~December Pagan Mama's Circle~ - Page 2

[eilonwy]

Originally Posted by mamaofthree

Happy December all!

Eilonwy: I have been thinking about what you said about being wealthy. Until recently I always felt that to be wealthy you had to lie and cheat and pretty much be a jerk. Once I realized that that is not true and I started focusing my positive energy to us having money, it started coming. Not saying that this is your issue... but maybe something similar, like a core belief you have is that being wealthy is bad or that you have to be bad to have money?? I don't know, just throwing that out there.

Hm. It's a definate possibility. I grew up around people with *loads* of money and I certainly developed an impression of them, and it wasn't anything that I wanted to be. I thought it might be nice to have the money, but I didn't want to be like these people, especially the adults. I'll have to think about that, thank you.

Okay, it's ridiculously warm here today,but it's very windy and it's supposed to get cold over the weekend. Yay!

Liz-- I find that reconnecting with nature while it's cold is easier if I raise the energy first. Raising energy makes me somewhat impervious to the weather; the cold doesn't bother me nearly as much if I can feel that tingling in my fingers...

I totally forgot about the card swapping thing-- is it too late for me to sign up?

[Aeress]

we have had lots of rain...but it is starting to change over to ice/snow...the trees look like glass ! just beautiful!

I had a very interesting dream last night- (just as background I love the dark and am not scared of it) I don't remember the details but I saw a very dark figure come to me and then everything went dark and for a brief moment I felt scared and anxious and then calm and warm. the black figure circled me and we became one. thats all i remember...I never have dreams like this...

happy december!
I will send out the yule card info momentarily

[mamaofthree]

could any of you mamas who live where it has snowed and is all icy, maybe post some pictures?? : :

Thanks

H

[heket]

Happy December!

And I think I'm actually ready for it.

I was kinda melancholy after Thanksgiving for some reason or another, but things are perking up. We'll be having a yard sale tomorrow and I'm holding good vibes for a lot of $$$ so I can send a really, really nice gc to my MDC FIN (family-in-need.) We're also still cleaning up and rearranging the house and that feels really good -- lots and lots of stuff that dh and I are *finally* able to let go. Some of this will be going to my FIN, some for the yard sale.

We like to celebrate a number of different holidays during December and the first is going to be St. Nicholas day. This is mostly for dh who's family celebrated it growing up and he'd like to continue the tradition. I think it's a good way to also introduce how St. Nick and Santa intertwine. Anyway, we'll probably be making some cookies for the kids to leave in their shoes for him. I'll be stopping by the dollar store to get something simple for St. Nick to leave them.

Salvia -- I love that idea for the advent wreath! I may just have to go out and have dd help me create one for us to light. I've been really wanting to teach her more about Solstice as TV has done a great job of teaching her about Santa...

mamaof3: I'm glad to hear that the horrible mix up is mostly resolved! I just wanted to say that we're in the same financial boat as you, in terms of debt and resolving it. I use to be a practicer of positive affirmations like you discussed, and you're right about them working! But then I got distracted by life and it's fallen to the wayside. You've reminded me and I think it's time for me to start doing them again -- especially on this first day of a new month.

I'm sorry about all the sickness going around -- we had it in September/ October so I guess we were in the first wave?

Oh, and for weather, it's unseasonably warm and very dry for me (I'm in Southern CA). It's been kinda weird weather -- we had a very brief storm pass through, followed by some very chilly nights (Ok, chilly for me being about the 30 degree range.) I wouldn't mind a bit more humidity, though, and a bit more of the cooler 50-60 degree type days. I'm also worried that this dry air will make Yule tree buying a bit difficult. We usually don't get our tree til Dec. 18 at the earliest. I'm afraid that there may not be a good selection if we don't get some humidity soon...

[Kleine Hexe]

I'm becoming very jealous of you mamas talking about all this snow. It's 82 degrees today. We're buying our tree tonight and it's 82 degrees. Can anyone tell I'm not originally from FL? There's nothing better than walking through the woods on fresh fallen snow. Sigh.


We also do St Nick day and an advent wreath. Grew up doing both of those so I continue. The advent wreath for me has *nothing* to do with Christianity.

I need to get on the ball and head to the dollar store for St Nick goodies.

My boys were SO excited to open the first day of their advent calendars. It's hard to explain to a 2 yr old why he can only open one door a day.

