Question of the day, Wednesday, December 7, 2016

@Mamanyt1953 had a doctor's appointment, so she's asked me to handle today's question.

The winter solstice is coming up in the northern hemisphere, and the summer solstice in the southern hemisphere. Almost all cultures have traditional celebrations of these important days. Most Christians celebrate Christmas. Most Jews celebrate Hannukah. Many blacks celebrate Kwanzaa. Wiccans celebrate either Yule or simply the Solstice. So today's question is, how are you planning to celebrate the upcoming solstice? And the secondary question is, how do you plan to protect your cat(s) from the dangers that are inherent in your celebration, and your decorations from your cats?

I'm an atheist, but I grew up a Seventh-day Adventist, and Adventists are very much aware that the Christmas holiday has pagan roots. Therefore, while we always celebrated Christmas when I was growing up, we treated it as a secular holiday rather than a religious one. I still celebrate Christmas that way. It comes at a time of year when I need lights and color, and a Christmas tree is an ideal way to get those. So this year I plan to have a Christmas tree, and Roger and I will exchange gifts. And after that I'll probably spend the day watching the Dr. Who Christmas special and whatever re-runs BBC airs leading up to it. And after that's over, I may put on my Apollo 8 DVD and watch earth rise as the astronauts read the creation story from Genesis and talk about “the good earth.” I remember watching that in real time when I was a teenager, sitting on the carpet on Christmas Eve, with only the Christmas tree and the television to light the room.

My tree will have no tinsel, and will have twinkling colored LED lights. None of the really delicate ornaments will be at the bottom of the tree, and I'll make sure Jasmine won't try to tip the tree over before I put those ornaments on it (Jasmine has never encountered a Christmas tree in our house before, so I don't know how she'll react yet). Instead of garland (which could shed little bits that a cat might swallow) I have some gold ribbon to use. And I've never been very big on poinsettias or snow globes, so poisoning isn't a problem. And, since Roger and I have vastly different dietary needs, our meal will be companionable, but not identical.

Margret

Hope @Mamanyt1953's doctor's appt isn't for anything serious. Thanks for doing this, Margret.

We don't do anything to celebrate the solstice, either winter or summer. I should celebrate the winter solstice because it means that the days will, once again, start getting longer, even if it is only minute by minute.

Our Christmas is more secular, too. I am an agnostic, so I believe there's something; I'm just not sure what that something is. I don't believe in god, heaven or hell. Rick goes to church from time to time, mostly, I think, because of his mother; I will not go. 

I'm not sure yet if our kids are coming on Christmas Day or when; they haven't said yet. If they don't come on Christmas, then we'll just do a nice Christmas brunch and then we'll have lasagna for our dinner. I will do our Christmas dinner whatever day the kids get here. They switch years between us and our DIL's family and I'm never sure what they're doing until they tell us. And it's OK. I can deal with whatever happens. 

So we'll get up to feed the cats and such, Rick will got back to bed until 8:00 or so. When he gets back up, I'll have hot chocolate and sticky buns for us to enjoy as we open gifts. Afterwards, I'll start working on our brunch and Rick will go in to bring his mom down to us for the rest of the morning and early afternoon. After dinner, he'll take her back home and we'll just have a quiet evening....he'll probably watch football and I'll read on my Nook. Or we'll watch a couple movies.

But if the kids come on Christmas, we'll have our dinner around 2-3:00, followed by opening gifts, and then playing games with the grands. Rick's mom will still be with us and he and our son will take her home early evening.

Our tree is up, no tinsel, lots of lights, ornaments. The bottom two feet or so is decorated in cat-friendly style. 

Whatever happens, it will be a nice day.

I was raised Catholic but do not practice. We disagree about too many things. I am not religious at all. 

I do not celebrate the solstice. I have no idea how one would even do that.

What will we do on Christmas?? Sleep late. Feed the furkids. Do pretty much nothing including not getting out of pajamas. DD will get whatever gifts I have for her.  She already got 2 of them. The kids will get theirs. I'll make something for dinner. No idea what at this point. I asked DD what she wanted. Her response?

"I don't really care."

Thanks. That was helpful. 

The kids are going to have a roasted unseasoned bone in/skin on chicken breast that will be shredded while still warm and added to their supper. They had this for Thanksgiving and loved it. 

