The Winter Solstice is upon us. We have arrived, hopefully intact, to bid adieu to the shortest day of the year and the longest night of winter.
For many pagans like my friend, Joan, Winter Solstice is the only occasion that warrants celebration during a marathon month completely hijacked by Christmas. Whether you worship Christ or not, you cannot help but be carried along by the worst of the holiday (the bloody, commercial excess of it all) and the best (sweeping generosity of spirit) of it.
I find it ironic that the province of Quebec where I live, one that proudly purports to be secular, feels the need to pass xenophobic laws targeting already marginalized, minority religious groups by banning the visual signs of their devotion, yet essentially shuts down for two weeks during Christmas and New Years. If you are an enthusiastic supporter of these laws but also enjoy hopping on the holiday train, you may want to check your hypocrisy at the turnstile.
According to Wikipedia:
A secular state is an idea pertaining to secularity, whereby a state is or purports to be officially neutral in matters of religion, supporting neither religion nor irreligion.[1] A secular state claims to treat all its citizens equally regardless of religion, and claims to avoid preferential treatment for a citizen based on their religious beliefs, affiliation or lack of either over those with other profiles.[2]
It says nothing about banning religious symbols in the process. At our workplace, we get two statutory days off at Christmas and two at Easter (Good Friday and Easter Monday). Secular state, my eye.
A few years ago, the physiotherapy team at the local health care unit where I work, decided to participate in a holiday door decorating contest. As we are a multi-faith team, we came up with a holiday tree that would respect and represent the diversity in our workplace. The judges agreed and we won the contest. Here is our winning door decoration.
This season can be used to stand up for others. A friend sent me a CBC link to a story about a Chicago area church that is using their nativity scene to protest ICE. The interview starts at about 13:50. Here is a TikTok video of the scene for a visual. This is the true spirt of Christmas, I think. Stepping outside one’s comfort zone, risking one’s own safety and well-being, in support of strangers in need, no matter their colour or religion.
**************************************************************
Update on the flower-ordering Glitch. My mum was the happy recipient of not one but three floral Christmas arrangements when my brother and sister-in-law visited her yesterday.
**************************************************************
The gourmet chips have been purchased and are ready for consumption. Hint: these chips will be hidden strategically in your local grocery store, not in the snacks and soft drink aisle one usually frequents, but rather where chi-chi consumers hang out, closer to the very expensive cheese displays and organic food sections.
Wishing all my readers a very Happy Winter Solstice! Let there be more light in the world, in every sense of the word.
bogeyandruby 