FriendBurst Blog

I love the Holidays.

All of them.

I celebrate the Spring. The High Holy Days of Ground Hog Day, Mardi Gras (2-21) and St. Patrick’s Day (3-17), cause the vernal Equinox is 3-20. Ground Hog Day is imprortant because winter is Half Over. 6 more weeks of snowy wintry mix. Than the Mardi Gras is like holy shit I can see the light at the end of the tunnel spring is on its way yay boobs and alcohol. And then St. Patrick’s day and although I don’t believe I have any Irish blood unless you go back all the way to when the Scots invaded Pictland and intermarried with the picts and norse, and then I’m not sure. Although some of the family believe we are from Ulster and not Strathclyde, the death of winter needs a hearty brew to wash it down.

And then the Celebration of Warmth to come, May day Beltane culminating with The KY Derby. Yes nothing celebrates the coming warmth like Dressing nicely, Libations and a horse race.
And then the remembrance of those that have passed on with Memorial day. We visit the gravesites of family and loved ones and place a single flower on their grave. Also, we decorate many gravesites in our family.
And then we have a Barbecue (or grill out) where the extended family comes) and I talk with my cousins. It is a quiet day of snacking and unpretentious food. And talk of Gardens and lawns and turning over of the soil. And some talk of those that are not here and a prayer is given.

And then the Summer Solstice, build the bonfires and bang the drum. Dance. It is Summer and the living is easy.
July 4th. Fireworks and barbecue. Time with the kids. Amy, Dylan and I barbecue and then drive to Louisville for a concert and fireworks.

And then it is August and the Family Reunion and then Labor Day. Labor Day I generally spend with Family. And the NFL starts.

I don’t really observe the Autumnal Equinox, but I love Samhain and Halloween. A celebration of the Gothic tendencies in all of us.

And then too Quickly, Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a feast day. A prayer of remembrance of those that are not with us and My Extended Family sits down to a traditional meal of Turkey and all the fixins. We eat and we talk and there is football on the Television. Just a quiet day of Handshakes and hugs and pats on the bag and we ask how we are all doing. We often do financial collections for family members that have layoffs or other problems, such as having a house burned down. and we talk of the coming hunting season and how the deer look and how they are running.

We celebrate Black Friday, For years my sister and I wake in the middle of the night and meet at the stores and make Christmas purchases of the must haves for the Kids, when Amy was four her whole life hinged in the balance for want of a MySize Barbie. Yes I have lived Jingle All The Way. And then back home and a quick nap before taking the kids to light up Louisville.
http://www.louisvilleky.gov/MetroParks/specialevents/LUL_2010/
Only to collapse exhausted that night. To wake with Amy and Dylan and get out all of the Christmas Stuff. The Saturday after Thanksgiving we put up the Tree and decorate for Christmas. We bought ornaments of every place we ever vacationed at. We have a Christmas Ornament for Biloxi and Santa Clause Indiana and Metropolis Illinois and Universal Orlando and Disney and Six Flags and Niagara Falls, And Meteor Crater, and Four Corners, Roswell NM and The Grand Canyon…. And placing the Onaments on the tree sparks conversations of past adventures and why we are who we are and what makes us Family.

And then Merry Christmas and comes so soon. We leave the Tree up till after New Years. We usually take down the Tree and Decorations the Saturday after New Year’s day.
New Year’s I spend at home, that last few years alone as my kids now have gatherings with friends they attend. I am at home watching Dick Clark’s New Years on Television, for years Amy, Dylan and I had this quiet night together and celebrated with sparkling Grape Juice and Noise makers.

And then it is a long month till Ground Hog Day.

Happy Thanksgiving, My Friends.

Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous coming New Year.

God Bless you, everyone.