Monday, December 21, 2009
Working for the man!
What can I say? It is that time of year again and people are running around all bat shit crazy, 'cept this year everyone is broke! Including yours truly...so this year for Christmas/Yuletide, everyone gets something they can use!
Form the line to the left and be prepared for the Nightmare Bear Hug! they are free of charge and EVERYONE needs one...or two.
Keep in mind as this holiday season engulfs us, this may be the best time to remind the retailers that we DON'T want to have the Christmas ads run three weeks before Thanksgiving, and that the TRUE meaning of Christmas is to celebrate life, and joy, and family...not buy a bunch of shit from China.
Does anyone know where we got the 12 days of Christmas?
Well it is time for your old buddy Nightmare to throw some ice water on those Judeo-Christian beliefs yet again. The 12 days of Christmas started out as the 12 day celebration of Yule or Yuletide by the Nordic and Germanic tribes of Pagans.
"Yule or Yule-tide is a winter festival that was initially celebrated by the historical Germanic peoples as a pagan religious festival, though it was later absorbed into, and equated with, the Christian festival of Christmas. The festival was originally celebrated from late December to early January on a date determined by the lunar Germanic calendar. The festival was placed on December 25 when the Christian calendar (Julian calendar) was adopted. Some historians claim that the celebration is connected to the Wild Hunt[1] [2] or was influenced by Saturnalia, the Roman winter festival[3]."
So if you want to kick it Old School(really old school like year 800) You could say a Pagan Prayer for each day of the Yuletide (PS you are a day behind it starts on Dec.20).
The 12 Days of Yule
Day One Prayer- Earth Prayer
Cold and dark, this time of year,
the earth lies dormant, awaiting the return
of the sun, and with it, life.
Far beneath the frozen surface,
a heartbeat waits,
until the moment is right,
to spring.
Day Two Prayer- Sunrise Prayer
The sun returns! The light returns!
The earth begins to warm once more!
The time of darkness has passed,
and a path of light begins the new day.
Welcome, welcome, the heat of the sun,
blessing us all with its rays.
Day Three Prayer- Prayer to the Winter Goddess
O! Mighty goddess, in silvery ice,
watching over us as we sleep,
a layer of shining white,
covering the earth each night,
frost on the world and in the soul,
we thank you for visiting us.
Because of you, we seek warmth
in the comfort of our homes and hearths.
Day Four- Counting Your Blessings - A Prayer of Thanks
I am grateful for that which I have.
I am not sorrowful for that which I do not.
I have more than others, less than some,
but regardless, I am blessed with
what is mine.
Day Five- A Prayer for the Beginning of Winter
See the gray skies overhead, preparing the way
for the darkness soon to come.
See the gray skies overhead, preparing the way,
for the world to go cold and lifeless.
See the gray skies overhead, preparing the way
for the longest night of the year.
See the gray skies overhead, preparing the way
for the sun to one day return,
bringing with it light.
Day 6- Sunset Prayer - A Sunset Prayer for Yule
The longest night has come once more,
the sun has set, and darkness fallen.
The trees are bare, the earth asleep,
and the skies are cold and black.
Yet tonight we rejoice, in this longest night,
embracing the darkness that enfolds us.
We welcome the night and all that it holds,
as the light of the stars shines down.
Day 7 - A Nordic Yule Blessing
Beneath the tree of light and life,
a blessing at this season of Jul!
To all that sit at my hearth,
today we are brothers, we are family,
and I drink to your health!
Today is a day to offer hospitality
to all that cross my threshold
in the name of the season.
Day 8- Snow Prayer - A Snow Prayer for Yule
From the reaches of the north,
a place of cold blue beauty,
comes to us the first winter storm.
Wind whipping, flakes flying,
the snow has fallen upon the earth,
keeping us close,
keeping us together,
wrapped up as everything sleeps
beneath a blanket of white.
Day 9- A Prayer for the Old Gods at Yule
The Holly King is gone, and the Oak King reigns -
Yule is the time of the old winter gods!
Hail to Baldur! To Saturn! To Odin!
Hail to Ameratsu! To Demeter!
Hail to Ra! To Horus!
Hail to Frigga, Minerva Sulis and Cailleach Bheur!
It is their season, and high in the heavens,
may they grant us their blessings this winter day.
Day 10- A Celtic Yule Blessing
The food is put away for the winter,
the crops are set aside to feed us,
the cattle are come down from their fields,
and the sheep are in from the pasture.
The land is cold, the sea is stormy, the sky is gray.
The nights are dark, but we have our family,
kin and clan around the hearth,
staying warm in the midst of darkness,
our spirit and love a flame
a beacon burning brightly
in the night.
Day 11- An Elemental Blessing for Yule
As the earth grows colder,
the winds blow faster,
the fire dwindles smaller,
and the rains fall harder,
let the light of the sun
find its way home
Day 12- Prayer to the Sun God for Yule - A Yule Prayer to Ra
Great sun, wheel of fire, Ra in your glory,
hear me as I honor you
on this, the shortest day of the year.
Summer has gone, passed us by,
the fields are dead and cold,
all of earth sleeps in your absence.
Even in the darkest times,
you light the way for those who would need a beacon,
of hope, of brightness,
shining in the night.
Winter is here, and colder days coming,
the fields are bare and the livestock thin.
We light these candles in your honor,
that you might gather your strength
and bring life back to the world.
O Ra, mighty sun above us,
we ask you to return, to bring back to us
the light and the warmth of your fire.
Bring life back to earth,
Bring light back to earth.