[wombatclay]

Heket- I hope you find a good yule tree! I'm still hoping we can cut our own tree next week at the "natural burial ground" open cutting day. It just sounds like fun, and a way for everyone involved to get something they want/need.

I'd forgotten you're in Southern CA...my dad's condition finally got to be too much for us to take care of (my mom was wiped out and it had reached the point where he couldn't stay alone without danger to himself and the farm property) so he left to spend some time with his family in San Diego and Ramona. We're hoping that the warmer/sunnier weather will help his mood and having so many family members there (including his folkls) will help with the caregiver burden. I miss him, and hate the fact that we wont see him for the holidays, but we're hoping to visit in late January or maybe February.

I think I migh need to try the positive affirmations for financial and family security. It's not something I've one a lot of, but it can't hurt, right?

AND...I'm going shopping for my own FIN tonight and can't wait. I've been trying to go for two weeks now and between holidays and the plague, I just haven't been able to make it happen. I'm so excited! It wont be fancy (the evil walmart calls me) but it will help...

[Einhorn]

Originally Posted by greenmagick

hello all Well, we had 72 degrees on Weds. and then it dropped to 25 by yesterday afternoon. We had freezing rain, sleet, and snow all day and night. We lost power around 2am so I am hanging out at DH office with the baby. I am hoping to make it to my moms but she lives on top of a bluff, so her road is not driveable yet. It is supposed to get down to 11 tonight.

I love snow, but hate ice Trees are uprooted amd branches are down all over. There are over 1/2 million people w/o power and the number is climbing.....:

That sounded very similar to our weather, and then I saw where you were, so it is! I'm on the opposite side of Illinois from you, so we didn't get hit so badly. We have power but our power company has a lot of lines down elsewhere. The worst missed us, but the drive into work this morning was a very careful one! Now we just have pretty light snow, the first of the year just in time to start December.

I hope you get power back quickly, that's really tough with a little one!

Ode, I was going to offer a coat as well (althought it doesn't sound as nice as the other one, but it would be warmer than a sweatjacket!) , but we're not the same size and I have dogs so I guess it wont work. I'll keep you in my thoughts and hope you get lucky with a replacement!

[Indigo73]

Ode,

I have to double check but I think I have a jacket for you. It's hot pink, though.

It's a puffy ski jacket that's been sitting in my closet for 2 years since I haven't been skiing in forever.

[**guest**]

Aimee- Is your home non smoking and pet free? (sorry to keep bringing it up but we have MASSIVE allergies/asthma). Thanks for thinking of me!
Feel free to pm me to discuss.

[maeveypoo]

Happy December everyone!!

Liz ~ I can't believe that someone would steal your winter coat! I hope one finds its way to you soon.

Birth Junky ~ congrats on the new home! That has to be such an exciting and rewarding feeling!

Valérie ~ healing vibes to you and your family, I hope you get over that nasty bug soon!

mamaofthree ~ I'm so glad to hear that your bank woes are fixing themselves. I can't even imagine the feeling. It's awesome to know that you had support available when you needed it

It's sad to see all of our lovely snow turning to nasty slush, but I am glad of the warmer weather since dh is gone to an event this weekend and I feel much better about him driving on clear roads than snowy/icy roads.

Here's to a fabulous December for everyone! :

[CariOfOz]

Originally Posted by OdeToJoy

For those of you in cold climates, how do you connect to Mother Earth/Nature in the winter? I can't stand the cold so I tend to stay in unless I HAVE to go out. Of course, then I feel disconnected.

I lived in Alaska for 3yrs so I know how that feels! I had a big shrub/small tree in my front yard and I used to marvel at how gorgeous the ice crystals that would cling to the branches were. It gave me a new appreciation for winter (having grown up in the south lol)


brendon said: we have had lots of rain...but it is starting to change over to ice/snow...the trees look like glass ! just beautiful!]

Thats EXACTLY what I meant above! Sounds lovely

No wintry wonderland here though! Today its sunny and HOT (probably 34C/90sF) and we are hiding out in air conditioning. I am pulling out the tree today and setting it up (sadly it's a fakey, real one's just dont' do well in the this climate at all!) and we've already started our seasonal holiday altar (although the father xmas I have there should really be wearing board shorts, a tank top and flip flops hehe) and the boys will gleefully dig thru the decorations finding things they want to add until the hutch is near collapsing I'm sure LOL.

