The concept of a magical encyclopedia called "Moonlight" revolves around the idea of harnessing the power and knowledge of the moon. This encyclopedia is believed to contain information about various magical practices, spells, rituals, and other mystical arts that are derived from lunar energy. Moonlight is seen as a symbol of the mystical and secretive aspects of magic, and it is believed to hold the key to unlocking a deeper understanding of the supernatural world. It is said to possess the knowledge of ancient wisdom that has been passed down through generations of magical practitioners. The encyclopedia is said to be intricately linked to the moon's cycles, and its power is said to be at its strongest during full moon nights. During these nights, it is believed that the knowledge contained in Moonlight can be accessed most easily by those who possess the ability to tap into the moon's energy.
During these nights, it is believed that the knowledge contained in Moonlight can be accessed most easily by those who possess the ability to tap into the moon's energy. The contents of Moonlight are said to range from information on various magical creatures and their abilities, to detailed instructions on how to perform complex spells and rituals. It is also said to contain information on divination techniques, herbal remedies, and the use of crystals and other magical tools.
Appropriating the Holidays Part III: Happy Holidays and putting the Christ back in. Saturnalia?
Greetings to all - Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Lo, Saturnalia!
This is the third in an ongoing series I’ve written about holiday histories. And yes, I’ve been using one of the most buzzy of buzzwords: appropriation. I started this series with Valentine’s Day, also discussing the lovely Easter. But since it’s the most wonderful time of the year I thought i would turn the calendar page to talk a little bit about Christmas.
It seems with all the effort to put the “Christ back in Christmas” and making sure “Jesus is the reason for the season,” we may be overlooking the origins of the Christmas holiday as a whole. Let’s take a walk down memory lane, shall we?
Christmas trees, ornaments, Santa Claus, presents, and even paper have become symbols of American Christmas tradition. (TRADITIOOOON! TRADITION!) Individual families celebrate in their own way, and the Christmas Tree is a common feature in many American households. What were the origins of Christmas, and where did these symbols and icons come from?
Mithra tree in Persepolis
Let’s start with the tree. I actually really love Christmas trees, do you? We have a fake half-sized tree at our house even though we consider ourselves agnostic, and it’s fun to go through ornaments and sentimental family memorabilia with our girls. How did this weird little indoor tree come to be a part of our collective American holiday celebration?
One of many legends surrounding the origins of the iconic Christmas tree is one of Saint Boniface, who is said to have disrupted a pagan ritual by destroying the tree where it was being held. (Was that an early preemptive strike for the inevitable War on Christmas? MAYBE!) When a fir sprouted in that place, Boniface declared the new fir tree represented Christ himself. (There’s a cross-related irony to be found there, I’m sure.)
Martin Luther is said to have brought a fir tree into his home to his children, to help him share an inspirational story surrounding an experience he had in the woods. And though a modern family may purchase their Christmas tree at a store instead of bringing one home from the forest, the focus is often on family participation. So it was in the day of Martin Luther, and even in our home!
The Christmas tree goes back much further than Luther. Another, perhaps more significant event in the history of the holiday season generally is the Roman festival of Saturnalia. Celebrating Saturn during the Winter Solstice, people would decorate their homes and gave gifts - sound familiar? Centuries later, in England, Druids would perform rituals in the woods and place evergreen branches above the doors of their homes to ward off evil spirits. Egyptians are also said to have revered evergreens, praising them for their eternal quality.
Well, what about the baby Jesus then? Theologians place the birth of the Christ figure around 3-5 AD. The bible itself is non specific about the actual time of year, but many theologians suggest it is during the springtime due to the presence of the sheep and young animals described. But, it wasn’t until many years after Jesus’ birth that Christmas was even celebrated as a Christian holiday specifically. It was around the fourth century that the church decided to celebrate Christmas around December 25, and they chose that date specifically to align with other pagan festivals and rituals also going on around that time.
