Best Yule and Christmas Ever

One of the problems with the holidays is that the actual events rarely live up to the anticipation. This year was totally an exception to the rule.

Blue Moon Circle, our families, and friends (included my visiting step-daughter Jennifer, who was a BMC member before she moved to CA years ago) had a glorious Yule dinner party last Saturday night. The house was filled with light, joy, and laughter as we came together to feast and play our traditional silly gift exchange game.

Sophie and Nate dressed up

Sophie, Nate, their mom Robin, Jenn, and her mom Jo

The kids and I with our usual dignified pose

You got to open a gift, but not necessarily keep it

Me, Chris, and Bobbie--friends are the best gift of all

We always manage to cram everyone around the table, even if we are practically in each others laps

If that wasn't enough, Jennifer, her mom Jo, and our mutual best pal Ellen came to my house for Christmas Day. I made (on Jenn's request) Eggs Benedict with crab cakes and homemade hollandaise, with hot chocolate or mocha.

Ellen, Jo, and Jenn

Then we opened presents and delved into stockings (my first!) and generally had a fabulous time together. That alone was a gift without measure.

Jenn is an artist--she gave me a painting inspired by my book!

Her mom was thrilled to get a caricature of Jenn--it looks just like her!

Ellen gave us all headlights...just in case.

My booty and my new stocking that Jenn made and decorated with the name she used to call me as a kid: Mommy Debbie. Cat treats, author goodies, and rainbow duct tape!

I'm pretty tired--it has been a long, exhausting, rewarding month at The Artisans' Guild, and I worked Christmas Eve until after 4. I'll be back to work tomorrow (Friday), but I'll have an awful lot of great memories to carry through into the new year.

The Holiday Secret Even My Best Friends Don't Know

I admit it--Christmas has never been my holiday.

Not that I have anything against it, it just was never a big part of my life. I grew up Jewish and celebrated Chanukah. Then as an adult, I became a Pagan and now I celebrate Yule (the Winter Solstice). There were a couple of years in there when I was married, and put up a tree with my then-husband for my step-daughter, but otherwise, Christmas was pretty much something my friends celebrated that  didn't have much to do with me.

This is sometimes a good thing, especially since I have to work Christmas Eve every year until The Artisans' Guild closes at 4PM (we have a running joke about it at the shop, since the glass blower who usually works with me is a Buddhist...but that way everyone else gets to be with their families). And I never have to worry about masses of decorations and such during what is my busy season. I still give my friends presents of course--for Christmas, or Chanukah, or Yule...

All of which makes my holiday secret even more ironic, and a little giggle-worthy. Even my friends don't know what I'm about to tell you. (I'm not ashamed or anything...it has just never come up. Really.)

I have two weaknesses at this time of year: Hallmark Christmas movies and romance novels about Christmas. I KNOW--I said it was ironic!

This year's reading, among others.

 I don't know exactly what it is that draws me to these admittedly sappy movies and books about a holiday I don't even observe. There is something warm and comforting about them, I suppose, that makes me happy during the harried madness of the season and the cold and dark of the winter nights.

So, now you know my secret. Shhhhh...don't tell anyone. But you can tell me--do YOU watch Hallmark Christmas movies or read holiday-themed books? (And if so, which are your favorites) It's okay if you do. Your secret is safe with me.

Yule Dinner Party and a Very Merry Christmas

I'm getting ready to head into the fray...working the last day of shopping before Christmas. The shop is always hopping, and I go in a little late and then stay until the doors are closed (at about 4:10, when the last bewildered man comes in, looks around, gets a mug, and wanders back out again, muttering about needing to start earlier next year). As with other years, our lovely glass blower Erik works this last shift with me. Since he's a Buddhist and I'm a Pagan, this allows all the Christmas celebrating artists to be home with their families.

Our Yule dinner party was a great success, with much merriment and fabulous food.

 The gang around the table--Blue Moon Circle, family, and friends.

 My favorite kids in the whole world, being adorable as always (Love the bow tie!)

 My other favorite "kids" (three of them, anyway), enjoying the homemade catnip toy one of the guests brought for them.

Last but not least, the also-adorable ornament my lovely agent Elaine sent me. You can't make it out in this picture, but the sign it is holding says: Eat. Sleep. Write another book. Deborah Blake. (Subtle, Elaine, subtle!)

