Thoughts on Christmas Eve

I was up before the sun today, thanks mostly to Ginger. We watched the first beam touch a crag on the hill closest to our house and then send a long one through a gap in the hills to touch a high point on a ridge to the northeast and slowly paint its brightness along more and more until at last it comes down my street. I recall in the song Chelsea Morning that sunlight  was described as "coming down like butterscotch." Not here; here I liken it to lemon juice, clean and sharp and brightly clear. Even this time of year when it has to shine through much more of our atmosphere and haze, it has that quality.

A bit later, after Gin insisted, we went for our morning walk. Today we again went along the bank or dyke of a big drainage ditch that curves around to the northeast of our neighborhood. The mesquites are all bare now and the salt cedar has gone dull and near-bare. So much is seen in shades of gray and tan now. Only the creosote of the natural desert shrubs and trees stays green. It is a hard, bitter olivine color but a bit of some other hue than the prevalent dull earth tones. Not a lot of birds about but a few sparrows, English or House Sparrows mostly, and some quail, calling and scurrying through the brush. It was brisk but pleasant, no wind to speak of which makes it much nicer! We counted crows, or more properly ravens, since these are quite large with great heavy hooked beaks. They love the pecans and there are a lot of pecan trees in the area. I use the old rhymes or whatever you call them: One is unlucky, two is lucky, three is health, four is wealth etc or sometimes One he loves, two he loves, three he loves they say. We saw seven today. In the first rhyme that means I had to start over at one so I went by the second and that is seven she loves. Oh well!! I refuse to be brought down by that superstition! It is a lovely and special day anyway! Yuletide is here and it is a time to be joyful and festive. Maybe a bit introspective as we consider an old year departing and a new to give us a second chance, a new start. I'm working on goals and affirmations for the next cycle.

I find it slightly amusing that quite a few of the more fundamentalist Christian denominations (ie see United Church of God's website www.UCG.com) are starting to question that the origins of Christmas really are Christian or Christ-centered. I want to say duh!! It is odd how the present day traditions grew up and how the fairly early Christians just wrapped a veneer of their making over the top of the old pagan customs, festivals and such!

For the ancient ones, the Midwinter Solstice marked the death of the Sun-King and his rebirth to begin his 365 day journey again! It also celebrated the Goddess who was both the mother and mate of the Sun. I can't say if it was a virgin birth but I think our ancestors already knew where babies came from, at least they sprang from the mother while the father was not too important. There could be no doubt who bore a babe but who had given the seed was not so sure and thus not too important. So the Christian fathers decided to take this same date and make it the birth of their Son King, the child of the One God rather than try to squelch long-practiced customs. Rather clever, really!

For me the actual solstice day this year was gray and bleak, with only a few glimpses of sunshine all day. It dawned raining with snow on the hills, down to perhaps no more than 250-300 feet above our elevation. So I didn't get to watch the sunrise that morning. I just burned my salt lamp for 24 hours to honor and encourage old Sol or Lugh or whatever one wishes to call Him. I guess it worked ;-) since the past two days have been bright and nearly cloudless! But I did capture a lovely sun dog on film the day before! Isn't that pretty? A nice gift!! The storm was coming in that day, lots of high, wind-warped clouds and cold.

Per Feng Shui yesterday (I get a daily 'tip' from astrology.com) one should be sure the ends of tinsel garlands etc turn up since if they are down it is a frown/sad energy thing and not right for the season! So the strand I have hung along the mantle is now looped up a the ends! That's the extent of my decor; tinsel twined in the wrought iron pillars of the front porch, wreaths on two doors, my little tree and that one garland over the fireplace, which is a gas log, not for real :-( . I much prefer real fireplaces and we may get this one taken out and a wood or pellet stove put in eventually. There is no heat like a real live fire. So, Happy Christmas Eve and Yuletide to one and all!