December Meme 2014 - December 10
gorgeousnerd asked: Favorite holiday?
My quick answer:
The Late Fall Trifecta - Hallowe'en/Samhain/Dia de Muertos.
Which surprises no one, I'm sure. :) The season proceeding - and in this case, by 'season' I mean 'month of October' - is my favorite month of the year. And I've never been shy about talking about it. But it *has* been a while, so maybe a bit of an update/ more detailed explanation is required.
Hallowe'en is the celebration of spookery - the secular celebration of Monster Show Mayhem. I love the trappings of Hallowe'en. And I, of course, am not alone in that love - for lo! It is the festival season of my people! :D
What the Hallowe'en season looks like for me:
Through facebook, I am part of a primarily-local group of horror enthusiasts that celebrate 'Octgoreberfest'; the goal is to watch at least one horror movie a day for the entire month. This year, my grand total was 54 movies. My best year yet! The group is an amazing bunch - it's fantastic, being able to geek out over horror with a group of fellow fans. As I've sure most of you understand. ;D
I went with several of the 'Festers to catch The Thing on the closing weekend of the drive-in, and there were four separate group viewing events, three in the back space of SPACE gallery, which has an annual Art of Horror show during October. 'Twas marvelously atmospheric. And there were thematic baked goods. Bonus!
That art show is one of the best of the year, with its lively, well-costumed and all-around entertaining opening starting the month off with a macabre bang. This year, there was a belly dance troupe [with a live band for accompaniment], giant puppets, fire dancing and three metal bands playing in the back space, with video mash-up work by a couple close pals. Someone made a half-size replica of Zul from Ghostbusters, and it guarded the gallery's front door. And that was just the tip of the creepy-awesome art iceberg.
This was actually a no costume year for me, which is *highly* unusual. I wasn't at work on the 31st, so no work costume for me, and I had to miss the big weirdo-tribe Hallowe'en party. :( I *did* get to the BPAL will call with a group of said tribe members, however, and got two of the seasonal blends -Samhain and Visions of Autumn 1. So I might not have *looked* spooktastic, but I definitely was seasonally scented.
Which [witch?] leads nicely to the second of the holidays -Samhain.
Samhain is my favorite religious holiday. In case it was unclear, I am a Neo-Pagan and Non-denominational Celtic Witch. While Samhain has a multitude of meanings, for me it's the Year's Hingepin, when the dark half of the year truly begins. It's my new year. It's also when the boundaries between this world and the world of spirits and the dead thin. There's a lot to pay attention to on Samhain. While specific acts change according to the year, I have made a tradition of building a sizable ornate altar on the buffet in my kitchen, at the 'center' of my house. It stays up through November, and I leave offerings of food and fresh black coffee throughout the month. The altar comes down when it's time for the Solstice decorations to go up.
A note on the celtic holidays - they go from sunset to sunset, not midnight to midnight. So, I observe Samhain starting on the 31st. Like I said, boundaries get thin at this time of year.
Which leads us to Dia de Muertos. I'd like to say that I'm not quite sure how the Mexican Day of the Dead ended up in my Trifecta, but that would be lying. I'm always had an affinity for this holiday. It's one of the few connections I have to my birthplace -San Diego, CA - and it's the geographic /religious connector to the ancestors, as Samhain is the cultural/bloodline connection to them. Dia de Muertos is, after all, a Catholic celebration. My Catholic dead seem more comfortable with saints, seven day candles and a rosary prayed in their honor, and I respect that.
Here's the in-house ancestor altar, dressed for the season [2011].
So yeah, there's my favorite festival season.
Though... really, all three* of the Pagan High Holy Days in the dark half of the year are incredibly important to me.
Those would be Samhain, Yule/Winter Solstice, and Imbolc [Feb. 1]. Part of the importance of these days for me is due to their importance to key players of my personal Team Spirit. Imbolc is Brighid's day, Samhain is The Morrighan's, and my central myth for Solstice is that of Raven Stealing the Sun. These Holy Days all have 'fire in darkness' themes, so that's part of it. But I think that the big reason for emphasis on the dark-half holidays comes down to hope.
I've talked in other entries how hard cold and Winter are for/on me. And I live in a place where cold really does occupy a solid half of the year. These holidays get me through that. They remind me that, no matter how much of a wanderer I might me, I will always have roots [Samhain]; that, I am part of a vast community of kindred souls, a net of stars that pushes back the dark [Yule]; and that the future holds ever-folding inspiration, opportunity and healing [Imbolc]. So yeah, these are the flames in *my* darkness, carrying me through the bleak winter. And they deserve celebrating. :)
*There are eight High Holy Days that I observe, four for each half of the year. Mea'n Fo'mhair [A neo-druidic name for the autumn equinox.], is the first Holy Day of the dark half. It doesn't carry the same resonance as the other three for me.
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The December Meme masterpost is located HERE.
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