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Easter and Ostara

Posted on by bedemus

When I was little, my family would hide little eggs all around the house, and a basket to find that would have toys in it. When I was about 10, they stopped. I was a little disappointed, but I knew they would stop eventually. After all, we don’t like to waste money when we don’t have to.

I think the reason why they stopped at 10 was because it was around that age that I started losing my interest in getting toys, and I also because that’s when my tastes started to change. Chocolate and the likes just were all kinda gross to me at that point. So hiding around empty eggs would be pretty pointless.

Although, they could just fill up the eggs with money, but that would cost a ton more money than what Easter already costs. And I don’t think anybody in our family would be willing to part ways with their money for something silly like an Easter egg hunt, yanno?

Well, I don’t celebrate Easter anymore anyways. I have Ostara now! Only… I’m not able to openly celebrate it, which kinda sucks for me.

Come to think of it, I don’t think there’s any holiday that I’m allowed to openly celebrate… My family doesn’t mind me being Pagan, but the moment that I mention anything to them about me actually practicing what I believe in, they start to act all funny like as if I’m a weirdo or something. And I’ve noticed that they act funny towards me whenever I mention anything that they don’t believe in or support themselves.

So, that really is a huge disadvantage on myself because witchy things require witchy resources that I’m not allowed to get… So basically, all year ’round I’m restricted from practicing my religion just because they don’t believe in what I believe. And I’m not gonna lie, that’s pretty selfish of their half.

Quite honestly, I don’t think I see there ever being a day in this household that I’ll be able to practice my religion, seeing as my family members think negatively towards it.

I guess I just should be lucky that I don’t live in a (necessarily) Christian household. I would be a hot mess if I was…

Though, Christians did snag most of their holidays from Paganism, and Ostara is no exception. Though, if I’m being honest, I don’t even know where Easter fits in to Christianity. I’ve never read the bible, and I don’t hear too much about the Christian origins of Easter.

I do know that there are, like, several versions of the Pagan holiday Ostara. To sum it up, there’s this rabbit that can lay eggs. That’s like the most simplified way to put it, because that’s what happens in every version of the origin tales. Pretty much everything else is altered in some way.

That reminds me; since I’m not able to set up any alters or anything, I just celebrate it in my own little way. I spray berry fragrant Glade in my room, light white candles, and drink herbal teas~

Though, I think I might have gone a little overboard with the tea… I have so much in so many different flavours now… Oops?

Blessed be, your pal
Duie

Meeting my family at Christmas

Posted on by bedemus

Here in the states, a large majority of people that you meet are going to be Christian; there’s no denying it. So naturally, it’s assumed that you celebrate Christian holidays, right? I’m actually pretty sure that every member of my family is Christian. And I think some of them say it just to say it, but aren’t really, yanno?

So anyway, one of the biggest ones for my family happens to be Christmas. It’s that time of year that all of the close relatives and distant family members that we hate all come together to great grandma’s house for breakfast.

This isn’t really breakfast, just food in general, but you get the idea. (Hint hint, feast)

I personally don’t care for my great grandma. She’s not really a very cozy old grandma that knits itchy sweaters for everybody. She’s the strict type that will beat you with her purse if you intimidate her. Based on this, and off of the fact that Christmas means a big deal to her, I’d naturally assume that she’s Christian herself.

I think I maybe heard her mention going to church once or twice? I can’t be too certain. My memory is real bad to begin with.

Like I was saying, it’s pretty scary to be in a house full of Christians when you’re a Pagan that practices witchcraft; two no-no things in the Bible. And at a CHRISTMAS get-together, mind you. I don’t even celebrate Christmas! I celebrate Yule!

So for me, I just feel left out.

All these people are coming together to celebrate something that I don’t even believe in. Although it is nice to see how all of my family members are doing, even if I’d rather not see some of them.

I eat as quick as I can, and then I try to leave as soon as they let me. I’m not staying in that awkward situation for long.

Sometimes I’m even afraid to just eat with them in general. One time when I was little, I put one too many pancakes in my plate. I ate everything else but this one pancake. I was so full that I regretted it. I needed to sit down somewhere where it was lest stuffy and rest so that everything that I had doesn’t come right back up.

But then, my great grandma over here, she came over and told me that I couldn’t get up from the table until I finish that pancake. And I was in that state of fullness where I can’t even look at food, so she was really a pain for me. I think it was in that moment that I truly did not like her at all.

Another one of my family members dismissed me from the table and later on the drive home told me that she only said that because she has a fixed mindset, and that’s just what she had been taught growing up; to eat everything on your plate no matter what.

So I was thinking, if she’s that strict about something as simple as finishing a meal, how bad is she when it comes to religion? Is she Catholic? Who knows!

I don’t think that I’ll be telling my not-so-close family about my Paganism any time soon. I just get a feeling that not everybody is going to be okay with it. I’m just going to continue Christmas traditions as they are, and leave them as they be.

All I can say is; if you think that your family is going to be supportive of you being Wicca or Pagan or anything else for that matter, go ahead and tell them.

If you’re leaning toward not-so-much, or you think that they’re not really going to be supportive, best thing to do is to just not mention it, or to wait until you’re fully moved out and are ready to come out to them about being whatever you are.

Sure, it’s scary, but in the end, I believe that you’ll find that it was worth it.

Blessed be, your pal
Duie