Last year our family broke free from the Christmas convention. We refused to play the usual Christmas game:
travel for miles
and with polite smiles,
cringe at piles
of plastic toys that will break in 5 days
and sit in landfill
until our grandchildren have grandchildren.
And this year will be no different. We’ve told the family, no Christmas for us. The head shaking and tongue clicking that goes on is hilarious. Not that they’re surprised though. They’re used to us doing things differently.
This year, we’re hosting a celebration for the sun. Summer Solstice, December 22, is the longest day of the year, the day the sun is at its zenith. Our creativity is at its highest, the power of the sun shines upon and through us and we manifest our dreams at at extraordinary rate and with incredible ease and joy. Everyone loves Summer why not celebrate it. I’m sure I’m not the only one who puzzles over the way we insist upon recreating the northern hemisphere’s winter solstice celebration, including the snow, in the hottest part of the year. So this year we’ll have a bonfire, a feast, gifts and family and friends partying long into the shortest night of the year.
Celebrating abundance makes sense this time of year. High summer flows with the power of abundance and creative energy. Plants and young animals grow at incredible speed. It’s actually the perfect time of year for gift giving. Shopping this time of year is a strain though. I just can’t bring myself to do it. So I have a plan.
Last year we had so much fun buying presents from World Vision, Oxfam, Rainforest Rescue and Heifer International, we decided to do it again. We’re buying a duck, pig, chicken, goat, fish, mossie nets and blankets for needy people all round our planet. We’ll get cute little cards to give to our loved ones that tell them how their gift helped others and hopefully inspire them to do the same. Incidentally, as I visioned last year, our family was so inspired by our gifts, the inlaws gave us a beautiful pot made by a group of Thai widows, which they bought at The Sisters of Mercy store at Alderly, Brisbane.
Even so, I was complaining to my beautiful friend, Wendy, about the hassle of presents. We laughed at my state of mind - clearly non abundant - when she had a great idea. Get the kids to make presents for the relies. We’re going to The Bead Shop in Byron, who sell beautiful fair trade beads, for a couple of afternoons in the holidays to make key rings for all our friends and family. It’s cheap and easy for even the littlest of the kids to get involved.
There are some kids that we’d like to give presents to so, here are some of the options we’ve come up with:
Community Aid Abroad offer beautiful handcrafts and fair trade goods online and from their stores.
Under the Nile offer organic cotton kids clothes and toys.
Just Site is an Australian shopping site with a conscience. You can buy anything
from Puzzles to Fair Trade soccer balls. I love this swing made from a recyced tyre.
Todae Lifestyle Stores have wonderful sustainable gifts for children. I love the natural face and body paint, colouring pencils with sustainable wood, toddler shower timer and the hydrogen powered toy cars.
Serendib Crafts sell fair trade childrens craft.
And for the Teenagers, there’s always organic undies at Blessed Earth.
If you are inspired and want to give Christmas a miss this year also here are a few Summer Solstice celebrations we discovered:
Northey Street City Farm in Brisbane are having a Celebration.
If you’re into tribal beats and festivaling you could join the Gaian groove at Summer Solstice 2006 at Opoeia Eco Arts retreat, South West of Geelong, 15 to 17 December.
At the Capricorn Caves, near Rockhampton, Queensland you can witness a natural wonder unique in the Southern Hemisphere. A beam of dazzling bright sunlight penetrates through a 14 metre vertical shaft into the darkened cavern below. Its there throughout the summer but on December 22, it is spectacular.
Sunrise and Sunset at the Standing Stones at Glen Innes, NSW there is a celebration.
Tour the Summit Estate Winery near Stanthorpe, attend a wine tasting, then gather around for the lighting and burning of the wickerman, followed by a three course dinner starting at 8.30 p.m. with music, dancing and bush poetry until late.
If you know of any other Summer Solstice Celebrations or have any plans, let us know about them.
About the Author...
Joanne Hay, Editor of Nourished Magazine, Chief Nourisher and Mother of three is very grateful to live in Byron Bay and be able to share all she has learned about Nourishment. She has trained as an Acupuncturist (unfinished), Kinesiologist (finished) and parent (never finished). She serves the Weston A Price Foundation as a chapter leader. She loves sauerkraut, kangaroo tail stew, home made ice cream, her husband Wes and her kids Isaiah, Brynn and Ronin (in no particular order…well maybe ice cream first).
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