evenings. I wouldn't mind a few more things.
New Years is one we don't really have any plans for. We could go to a party at R's sisters but it very noisy and we won't know many people there. Last year we just sat on the sofa and watched a replay of the ball dropping in times square then went to bed.
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Date: 2013-12-24 12:03 am (UTC)