Double Dipping with Solstice and Christmas

DOUBLE DIPPING WITH SOLSTICE AND CHRISTMAS
Brenda Whiteside
http://www.brendawhiteside.com


According to one interpretation of the Mayan calendar, the world as we know it could’ve come to an end on December 21, 2012. Another interpretation saw an era ending and a new one beginning on the winter solstice date. Since that date has come and gone and we're all still here, I'm going with this gentler interpretation. It was the first winter solstice for our family in our new home. We started a new tradition which rang in a new era for the first year on Tortuga Flats Farm.

The mid-winter Solstice celebration has been around as far back as history is recorded. Cultures all over the world celebrated the darkest time of winter. Neolithic farmers were fearful the sun and their crops might not return. Fire played a part in symbolically bringing back the warm sunny days. Romans decorated their homes with evergreen plants and had various celebrations to lift the spirits during the long winter months. Celtic traditions are many for winter and the Solstice. Native Americans had Solstice traditions. It was a time to reflect on the past year and hope for the new. Sprinkled in all these traditions across the globe were Shaman gift givers, Santas in various forms, holly, ivy, bells and all the other things we associate with Christmas.

As farmers, we decided to start our own traditions for this season. Our first Solstice included a meal with much of our own produce. After dinner we gathered outside around a fire and we each reflected on our first year as farmers and what we hoped next year might bring. We ended with s'mores! I doubt the ancient Neolithic farmers had s'mores, but after all that reflection, chocolate and marshmallows were in order. Back inside, we exchanged gifts.

We haven’t thrown over more traditional Christmas celebrations. On Christmas Eve we have another big dinner and continue to give thanks. Christmas morning we empty our stockings and find a gift from Santa. We then go south and visit the rest of our family.

We had a great time with our first Solstice. This year we’ll have one new person, my granddaughter! She won't be able to add verbally to the fire circle, but her presence will add to our richness.

Brenda spends most of her time writing stories of discovery and love. The rest of her time is spent tending vegetables on the small family farm she shares with her husband, son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter. Together, they’ve embraced an age-old lifestyle that has been mostly lost in the United States - multiple generations living under one roof, who share the workload, follow their individual dreams and reap the benefits of combined talents.

Although she didn’t start out to write romance, she’s found all good stories involve complicated human relationships. She’s also found no matter a person’s age, a new discovery is right around every corner. Whether humorous or serious, straight contemporary or mystery, all her books revolve around those two facts.

Her latest release, Amanda in the Summer, has received great reviews on its Amazon debut. Amanda will release worldwide December 18, 2013.

Visit Brenda at www.brendawhiteside.com.
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She blogs on the 9th and 24th of every month at http://rosesofprose.blogspot.com
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