---
title: Have a great Pagan Solstice Festival
date: 2005-12-22T21:29:53Z
modified: 2005-12-22T21:29:53Z
permalink: "https://redmonk.com/jgovernor/have-a-great-pagan-solstice-festival/"
type: post
status: publish
excerpt: ""
wpid: 434
categories:
  - Uncategorized
timestamp: 2005-12-22T21:29:53Z
tags:
  - Uncategorized
---

Overlain with your appropriate cultural beliefs 



I don’t think it would hurt us to spend some time thinking about the real meaning of this end of year festival, which is far older than any of the world’s major religions. It’s about celebrating the cycle of life, the passing of the seasons, and the hope for good harvest next year. Its about remembering lost loved ones and giving thanks for all our blessings and the new lifes that have joined us these last 12 months. Its about getting fat to cope with the bitter cold of winter…



Sadly-the life we live, so isolated from the elements, as we sit in our cars with the exhaust on even when we’re not moving, as we move from centrally heated apartment to centrally heated office, makes us forget about the seasons and the true lessons of life.



We are lucky, and resources are often scarce. Tomorrow won’t necessarily be better than yesterday, but hopefully it will be. Yesterday was the shortest day of the year, and so I toasted it.



Its time to get drunk on joy and hug our loved ones, and love them more and tell them so. Don’t worry about presents, its presence that really counts. Be in the moment and love your family and friends. Forget about next year’s work for a while because it will come round soon enough.



Take stock though of the year and ask yourself did I make a contribution? If the answer is yes, then sleep easy. You can rest assured that the guy with a big beard, that force of nature, who dresses like a fly agaric and travels through space and time by holding onto a bunch of reindeers, will surely come to visit. He can help you count your blessings.