Solstice

The Winter Solstice is a favorite celebration for me.

This is the service at First Unitarian ( on Saturday) We were each invited to think of our unique gift and light a candles to symbolize the light each of us brings to the world. It gave me hope...to see all those lighted candles...all the gifts that are being offered.

Celebrating Halloween

We tried something new this Halloween.  I've been thinking about ways to add meaning to our holidays ( which were once holy days).  So this year on Nov 1..we had an ancestor party.                                                      We were influenced by what Nate is learning about how Mexico celebrates Day of the Dead...so we made sugar skulls ( which was easy and fun)     Then we created an ancestor altar....we collected photographs and mementos from ancestors who are now dead ...things like Mark's grandfathers watch and a bowl my grandfather carved.                                                  We lit candles and told stories about our grandparents....the boys told stories about their rats ( we had two pet rats die this year.)  It wasn't sad or depressing...many of our stories were funny.  We all enjoyed the evening...I'm hoping we do this again.      (  Don't worry..the boys did trick or treat ...and came home with pillow cases full of candy.)