|
Bio Readings Tarot FAQ Tarot Code of Ethics Tarot Certification Tarot Whispers Book Reviews Deck Reviews Articles Links Book List Newsletter |
The Plants, Spirits, and Rituals at the origins of Yuletide
author: Christian Ratsch and Claudia Muller-Ebeling
My first thoughts on seeing the title "Pagan Christmas" were that this certainly is an oxymoron if I ever saw one. The width and breadth of the book present themselves much better than the title, which may actually steer away people that might find it interesting.
The reality of this book is that it is a wonderful journey through the Pagan derivation of traditional Christmas rituals. You will see the term "ethnobotanical" used, and that can be off-putting, but all you need to remember is that "botanical" refers to plants, and that many of our Christmas rituals revolve around plants: the traditional Christmas tree, the use of Evergreen swags, holly, mistletoe, poinsettias and more.
What you get in this book is an in-depth view of our holiday traditions, along with the thought that by bringing in the botanical elements of Christmas we are quite effectively turning our homes, especially our living rooms, into places of shamanic worship. (How many of you have not sat in the dark, admiring your lit Christmas tree with a drink of choice in hand!)
I would like to say a few words about the presentation of the book. It is well researched, well written, makes excellent use of "side-bars", and is chock full of both black and white sketches and stunning color photo's. It was interesting for me to note the derivation of some of the photo's, which are very Internet related, yet appropriate for the subject.
In their preface, the authors note that part of the reasoning for bringing in evergreen branches and winter blooming plants is that we are in need of something to lift our spirits in the world of winter, where the trees are bare, and our surroundings a gloomy gray/white. Personally, I have never found winter to be gloomy, but then, being born in a winter month, I am winter's child! They also note that even in the baking and cooking for Christmas, we use exotic spices from trees and plants. Now, this is Christmas for me!
Christmas, according to the authors, is a Christian feast infiltrated by ancient pagan customs. It is a ritual that has evolved over time to what we now experience. If we stop to think, it has evolved over each of our lifetimes, becoming in our older years something different from what it was in our younger years.
One of the first things listed in the book is a "Christmas Calendar", starting with St. Martin's Day on November 11th, and ending on Candlemas on February 2nd. This is followed by a presentation of Christmas songs - which sometimes reflect the harshness of the winter climate. We have sleigh-bells because there is snow for said sleigh to go through, in the cold, after all!
Christmas Eve has always important in my family, as the night that the family has a "homey dinner" (the big meal being the next day!), and opens presents. In talking about celebrations in various parts of the world, one of the things that was brought out is that in some places the night between December 24th and December 25th is called "smudging night", certainly a shamanic way to honor a sacred time.
I loved the discussion about the colors of Christmas - red and white - and their derivation. Some of the thoughts presented were that white represents purity and spirit, while red represents the universal female life-force, love, passion, and magic. Another thought was the process of consecrating Rune stones with ones own blood. In this section there is also an interesting side-bar listing the shamanic elements of Christmas, including the date of the Winter Solstice, mythology (including Wotan and the WIld Hunt), symbols (such as the fir tree, Angels, and the colors red, white, and green), and ritual activities (such as burning incense, drinking, and the gifting of presents).
The Christmas tree is one of the most endearing, and enduring, symbols of Christmas. It can be associated with the shamanic World Tree, whose branches reached into the spirit world, and whose roots reached into the underworld. Even the decorations hold symbolism - the fertility represented by bright red apples; Christmas balls that reflected the light of the candles on the tree, and acted to multiply luck, wealth, and fruitfulness; and nuts, representing life and fertility. (One of my fondest memories is of the card table that my mother set up at Christmas time. When family and friends were there, cookies and candy were added to the table, but always there was a large bowl of mixed nuts, in their shell, waiting to be cracked open.)
The flowers that bloom in the winter months are also represented in this book: the Christ Rose (which is also seen as an oracular flower), Christmas Roses, Poinsettia's, the Star of Bethlehem (from the Lily family), and Christmas cacti. Aside from basic information on the plants, the authors also include information on mythology and magical and folk use.
In the section on Christmas Greens, there is basic and magical/folk use information on Mistletoe, Holly, and Ivy, as well as information on incense and smudging. There is a separate section on Christmas aromas, with recipes for Christmas incense and smudge, and essential oil blends.
Food and drink for the Christmas season is covered, as well as the heady spices that we all remember so well! All of the women in my family bake, and there are several traditions involved, so we have a plethora of delights to savor each year! Some of the spices that might not surface at other times of the year are Anise, Cardamom, and Coriander, followed by many that are in greater use, such as Allspice, Cloves, Ginger, Mace, Nutmeg, Poppy Seed, and Vanilla.
All in all, this is a delightful book, combining the ancient roots of our present celebration of Christmas with smile invoking pictures and symbols that each of us remembers from their own childhood. A nice gift for ones self, and a thoughtful gift for a friend or family member. A wonderful way to remember our roots.
Bonnie Cehovet
|
