Saturnalia Festivities
“Saturnalia is the feast at which the Romans commemorated the dedication of the temple of the god Saturn, which took place on 17 December. Over the years, it expanded to a whole week, up to 23 December.
The Saturnalia was a large and important public festival in Rome. It involved the conventional sacrifices, a couch (lectisternium) set out in front of the temple of Saturn and the untying of the ropes that bound the statue of Saturn during the rest of the year. Besides the public rites there were a series of holidays and customs celebrated privately. The celebrations included a school holiday, the making and giving of small presents (saturnalia et sigillaricia) and a special market (sigillaria). It was a time to eat, drink, and be merry.”
Feasting and festivities during this time of the year have survived right into 2007 in America. Actually, around here in Red Bluff, the “Holiday Season” seems to last from Thanksgiving (late November) until New Year’s Day.
Over lunch, at work, a couple of Judeo-Christians were complaining in an angry tone of voice about “secular” trends. They strongly favored “Putting Christ Back in Christmas.” They thought that America is on the wrong path of placating the atheists and secularists, and forcing the Judeo-Christian God out of our American public lives. They favored us having Nativity displays in schools and public buildings, singing Christmas songs, having prayers in schools, and practicing customs that reflect that we are ” A Christian Nation.” I’m sure that over lunch in Iran, other quiet free thinking folks have to listen to similar rants by conservative Islamics about putting Allah back into Iranian public life.
I favor the “religion” that enjoys “religious practices” like being peaceful, good eating, nice drinks, merry making, giving gifts, smiling, sweet love, kindness, pleasant work, singing, laughing, joyfulness, toasting to our ancestors, respecting the Earth, and tolerance.
If these overly assertive Judeo-Christians and Moslems can just calm down and agree to give a nickle’s worth of respect to the “religion” that millions of other peaceful folks favor, then we all could enjoy a fine Yule Tide Merry Meet.
Three Cheers for Saturnalia et Sigillaricia!
The Best of Holiday Cheer to You All, Friends Everywhere.