Monday, October 14, 2013

31 Days of Inspired Holidays: day 14: Activities involving the community

What about organizing a Samhain Market? Have people sell food, drink and seasonal items from open-air stalls accompanied by singing and dancing and other entertainment, a bit like a Renaissance Fair.
Have a "May Queen" or "Christkind" or "Lucia" chosen among the members of the community and create an event around her crowning. It's always a pretty girl chosen, and this was the origin of beauty pageants... but what about giving it a little twist? Choose a crone instead of a maiden... I think I'd like it. An elderly woman who isn't afraid of being elderly and having wrinkles and grey hair. Perhaps some sort of Baba Zimoy.

And what about a Samhain Parade? It would be lovely with people in costume... a bit like Carneval. (I just read that Carneval is probably a tradition based on Roman Isis festivities. Nice.) I really don't like the Key West version "Fantasy Fest", even though they collect a lot of money for AIDS. Apparently the world is full of people who haven't seen naked women, but to me it's more like "have seen one, have seen them all". Some have nicer boobs than others, but boobs are boobs. And some have really bad boob job. But there's boobs everywhere (except for some reason it's not ok to breastfeed... :-D), and I'm fed up. There are other things in life than sex.


There are other ways to celebrate and have fun that drink too much and have sex. (Though that's ok, too, every now and then. Would be more ok, if it wasn't the only idea of "having fun" people seem to have. Beltane used to be especially bawdy holiday... Now that's "normal". ):-( ) I suppose I'm just disappointed. I was imagining something more joyous, free and enthusiastic, about people loosening up, opening up, blossoming by pretending to be someone else. Well... I suppose that's exactly what people do at Fantasy Fest. It's like a combination of Spring Break, Gay Parade and Girls Gone Wild, except for straight middle-aged people. *sigh*

Well... in Germany they are arranging a lantern walk at St.Martin's day, which is 11/11. Close enough.



Why would you have family photos only for Yule? You can even start a new tradition... be the witch of the neighborhood and let the parents have a photo of a witch with the kids. This time the babe crying their heads off because they dislike the situation is at least appropriate. :-D (Or not really. Because witches are not evil. Or not all of us. Or not more than other human beings. And we don't melt in water, either. Or have green blood. Vulcans might, but witches are not Vulcans. :-D)

"Nightly carriages and pony rides, fresh hot chocolate and festive holiday music..."

Autumn picnic

I think it might be interesting to create autumn leaf statues, with chicken wire dressed with autumn leaves. I can imagine people could get really creative. This could happen for Mabon and stand to Samhain... and then they can be burned. :-D (says the pyromaniac in me...)
Or Arcimboldo harvest sculptures?

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