Our Pagan Winter Holiday

My wife and I are pagans. Thus, our winter holiday celebrations differ a bit from your Christian ones. The festivities really start in November when we sacrifice a large bird and eat it garnished with bountiful products of the Nature goddess, such as cranberry sauce, several types of vegetables followed by such pagan favorites as pumpkin and apple pies.

Before dinner we give thanks to Zeus (sometimes known as Jupiter) for all the good things in our life.

Then on the following day (known as Dark Friday), we get up early in the morning and stand outside the doors of a mall or other commercial enterprise to rush in grab at bargain prices the items we need for the Saturnalia Holiday, such as brooms, Cheetah pets, and other occult items.

On the eve of the Saturnalia, we attend the Temple of Apollo, where we drink the blood and eat the meat of a sacrificial lamb (not really blood and lamb meat, but red wine and cookies blessed by the Apolloian priestess). We decorate our homes with lights, candles and ornaments and hang up such herbs as mistletoe (which is supposed to bring love).

The center piece is the Yule tree dedicated to the god Bacchus which we decorate with lights and other ornaments.

Before we send the children to bed, we tell them about the god Woden who rides his white horse with eight legs through the night delivering gifts to children. Woden is a jolly overweight god with a white beard, a red suit who lives in the far north with elfish helpers. Sometimes we take out our Book of Shadows and read the story of Mithra. The goddess was born in a cave and adored by shepherds who offered the first-fruits of the harvest to her. Animals and important travelers also came to the cave to worship Mithra.

After the children open their gifts from Woden on Saturnalia morning, we sacrifice another bird in honor of the Phoenix, the bird that rises out of its ashes, and feast on it. Afterwards we exchange gifts and toast each other and the gods. Sometimes we sing hymns to the gods or dance in a magic circle. Saturnalia is good time for friends and relations to get together.

Happy Holidays everyone, whether you celebrate Christmas, Saturnalia, Hanukah, Kwanza, or some other Winter Solstice holiday.