So - if there is a war on Christmas, it has been going on for almost two millennia. And like oh so many parts of our Christian and/or Colonialist history, when it comes to the holiday season, we weren’t the first ones there. To claim this part of December as “Christmas only” territory is to completely erase the FIFTY-something number of holidays between November and December.
“Sorry, pagans. December belongs to us now. Find yourselves a new month to go solstice!”
Saying Happy Holidays isn’t an attack on Christmas. It’s a relatively generic celebratory expression that includes almost everybody - including Jews, pagans, atheists, and Seinfield fans.
While we’re here let’s also discuss the REAL reason for the season: pre$ent$ and $pending! We’re a capitalist economy, right? Christmas symbols are also used effectively in marketing to further drive consumption during the spendiest time of the year.
And never is that more obvious during the holidays, where we try to out-love each other by spending money we don’t have to buy things we don’t need. American Christmases are highly consumer driven. And not just a little, either: U.S. Shoppers, according to the American Research Group, spent an average of $929 in 2016.
Consumer spending is about seventy percent of U.S. gross domestic product, and holiday spending is a large portion of this number. Valentine's day held a distant second to Christmas spending, at $14 Billion overall, or $116 per person. Now I don’t know about you, but I definitely did not get my share of Valentine’s day average spending’s worth of chocolate.
But - let’s be fair. It’s not just about materialism. Did you know Americans are also at their most charitable this time of year as well? Half of Guidestar nonprofits received most of their contributions between October and December. And Americans gave $410.02 Billion to Charity in 2017, so that’s no small figure.
With all that money flying out the doors, do you know what’s absolutely free? Not being an asshole.
- Wish somebody Happy Holidays.
- Don’t feel pressured to spend money you don’t have to buy things people don’t want or need.
- Give generously (and wisely) to those that are in need.
One thing almost everyone seems to agree on is that shelter is for everyone, particularly in winter time. I’ve included a starting list of nonprofits that aid and assist those experiencing homelessness below.
As for me, I’ll be spending my time with my kids and trying to practice gratitude. We’ll be eating, watching Elf, and trying to avoid discussing religion and politics. (Tis the season?)
HAPPY FUCKING HOLIDAYS, EVERYONE!
Donation Links
Courtesy of my friend Rana, Here is a not-comprehensive list of non-profit agencies that provide shelter, housing, and/or services to youth, families, and single adults experiencing homelessness in the Twin Cities where you could easily make an online donation:
- https://thelinkmn.org/
- https://www.simpsonhousing.org/
- https://ststephensmpls.org/
- https://tubman.org/
- http://www.youthlinkmn.org/
- https://www.clarehousing.org/
- https://avivomn.org/
- http://adycenter.org/
- https://www.peopleservingpeople.org/
- https://www.miwrc.org/
- https://www.cctwincities.org/our-organization/
- http://matrixhousingservices.org/
- https://www.bridgeforyouth.org/
- http://www.beaconinterfaith.org/
- https://oscs-mn.org/oursaviourshousing/
- https://www.havenhousing.org/
- https://www.houseofcharity.org/
- https://www.peopleincorporated.org/
- https://www.vailplace.org/
- https://www.lssmn.org/
- http://movefwdmn.org/
- https://www.voa.org/
- https://www.justushealth.mn/
- https://aliveness.org/
- https://face2face.org
References
- Images appropriated from the internet. Attribution given when available.
- Chaucer, Geoffrey. Complete Works Of Geoffrey Chaucer. Brousson Press, 2008.
- Crow, Thomas. Modern Art in the Common Culture. Yale University Press, 1996.
- Finkelstein, Joanne. The Art of Self Invention: Image and Identity in Popular Visual Culture. I.B.Taurus, 2007.
- Garoian, Charles R. & Gaudelius Yvonne. Spectacle Pedagogy. Arts, Politics, and Visual Culture. State University of New York Press, 2008.
