Brad Ideas - Happy Seasons to all - Comments

Religious

brad — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 20:05:27 -0800

Indeed, the reason Christmas is at the end of the year is that it could then suborn the pagan solstice festivals.

However, Seasons is not pagan or religious in any way, so it is not a Saturnalia. However, people are welcome to celebrate what they like.

Io, Saturnalia!

slothman — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 18:22:48 -0800

Saturnalia was a week-long celebration at the end of the year in ancient Roman times; I consider the modern equivalent to span from the winter solstice to the new year and to be an excuse for holding any number of parties. The particular day for gift exchange in my household is Yule.

Happy Seasons!

Mike Linksvayer — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 22:52:50 -0800

Great idea. I've never been happy with Newtonmas, as he was a religious nut, among other reasons.

Happy Seasons to all

brad — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 21:07:46 -0800

I’ve been feeling we in the secular, atheist world should still have an official event at the end of the year, since with the Christians and the Jews making merry, it’s a good time to do it. We have New Year’s Eve of course, but so does everybody.

This new holiday, to mark the changing of the Seasons might be called “Seasons.” Of course that is in part so that all the people saying “Seasons Greetings” (without the apostrophe, oddly enough) will now be making our greeting. Another name for it could be “Holidays” but that does have religious roots.

Now the real changing of the seasons is around Dec 21, but it makes far more sense to celebrate a gift holiday on Dec 28-29. That way you can buy gifts for everybody at half price. And we seculars are smart and thrifty.

So Happy Seasons to all.