Advent means to come into being. I really really love Holly Days. My Santa of a dad gave me this deep personal connection to Christmas, but I also really really dislike so much of the other horribly obsolete abrahamic philosophy being dragged into the future by the religious institutions that are so often claimed to be the “true meaning” of these seasonal celebrations.
Ritual and tradition are powerful ways in which we form community and communion, but they need to be living, personal rites that can grow and change with us. That is the paradox, they need to be anchored to repeated collective acts, symbols, and metaphors, but they also need to remain relevant in a changing world.
That is why all of Holly Days’ rituals are linked to these existing faith traditions, but also why none of them are sacred, but meant to be playful celebrations we discover in our own hearts. So this year I am adding Advent Calendars to our celebration. I saw a 12-muffin muffin tin at the ShopRite and imagined it with a little toy in each cell, hidden behind decorated paper, and fulfilling the wonderful gift-a-day ritual I borrowed from Hanukah. This year, our little Rey will get to inaugurate this tradition of the Holly Days Advent Calendar. Here are some samples of the one I’m working on for this year:
HOLLY DAYS 