My husbands & my present to ourselves this year is that we signed on with Plan to sponsor a child We got our profile yesterday and we are now the proud & excited sponsors of a 10yr old girl in Sri Lanka. We are going to write our first letter & send a photo this weekend sometime. She is Buddhist, so I'm going to make a project of learning a little more about Buddhism & her culture for us. I feel almost like I have a daughter now !(hehe I have 5 boys so thats funny)

[earthmama369]

Popping in for my traditional "first of the month hello before I fall behind reading the thread and can't catch up" post. Hello all! :

[Changed]

SUbbing

[Ambrose]

Originally Posted by Jörð

SUbbing

How in the HECK do you get the cool letters for your name!?!

[heatherdeg]

Originally Posted by earthmama369

Popping in for my traditional "first of the month hello before I fall behind reading the thread and can't catch up" post. Hello all! :

Me too... but I'm usually so far behind when I FIRST get to the thread that I don't even post! :

We got a nasty rain storm through here and it's been near 70s... but by Monday, we're supposed to have a high of 38F with snow showers and lows in the low 20sF going forward.

YAY!!! I love the winter!!

[UnschoolnMa]

Hi everyone! Happy December to you all. I am so stoked to be in on the first couple of pages lol. Usually I feel all awkward jumping in when the thread is 5 pages along.

It's been very cold here lately. We even had some snow, but no real accumulation. Ice and fog abound though. My Dh drives truck and one night it was really bad out on the freeway. I did quite a bit of positive/safe/protective energy sending to him and other drivers that night.

We just got a tree and I am working on the altar bit by bit.

[^guest^]

Hooray! I was waiting for this to pop up

So, this solstice is looking to be a good one The family (me, DH, and DD) will be back together and healing some old wounds and forging a new and better path together. Since I feel like we're really a working family now, I want to start some things that we can build into family traditions.

I'm pagan, DH is.....a goofball, but technically unaffiliated with any religion (his holy book is Richard's Poor Man's Almanac, lol). He's pretty set with celebrating christmas, as it's more of a traditional thing than religious, and I celebrate the solstice, so I figure we can make it a 5 day festival of all things yule-tidey. I need some more ideas though. A few I've already figured out:

Making breads. I've always been a HUGE baker 'round the holiday season, but this year I've opted out of cookies in favor of breads (like cranberry orange bread and pumpkin bread). Some of the bread will be left in offering

Decking the altar with boughs of holly, fa la la la, la la la la. Well maybe not holly, but getting a family portrait taken to put up there, some mistletoe, things like that

Lighting a yule log, from 21st-25th. We don't have any safe place to burn a log, so I think I might get a fairly thick but smallish log to carve spots for 5 votive or tea candles. That might be difficult too so any other ideas would be welcome

It's not too cold here in San Diego yet, but after 5 years in snow in MI, I'm hardly missing it. I'll be in MI during the snow though, one last year, lol. It's been raining out there and my husband says the basement is flooded, definitely something I'm not looking forward to Trying to get in the spirit though, I've been rocking out to Christmas With The Rat Pack. Loves me some Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr!

[CariOfOz]

Hey Neoma

That is my all time favorite quote in your sig line LOL!

Suggestion for your Yule log, if you have a drill you can get a 'hole saw' bit for it the diameter of your tealights or votives and make the job easy
I've got the christmas music going too.. kids are loving it but I'm having trouble with motivation lol. The thought of fighting with the fake tree limbs is not pleasant

[OceanMomma]

We're heading into summer here. Not that that makes any diff to the weather. We've got icebergs floating off the coast & it never gets that warm. Some days I can only tell the diff between winter & summer by the time it gets dark/light.

I've not done much recently as there is only me. I know a couple of women in a women's ritual group but they do stuff in the evenings when I can't get out. I have different beliefs I think to them too. Definitely different methods of doing things from the brief discussions we've had so I am not sure how comfortable I'd be with them anyways.

I'm planning something for the summer solstice. Just not sure on detail yet. It is wildly bizzare to have the summer solstice then commercial xmas straight afterwards in summer. Not to mention have I ever complained about halloween in the spring. I get quite disorientated.

In terms of connecting with nature in the winter, I just put on my long horsey oilskin coat & a wooly hat ( aka the ceremonial balaclava ) & go for it. I've got a stack of bush out the back so I can usually find somewhere sheltered to hide.

[eilonwy]

OceanMamma! You wouldn't happen to actually live very close to the ocean, would you?