NOTE: Same as the original topic: If you like your holidays, consider bumping! This is probably why it started up to begin with... ;)

This is to celebrate the coming of the first midwinter tradition, where it all evolves from. Happy Saturnalia!

Please consider bumping if you find this interesting...

Since everything evolves, and is borrowed from other things, I thought it would be nice to enlighten people about the true origins of most "Midwinter" festivities. It is, afterall, the solstices that influenced much of what happened with daily living. The sun was the most crucial element - aka "the Light", the giver of "Life eternal" etc. Anyway, on the 17th of December Saturnalia begins.

Everything from the giving of gifts, to the origins of Christ and the virgin birth (which of course was used many times before, and a few times after Christ, of whom I have studied the most on out of each avatar or religious figure) and December 25th (this is the date when the sun resumes from being at the "lowest point" in the sky - or, the shortest day in the Northern Hemisphere, to the beginning of the "rise", or "birth" of a brand new season to come - spring). Check out some of the others with supernatural powers, born on the 25th of December of a virgin (representative of Virgo, constellation in the skies - representative of life and Spring), like Mithra, Dionysus (turned water to wine, comparable to Jesus Christ), Buddha, Krishna, Zarathustra, Thoth - comparable to - Hermes (Trismegistus - the great triple-powered - original trinity one - of Hermetic lore) and of course one of the first I know of, Horus - You guessed it! God of the Sun!

The stars were integral in many societies. One of the first Good vs. Evil diety (Ahura Mazda was for good, and Angra Mainyu was for bad)-driven religious groups, the Zorastrians, where probably one of the key influences - and in fact probably the original three wise men of the Bible, if in fact such events occurred around the starting of the Age of Pisces, the fish... the symbol so often used in association with Jesus himself... as homage to the representation of this "New Age", in tale.

When plants will begin to create food again for the masses on a larger scale, and what influenced these ancient tales the tribal wise men would tell to the youth, in a metaphorical way to explain the passing of the season of death - winter, into the next year of life, with more sunlight, and the growth of the new plants. The trees were put into homes (evergreen types) as a way of "good magic" to promote a prosperous new year to come. The idea was symbolic that life will endure through the hardships of winter and a new year would be plentiful! I love the aspect there - and the parallels continue with many-a-tradition. And of course tales of others that started such traditions. It always goes way back, and even the pagans and/or ancient mesopotamian beliefs and values were repeated ad infinitum. This is my gesture of goodwill - the creation of the Fantasia!

Not in a demeaning way, but in rememberance of truth, and the first and origin of things, as far as we can trace them... as to why it is what is today. It's so amazing these traditions continue in so many beautifully evolved forms. I appreciate all celebrations that use this as their origin, or even if this was not the origin, something before that prompted this great Saturnalia...

We have revised our fantasy to create new and beautiful tales. Ones that inspire love, compassion, peace and kindness. At the end of the day, no matter the beliefs, if this is what results, then I call it ALL a successful story, no matter what one wants to use as truth or fantasy. Everything in the end is an illusion. We only perceive because we have neurons that fire off, and our intellect is limited by this perception, creating our ideas and beliefs about things - but just because we have our facts - that does not necessarily facilitate truth on the whole. We are always limited by our understanding. The more we know, the less we realize we really do know. The phrase is true, in my beliefs and perceptions of what I have learned over time in my own battles and searches for more understanding - and finding more "origins".

I'll close in saying.... Happy Saturnalia! Whether you celebrate one "holiday" or another, this is what it really is about. So, Happy Holidays, and enjoy the Saturnalia! The universe is much bigger than our beliefs... and at the end of the day, it's always going to be Saturnalia as long as the earth is here, and as long as the stars move as they do, and as long as our planets continue to encircle and rotate in the customary ways it happens in our own galaxy and solar system.

Spread joy, happiness, love and peace wherever you go. Whether it is during Saturnalia, or any time of year. The beauty of life is: every day can be a holiday, if we will it to be so in our minds. Create your ideal paradise where you stand right here and right now, and make that decision to live every day is though it is exactly that. Your wildest dreams will come true - beyond what you can comprehend or expect!

We can WIN! Every day!
As Descartes eloquently puts it: "Cogito, ergo sum!" - or... "I think, therefore I am!" Will it, and let it become! ^____^

Second chance Happy Holidays to everyone topic Bump!