Join The Crew and our special guest Lisa Lucario-Greene as we celebrate Yule together! Gather around the table with your favorite beverage as we discuss Yule traditions.
Alexandra shares the pagan traditions and she shows the similarity between old pagan traditions and Christian traditions such as putting a tree in your house. Putting garland also is a pagan tradition! Who knew?! Odin is also known as the Long Bearded God, perhaps that is where Santa comes from? It was also a time of fertility for women and was dedicated to women and women’s rituals. Can we all get a “down with the patriarchy” on that one! Just another example of how women’s voices have been suppressed over time.
Brenda lived in Sweden for a couple of years and she shares Christmas traditions and how “Santa” comes on Christmas Eve and hands out the gifts to the children.
The Crew shares their own family traditions, how Chandra and Camille like to dress up as Krampus on Christmas and scare the neighborhood children. Just kidding, they don’t actually do that but I wouldn’t put it past them.
Rosalie share her traditions coming from New Mexico. She shares the tradition of Las Posadas. In this tradition the children act out the parts of Mary and Joseph, the community gathers and they go through the Christmas story. The tradition of Luminarias, this would have been done with stacked wood fires by their homes and these would be used to keep the community members warm as they walked around for Los Posadas. Brenda shares that Sweden has a similar tradition but using snow ball pyramids with a candle in the pyramid. Rosalie shared all of the traditional foods that had all of our mouths watering.
Lisa shares her traditions with us. Her great grandparents came from Sicily. Christmas Eve is was a full spread of Italian food and then off to midnight Mass. On Christmas Day they would celebrate the “American” way. Lisa is hosting her family this year and she is going full blown Italian with her cuisine. She is in the middle of writing a book about her “Big Crazy Italian Family” and it is making her really want to relive the past.
Chandra shares that she and her husband like to get up and make a big southern breakfast and then open presents together.
Alexandra shares her family tradition of getting up for coffee and hot chocolate and then opening presents together. They always go to the movies together as a family on Christmas day. They also celebrate “Boxing Day” with friends to share the holidays with their created family.
Aaron has a pressing question for the viewers. “What in the heck is fruitcake weather?” Camille thinks it is a doorstop. Brenda and Ro love fruitcake. We are a table divided by fruitcake! Feel free to weigh in on your thoughts about this seasonal delight. Is it a love/love, hate/hate, or hate to love kind of situation?
We would love to know traditions from our listeners in other countries!
Aaron discusses his childhood traditions as well as his current traditions for him and his husband. Since they are both teachers they like to celebrate on the first day that they are free from school by opening presents with their 3 dogs. We also celebrate Aaron’s birthday!
So, no matter how you define family we hope that you were all feeling the love from our “crazy family” to each of you.
“Viva Evolution” Camille
“I really think that is what this time of year is about. Community and re-kindling lost friendships and welcoming new things into your life.” Alexandra
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