- Henn, Earl L. The Cross: Christian Banner or Pagan Relic? Forerunner, 1996 http://bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Library.sr/CT/ARTB/k/471/Cross-Christian-Banner-Pagan-Relic.htm
- Mirzoeff, Nicholas. An Introduction to Visual Culture. Routledge, 2000.
- Mitchell, W. J. T. What Do Pictures Want?: The Lives and Loves of Images. University Of Chicago Press, 2005.
- Mott, Maryann. Ritual Cat Sacrifices a Halloween Myth, Experts Say. National Geographic News. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/10/071026-halloween-cat.html
- National Retail Federation Annual Report. http://www.nrf.com/
- Saft, James. Happy holidays? Not for the U.S. consumer. Reuters. http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/12/12/business/1115safthols.php
- Ancient Rome: Saturnalia https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-rome/saturnalia
- Giving USA 2018: Americans Gave $410.02 Billion to Charity in 2017, Crossing the $400 Billion Mark for the First Time: https://givingusa.org/giving-usa-2018-americans-gave-410-02-billion-to-charity-in-2017-crossing-the-400-billion-mark-for-the-first-time/
By this point, Christianity was already a burgeoning religion, and within a handful of decades, Constantine the Great would officially adopt it as the religion of the Roman Empire. Early Christians would have freely shared in the good times of these pagan festivals, as a Christian scribe would write several centuries later:
Those who seek to tap into the knowledge contained in Moonlight often undergo rigorous training and study to develop their magical abilities and increase their connection to the moon's energy. These practitioners are known as Moonlight Scholars, and they are believed to possess a deeper understanding of magic than the average magical practitioner. While the existence of the Moonlight encyclopedia is largely considered to be a part of magical folklore and mythology, there are some who claim to have encountered this mystical tome. These individuals often describe it as a beautifully crafted book that emanates a soft, ethereal glow. They speak of its pages being filled with ancient symbols and texts that seem to shift and change with the phases of the moon. In conclusion, the concept of the Moonlight encyclopedia represents the idea of harnessing the power and knowledge of the moon to deepen one's understanding and practice of magic. It is believed to hold information on various magical practices and rituals, and is said to be accessible during full moon nights. While the existence of Moonlight remains mostly a mythical concept, it continues to capture the imaginations of those fascinated by the mystical and supernatural..
Reviews for "Unveiling Lunar Talismans: A Journey through Moonlight's Secrets"
1. John - 1 star: This book was a complete disappointment. The title "Magic Encyclopedia Moonlight" led me to believe it would be an exciting and enchanting read. However, I found the content to be poorly written and lacking in depth. The plot was unoriginal and predictable, and the characters were one-dimensional. I was hoping for a magical journey but instead, I found myself bored and uninterested. Definitely not recommended.
2. Sarah - 2 stars: I was excited to dive into "Magic Encyclopedia Moonlight" but was left underwhelmed. The world-building was weak, and the magical elements felt forced and unexplained. The writing style was also subpar, with awkward phrasing and repetitive descriptions. I struggled to connect with the characters, as they lacked depth and their motivations were not well developed. Overall, I wished for more from this book and was left dissatisfied.
3. Mark - 2.5 stars: "Magic Encyclopedia Moonlight" had an intriguing premise, but it failed to deliver. The pacing was uneven, with slow moments that dragged on and rushed action sequences. The dialogues felt stilted and lacked authenticity. Additionally, the plot twists were predictable, and the resolution felt rushed and unsatisfying. While there were some interesting ideas, they were not enough to redeem this book for me. I would not recommend it to others seeking a captivating fantasy read.
4. Emily - 2 stars: I found "Magic Encyclopedia Moonlight" to be a disappointing read. The characterization was shallow, and I couldn't connect with any of the characters on an emotional level. The book also seemed to lack coherent world-building, leaving me confused about the magical system and the overall setting. The prose was mediocre, and there were several editing issues throughout. I wanted to enjoy this book, but it fell short in so many aspects.