We do not decorate. Sophie would go through a Christmas tree like a furry tornado. 

We have never done anything to celebrate the solstice, winter or summer.

Both of us are Christians. We celebrate Christmas as the birth of Jesus. It is a joyous time of year for us. We attend some Christmas Cantatas at various churches to hear the wonderful singing that encourages us. We go to the local Christmas Parade, stand on the street and love to hear the bands that play Christmas music In our home, we do decorate, usually with a tree in the living room, spread and pillows on the sofas, Christmas tablecloth on the dining room table with a pretty centerpiece or flower. Hubby puts wreaths with burgundy bows on all the windows across the front of the house. He lights them up with spotlights at night. We do shopping and share some gifts. We pick a day to spend with our children. This year it won't be Christmas day since it is on Sunday.

My decorations won 't be a problem for my cat as he doesn't live in the house. I will be buying his some presents too, to celebrate his one year with us.

I am Catholic.. yes, I am...I fell away from it for a long while, but it seems I have returned to it. I really like my church.

On Sunday, I attended a Christmas Concert put on by the local Philharmonic Society. It was performed in my Church because the acoustics are incredible..it is an old style Italian Church, 110 years old. The entrance fee was a donation of food for the food pantry.

I have my decoration up--no Christmas Tree.. We had bad experiences with my last cat and trees, so I am completely forgoing it. I have some battery operated candles which Artie still finds and throws down while I am sleeping. One on the floor last night, an angel on the floor last night and a can of spray instant air cleaner.. He was really wandering around early this morning..

I have a tradition of watching old Christmas Movies... I have them on DVD. I also listen to a lot of Christmas Carols.. 

Through my dad, I discovered a lot of the Polish Christmas Carols. I really fell in love with them. They are all so melodious.. so tranquil.. I really enjoy them.. do not understand them, but I love listening.

Christmas has always been my favorite Holiday. It is harder as we get older, but I really try to enjoy it. 

For Christmas Eve I will be attending an open house at my Cousins. Christmas Day, I will be up early, go to Mass, have breakfast and then over to another Cousin's for dinner.. When my dad was alive, we just hung around the house after Mass, while I cooked a nice dinner.

As an agnostic, the solstice for me is a time for ending the old year, and bringing in the new.

It's a nice time to get together with friends and family; though no excuse should be needed, a good nudge never hurts. The affairs of the day tend to put blinders on us.

I try to avoid the insanity of holiday shopping and gift giving as much as possible. Take the time to be with me, that's enough. Too precious little of that, frankly.

Artiemom, my late father was a good Catholic, too. He cared deeply about his faith, but never preached. He wanted my younger brother and me to be good men like he tried to be and he did his best to show by example. The Church has had more than its fair share of black eyes for a whole bunch of reasons lately, but the good people in it are still the good people in it.

blueyedgirl, my dad was likewise a Christian like you.

Bless you both for sharing!

Christmas music is the best part of the season. Nice, guilt-free fun.

I'm going to put bows up on my palm trees this year for that festive look. Maybe I'll even take a picture! Or two. Or three . . .

Indoors, with 5 five ravenously tinsel-eating cats, no tree. But a nice lap for all who want one (if not all at once!)

We don't really celebrate anything.  I'm Jewish but very non-religious.  My fiance grew up some form of Christian but wouldn't consider himself that and hasn't for years. All it means is some time off from work and school and a chance to relax at home.

We don't decorate at all.  I do light Chanukah candles because I enjoy the tradition of it.  They burn out quick, under 1/2 hour so protecting them from kitties isn't an issue (they don't jump onto counters or very very rarely!)

Also, we don't go out to shop.  The only people who get gifts are the youngest kids on both sides of the family.  On my side, cash is king so they get checks.  On his side, we either buy online and have them shipped directly to their home or give money to the parents to buy what they think the kids want.  We avoid shopping in stores as much as possible regardless of what time of year it is.  Not a fan.

DoomsDave said:

As an agnostic, the solstice for me is a time for ending the old year, and bringing in the new.

It's a nice time to get together with friends and family; though no excuse should be needed, a good nudge never hurts. The affairs of the day tend to put blinders on us.

I try to avoid the insanity of holiday shopping and gift giving as much as possible. Take the time to be with me, that's enough. Too precious little of that, frankly.

