Bringing light into the dark season if you aren't a Christian

[quote="JamesSand" post=265568I'm in favour of having an artificial tree as I'm trying to keep my ecological footprint low.

I'm not sure that works all that well.

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The premise is that I'll be reusing the artificial tree several times - if you throw it away every year, than obviously this isn't going to work

If we stick with the tree
No idea why we would? I don't find anything particularly appealing, or necessary about hacking down a shrub for a few days entertainment.

that was merely a direct reply to Marta's post - to me, the tree is up to debate, but I'm really open to this part.

What would ornaments be that represent the Jedi values and philosophy?
One of the appeals of Jediism is the lack of ornaments and idolatry.

idolatry and ornaments are two very different categories of things - I'm not suggesting that we should pray to the tree but we could recognise what we believe it stands for and how it is connected to our belief system (if it is). I understand that many people don't require symbolism and rituals to follow their path. I personally think symbols that remind us what we stand for once in a while don't really hurt.

JamesSand wrote: Of course, for me December falls in high summer, so Yule celebrations don't carry much weight either
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You still have a longest night of the year but for the southern hemisphere its out of phase 180 degrees. The longest night there is June 21, which is the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere. Not sure how the whole Christmas thing works down under but Yule is just a celebration of the seasonal change.

I've always liked this time of year as a time to recognize renewal or rebirth. I recognize the Christmas date of 12/25 as a time to reflect back on the previous year and 1/1 as a time to celebrate new beginnings.

As for traditions, we decorate a tree (artificial), with each family member adding a new ornament each year that represents an accomplishment from the previous year. I became an Apprentice just before the holiday last year, so I added a small Yoda to the tree to represent the beginning of more serious training. I bought my first house this year, so I'll likely recognize that accomplishment this year. After doing this for a while, the tree and ornaments become a kind of time capsule that reminds us where we have come from and what we have achieved.

No one in our household is Christian, but this time to year is wonderful for us. We have a Yule tree and decorate the house with lights, snowmen, penguins (my son's favorite animal), etc. I am Pagan, my husband is Agnostic, and my son doesn't care about religion or spirituality yet.

For us the holiday season is about family, friends, loved ones, warm and cozy times together, food and gift giving. We look forward to the lengthening days after the Solstice. It is very much a hearth and home holiday, much like how we view Thanksgiving. My husband and I take turns thinking of awesome meals to cook and spent time out in the snow when we lived in Iowa. Now that we are in Washington state it will be a little different, but still exciting as it is new. We also take the time to send cards and photos to all our family members, even those we don't talk to often and we try to bring a little cheer and warmth to those who might not have be feeling the holiday spirit. A smile and a warm cup of coffee can go a long way.

As for Xmas Down Under, I have a friend that lives in Sydney and they usually grill out and have drinks outside in the back yard. She is Pagan and enjoys a tree, her family, and good food. But she celebrates it more as Litha or Summer Solstice than Yule. The tree is more for her grandkids.

It's a complicated holiday for my family.

My father actually pursued seminary studies at one point with his church, and was intending to become a pastor. He and my mother were textbook example, die hard Jesus freaks. After my grandparents died (fathers parents), he had a huge struggle with his faith and ultimately ended up losing what belief he had in the Christian religion (my mother did as well).

Because of this, me and my siblings were raised largely as heathens / pagans, but were left to and openly encouraged to find our own spiritual paths. My sister pursued Judaism, my brother pursued Hinduism, and I pursued Asatru / Paganism with a heavy focus on Jediism.

We still celebrate the holidays, and put up a Christmas tree with decorations, but it is done largely in the spirit of the Pagan holiday of Yule, and not centered as much upon the birth and Resurrection of Christ. Within my family, we largely despise the consumerist attitude the holidays have developed as well, so we tend to focus more on making memories than fulfilling wish lists. Most years, nobody even tells one another what they would like, we simply pick something out based on sentiment and it turns out even better as a result.

MartaLina wrote: I agree , but first lets talk about that tree I am all for traditions but i am wary of just trading one for the other , because i have to be a Jedi everyday i dont want to rely on traditions fixed to a certain time of the year , neither do i want to be bound , being free of the Jewish traditions is one reason i turned to Jedissm

I wonder if any traditions are actually traditional. Santa and christmas trees sure arent christian or jewish tradition for example.

I tend to think both Solstices are about the interplay between fire and water; being readily accessible representations of hot and cold. With Winter being like a solitary light source with many reflections from reflective surfaces (ice, mirrors etc) while Summer is more about both being enjoyed together en masse.

ren wrote: I wonder if any traditions are actually traditional. Santa and christmas trees sure arent christian or jewish tradition for example.

Which raises a good question: how does a "tradition" turn into one? Does it grow organically? Was it created? The Santa Claus "tradition" as we know it today apparently surfaced in the 19th century. It seems relatively unclear as to why. I wonder what the factors of "successful tradition creation" might be. Filling a commercial void (St. Valentine's day / Halloween as we know it today etc.), serving a certain purpose, deliberate creation etc. You could probably write an entire thesis paper on it and merely scratch the surface.

As for the Christmas tree: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_tree :-) Sorry about the source, but I think it offers some initial information. Seems to have its origins in the norse belief systems (where it actually was an idol). The way it's used today apparently comes from early modern Germany - the decoration of the tree does indeed seem to be a Christian tradition. Apart from that, the tree or evergreens in general symbolise life - I can only guess that it has to do with the perceived "lifelessness" of winter, where people felt the need to bring a piece of "eternal life" (as evergreens to don't shed their foliage in winter) into their homes.
There doesn't seem to be much information as to whether trees were used in the Yule tradition, but it's certainly a possibility. The feasting and being merry part, however, can be traced back to Yule, as it seems.

The notion of everlasting life + light in winter: a beautiful combination, if you ask me

Cyan Sarden wrote: As for the Christmas tree: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_tree :-) Sorry about the source, but I think it offers some initial information. Seems to have its origins in the norse belief systems (where it actually was an idol). The way it's used today apparently comes from early modern Germany - the decoration of the tree does indeed seem to be a Christian tradition. Apart from that, the tree or evergreens in general symbolise life - I can only guess that it has to do with the perceived "lifelessness" of winter, where people felt the need to bring a piece of "eternal life" (as evergreens to don't shed their foliage in winter) into their homes.
There doesn't seem to be much information as to whether trees were used in the Yule tradition, but it's certainly a possibility. The feasting and being merry part, however, can be traced back to Yule, as it seems.

The notion of everlasting life + light in winter: a beautiful combination, if you ask me

The use of evergreen trees within the pagan celebrations of Yule is a long standing tradition, as is the burning of the Yule log and associated holiday feasting. Much of this was learned from growing up in a pagan household, but I have come across other literature during personal religious studies which reinforces this and provides some history as to the practices influence and origin within pagan cultures. I can try and find the articles if you have interest, but most comes from actual printed work which I cannot share on the forum due to copyright.