Donald and Sandra Winn

We are interested in learning about how many religions
celebrate winter soltice and why they do so. Does any
one have any fun suggestions on how to go about doing
this so that boredom doesn't set in?

Thanks
~Sandy W

Happy Learning,
~Sandy
www.360.yahoo.com/aplan4life







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Deb

--- In [email protected], Donald and Sandra Winn
<aplan4life@y...> wrote:
>
> We are interested in learning about how many religions
> celebrate winter soltice and why they do so. Does any
> one have any fun suggestions on how to go about doing
> this so that boredom doesn't set in?
>
> Thanks
> ~Sandy W
>
> Happy Learning,
> ~Sandy
> www.360.yahoo.com/aplan4life
DK has a colorful fun book of holidays around the world (I picked
mine up for 50 cents or $1 at a tag sale!) including winter-time
celebrations around the world. All are told from a child's
perspective - what they wear, what they eat, etc.

There aren't 'many' religions that celebrate winter solstice -
Christmas isn't actually about winter solstice (although many of the
customs were appended from solstice celebrations and given Christian
symbolism, syncretism at its finest). Judaism doesn't have a
solstice celebration (Hanukkah isn't really 'up there' in religious
importance except for how it's been hyped to match up with
Christmas). Neither does Islam as far as I know. Buddhism, as far as
I know, doesn't really have any 'celebrations' as such (since it is
more a philosophy than a 'religion'). Earth-based belief systems
celebrate solstice but they tend not to fit easily into
definable 'religions' as much. They are belief systems with the
participant/practitioner choosing which beliefs and practices they
want to follow, emphaize, etc.

--Deb
(hope I phrased things delicately enough to not tweak anyone's
belief system)

Ren Allen

I second Deb's suggestion of the DK books. I think it's
called "Children just like me" or something? We have two of them, one
talks about regular life, the other is "celebrations around the world"
(??not sure??) and touches on the major holiday of several cultures.

I have the most fun when involving food while I'm learning about a
culture. If your kids like that, cook something from each country when
you read about it. You could even make something ahead of time and
have it casually available.

I also love checking ebay for import stuff...it's really fun to have
some coins or smallish objects from a country you're interested in.
You could get some little items that are used in each celebration.

Ren

Jenn Parr

Ren Allen <starsuncloud@...> wrote:

I also love checking ebay for import stuff...it's really fun to have
some coins or smallish objects from a country you're interested in.
You could get some little items that are used in each celebration.

Ren
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Hey, Ren!

Love this idea...something I hadn't thought of before! And I've found *so many* inexpensive treasures on eBay, but never searched for items from different countries.

Thanks for this suggestion!

Jenn in Virginia







Jenn P.

Unschooling Mama to four daughters: Shelby (12), Tori (7), Ashlyn (6), and Lolo (3)

All humans realize they are loved when witnessing the dawn: early morning is the triumph of good over evil. Absolved by light we decide to go on. ~Rufus Wainwright, musician













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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Pamela Sorooshian

On Nov 28, 2005, at 11:22 AM, Donald and Sandra Winn wrote:

> We are interested in learning about how many religions
> celebrate winter soltice and why they do so. Does any
> one have any fun suggestions on how to go about doing
> this so that boredom doesn't set in?

Our religion doesn't celebrate it, but my husband's culture does and
it is the kids' absolutely most favorite day/night of the year.

We have a fire in the fireplace, we bring blankets and pillows out in
the living room, we light candles all over the room. We have Persian
folk music playing softly in the background. We have all kinds of
traditional things to eat - dried fruits, nuts and seeds, especially,
but also Persian cookies and always some fresh melon. We play cards
sometimes, early in the evening. Then we get out all our books of
Persian legends and folk tales and we read aloud from them. I always
have some kind of crafty thing to do that is related to either the
winter season, the sun, or Persian culture. For example, we painted
Persian miniatures one year, we've made candles, we've cut fancy
snowflakes....last year we made mosaic stepping stones (Persians are
famous for their mosaic work). Late in the evening we bake potatoes
in the fireplace - often we roast chestnuts.

Writing it down, it doesn't sound that exciting - most of it is my
husband reading or telling stories, really.

Nobody goes off to bed - they just fall asleep all cuddled up there
in front of the fire. Sometimes we stay up all night - that's always
the plan! <G>

-pam

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[email protected]

>>Writing it down, it doesn't sound that exciting ->>

It sounds absolutely lovely Pam. Definitely something to look forward to.

--
~Mary

"The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the
green earth, dwelling deeply in the present moment and feeling truly
alive."

Donald and Sandra Winn

Pam, Ren and Deb....THANK YOU!! Great recommendations
and Pam your evening sounds awesome!

Thanks again ladies :-)

~Sandy W



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