Artiemom, my late father was a good Catholic, too. He cared deeply about his faith, but never preached. He wanted my younger brother and me to be good men like he tried to be and he did his best to show by example. The Church has had more than its fair share of black eyes for a whole bunch of reasons lately, but the good people in it are still the good people in it.

blueyedgirl, my dad was likewise a Christian like you.

Bless you both for sharing!

Christmas music is the best part of the season. Nice, guilt-free fun.

I'm going to put bows up on my palm trees this year for that festive look. Maybe I'll even take a picture! Or two. Or three . . .

Indoors, with 5 five ravenously tinsel-eating cats, no tree. But a nice lap for all who want one (if not all at once!)

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doomsdave Thank you. I play guitar and sing with a group that visits a local nursing home. We went on the 6th and sang Christmas music for them. They love it and they are a forgiving audience.
:lol3: Holiday shopping is hectic. I try to do it during the year. As you say, "take time to be with me." I agree. What a wonderful time of year to be with friends, family and all our loved ones.

We celebrate Christmas as primarily a religious holiday.  We do plenty of gift giving; but no Santa.  My kids have their Christmas program this weekend. 

Artiemom said:

I am Catholic.. yes, I am...I fell away from it for a long while, but it seems I have returned to it. I really like my church.

Click to expand...

Same here. (It was hard going to confession after so long!) I attend mass at the local cathedral which is a 5 minutes walk from our house. The mass will be at 10 a.m. instead of the usual 11 a.m. and it will be televised.

i'll celebrate Christmas with my cats! i'll give them their 'medium sized gift' on Christmas Eve, it's a 'sharing' type gift -- to be shared between the three of them. and then after we've all had our breakfasts and i've done the basic daily chores on Christmas Day, i'll bring out all three of their Christmas stockings, filled with gifts for them. we'll listen to some Christmas music, and generally enjoy a quiet day together. i'll take some photos of all three cats enjoying their Christmas too! 

i'll have some of the 3-layer carob cake with carob cream cheese buttercream for dessert that day too! 

no decorations here, and everything safe for my cats as usual.

Chiming in late, and with many thanks to @Margret, I'm one of those "Pagan roots," so to speak.  I actually celebrate both the Winter Solstice (or Yule) as a religious observance, and Christmas as a secular one, because I wasn't about to rob my sons (now grown and gone) of Santa and all the fun of the holidays.

On Yule, my candles will be lit, and my little altar will be a place where I give thanks to the Goddess, and welcome the newborn God.  Although the altar itself will be decked with holly and ivey and gold and silver candles, the ceremony is simply and homey, warm and loving.  Hekitty found out about candles very young, and keeps a cautious 2 foot distance, so that's no issue.

Now for Christmas, I do have a tree (very  pagan in origin), and I tend to rotate out the ornaments.  I only have two sets now, but I'll reconstruct the other two evenutally!  This year, it is deep blue, teal and silver balls, deep blue and teal snowflakes and silver and aquamarine icicles...not the tinsel-y ones, molded actual icicles.  I haven't had tinsel on a tree for years, due to the cats.  None of mine have been cord-gnawers, but tinsel is just too much to resist for most cats, all that fluttering and flashing!  And I use unbreakable ornaments, so that isn't an issue!

GOOD TO BE BACK!

I was not raised in any religion - my mother was Catholic but lapsed, so I was baptized but never confirmed.  We always celebrated Christmas, but it was just a joyous holiday with only a vague religious significance. At this time in my life I (we) don't celebrate. I do believe in a "higher power," but I don't believe in "God" in the religious sense (I'm very anti-religion). 

I haven't put up a tree in about 10 years. Nothing is different in my house, so I don't have to worry about protecting my fur kids from anything. I do like seeing the lights and stuff people put up, but care less and less about it each year.

Lately, I have grown very nostalgic for Christmases past with family and friends and home, and remembering things I haven't thought about in ages. I was speaking with a friend today who is the same age as I am and she told me she has been feeling the same way (before I ever even said anything to  her). We are figuring it must be because of our age.  I do think if family was closer and those who have passed were still around, I would be feeling differently.  As it is ... it's just going to be very very nice to have some time away from work.

Happy Winter Solstice!  


Ozzy made himself cozy on this chilly first morning of winter.