Hail Ra! Ruler of the sun!
Happy Yuletide PEEPS! see you in 2010 if not before!
Form the line to the left and be prepared for the Nightmare Bear Hug! they are free of charge and EVERYONE needs one...or two.
Keep in mind as this holiday season engulfs us, this may be the best time to remind the retailers that we DON'T want to have the Christmas ads run three weeks before Thanksgiving, and that the TRUE meaning of Christmas is to celebrate life, and joy, and family...not buy a bunch of shit from China.
Does anyone know where we got the 12 days of Christmas?
Well it is time for your old buddy Nightmare to throw some ice water on those Judeo-Christian beliefs yet again. The 12 days of Christmas started out as the 12 day celebration of Yule or Yuletide by the Nordic and Germanic tribes of Pagans.
"Yule or Yule-tide is a winter festival that was initially celebrated by the historical Germanic peoples as a pagan religious festival, though it was later absorbed into, and equated with, the Christian festival of Christmas. The festival was originally celebrated from late December to early January on a date determined by the lunar Germanic calendar. The festival was placed on December 25 when the Christian calendar (Julian calendar) was adopted. Some historians claim that the celebration is connected to the Wild Hunt[1] [2] or was influenced by Saturnalia, the Roman winter festival[3]."
So if you want to kick it Old School(really old school like year 800) You could say a Pagan Prayer for each day of the Yuletide (PS you are a day behind it starts on Dec.20).
The 12 Days of Yule
Day One Prayer- Earth Prayer
Cold and dark, this time of year,
the earth lies dormant, awaiting the return
of the sun, and with it, life.
Far beneath the frozen surface,
a heartbeat waits,
until the moment is right,
to spring.
Day Two Prayer- Sunrise Prayer
The sun returns! The light returns!
The earth begins to warm once more!
The time of darkness has passed,
and a path of light begins the new day.
Welcome, welcome, the heat of the sun,
blessing us all with its rays.
Day Three Prayer- Prayer to the Winter Goddess
O! Mighty goddess, in silvery ice,
watching over us as we sleep,
a layer of shining white,
covering the earth each night,
frost on the world and in the soul,
we thank you for visiting us.
Because of you, we seek warmth
in the comfort of our homes and hearths.
Day Four- Counting Your Blessings - A Prayer of Thanks
I am grateful for that which I have.
I am not sorrowful for that which I do not.
I have more than others, less than some,
but regardless, I am blessed with
what is mine.
Day Five- A Prayer for the Beginning of Winter
See the gray skies overhead, preparing the way
for the darkness soon to come.
See the gray skies overhead, preparing the way,
for the world to go cold and lifeless.
See the gray skies overhead, preparing the way
for the longest night of the year.
See the gray skies overhead, preparing the way
for the sun to one day return,
bringing with it light.
Day 6- Sunset Prayer - A Sunset Prayer for Yule
The longest night has come once more,
the sun has set, and darkness fallen.
The trees are bare, the earth asleep,
and the skies are cold and black.
Yet tonight we rejoice, in this longest night,
embracing the darkness that enfolds us.
We welcome the night and all that it holds,
as the light of the stars shines down.
Day 7 - A Nordic Yule Blessing
Beneath the tree of light and life,
a blessing at this season of Jul!
To all that sit at my hearth,
today we are brothers, we are family,
and I drink to your health!
Today is a day to offer hospitality
to all that cross my threshold
in the name of the season.
Day 8- Snow Prayer - A Snow Prayer for Yule
From the reaches of the north,
a place of cold blue beauty,
comes to us the first winter storm.
Wind whipping, flakes flying,
the snow has fallen upon the earth,
keeping us close,
keeping us together,
wrapped up as everything sleeps
beneath a blanket of white.
Day 9- A Prayer for the Old Gods at Yule
The Holly King is gone, and the Oak King reigns -
Yule is the time of the old winter gods!
Hail to Baldur! To Saturn! To Odin!
Hail to Ameratsu! To Demeter!
Hail to Ra! To Horus!
Hail to Frigga, Minerva Sulis and Cailleach Bheur!
It is their season, and high in the heavens,
may they grant us their blessings this winter day.
Day 10- A Celtic Yule Blessing
The food is put away for the winter,
the crops are set aside to feed us,
the cattle are come down from their fields,
and the sheep are in from the pasture.
The land is cold, the sea is stormy, the sky is gray.
The nights are dark, but we have our family,
kin and clan around the hearth,
staying warm in the midst of darkness,
our spirit and love a flame
a beacon burning brightly
in the night.
Day 11- An Elemental Blessing for Yule
As the earth grows colder,
the winds blow faster,
the fire dwindles smaller,
and the rains fall harder,
let the light of the sun
find its way home
Day 12- Prayer to the Sun God for Yule - A Yule Prayer to Ra
Great sun, wheel of fire, Ra in your glory,
hear me as I honor you
on this, the shortest day of the year.
Summer has gone, passed us by,
the fields are dead and cold,
all of earth sleeps in your absence.
Even in the darkest times,
you light the way for those who would need a beacon,
of hope, of brightness,
shining in the night.
Winter is here, and colder days coming,
the fields are bare and the livestock thin.
We light these candles in your honor,
that you might gather your strength
and bring life back to the world.
O Ra, mighty sun above us,
we ask you to return, to bring back to us
the light and the warmth of your fire.
Bring life back to earth,
Bring light back to earth.
Hail Ra! Ruler of the sun!
Happy Yuletide PEEPS! see you in 2010 if not before!