I wish all of you who celebrate a very merry Christmas, and I hope that Santa (or someone equally jolly) brings you your heart's desire.

Make the Yuletide Merry

I'm still spending most of my time and energy running The Artisans' Guild during the busy (and this year, snowy) holiday season, but this Saturday I will take a short break to celebrate the Winter Solstice, otherwise known as Yule. Even if you're not a Pagan, you've probably heard of Yule, even if you don't realize it. Just listen to a bunch of Christmas carols, and you'll hear the word Yule, or Yuletide, quite often. That's because  many of the aspects of modern-day Christmas were actually adopted or adapted from the existing holiday of Yule.

Even caroling itself comes from the tradition of "wassailing" (remember the song, "We will go a'wassailing"?). Mind you, wassailing was a bit rowdier--people would go from house to house singing, and being given a neighborly drink of wassail (which means "to your health"), which was usually heavy on the alcohol. In fact, the holiday was so raucous, the Puritans banned it. Party poopers.

For me, one of the great things about Yule is that because so many of the traditions are mirrored by Christmas, even non-Pagans usually feel comfortable celebrating the Winter Solstice. Blue Moon Circle uses this as an excuse to have a party--our annual Yule dinner party, to be exact. This will be our 9th year, I think! Blue Mooners bring family, and we invite some friends along as well. I think this year there will be (gulp) 15 of us around my not-that-big dining room table. Thankfully, everyone brings part of the feast, which makes life easier. We dress up, actually eat around a table together and eat off handmade pottery instead of sitting around the living room with paper plates on our laps, and play a gift-swapping game.

I literally look forward to this one night all year; it truly makes my Yuletide merry!

What are your plans for the holiday? Do you celebrate Christmas, or Yule, or something else? And if you could have Santa or the Holly King bring you ANYTHING, what would it be? (Actual presents, not stuff like world peace, which presumably we'd all wish for.)

I'll try to post some pictures on Sunday or Monday. Now, off to work!

It's Not Too Late! (Gift giving)

I hope you're all having a pleasant (and not too stressful) holiday season. To be honest, I find this time of year a bit stressful myself, what with managing a cooperative shop with 50 artists [really--have you ever tried to make 50 artists all do what they're supposed to do, when they're supposed to do it? Ha! I love them all, but it is like trying to herd cats], making jewelry, working on a secret contract with Llewellyn [what? I haven't mentioned that before? you're sure? okay--tune in tomorrow...or maybe later today, depending on how frazzled the 50 artists make me], putting out the ebook of my first paranormal romance, prepping for Blue Moon Circle's big yearly Yule Dinner party [10 adults, 5 kids, lots of fun--that's this Saturday night...help!], and, of course, putting up the new Etsy shop with my jewelry.

Whew. I'm tired just thinking about it all. And I have to leave for the day job in a few minutes. Oh, and did I mention I'm fighting a cold? At least it's not snowing...

But that's not why I came here today. I wanted to remind you all that it's not too late to get someone you love (or simply like a lot) a gift from yours truly. [And my gift to you--this is the last time I mention any of this stuff! All this promo is necessary, but I start to feel like a 2 dollah ho, standing on the street corner, saying, "Please buy my stuff. Ho, ho, ho!"]

I'll be adding a few pieces of jewelry to my Etsy store over the next couple of days. Come take a look, and spread the word, pretty please. http://www.etsy.com/shop/deborahblake And just for those who read my blog (shhhhh, don't tell everyone else), a special giveaway: if you order a necklace from the etsy store before Monday (the last day I can guarantee it will get there before Christmas), I will throw in a signed book (any of my Llewellyn books, your choice) for FREE. You decide if the book is for you or a gift (tee hee). I won't tell if you decide to keep it. Just leave me a note on the etsy site when you purchase the jewelry, telling me that you saw this message here, and which book you want. If you want it personalized, tell me that, too!

Speaking of books, if you want a signed book for a friend for the holidays, I still haven't figured out how to add that to my website, but you can email me at magicmysticminerva at yahoo to tell me which one you want, whether you want it sent to you or to a friend, and how you want it dedicated. We can use the same email address to do a payment through Paypal. But do it by Monday, please, so I can get it in the mail right away.

And don't forget that the ebook (http://www.amazon.com/Witch-Ever-Way-You-ebook/dp/B006HWZPGO/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1323954473&sr=1-1 ) can be given as a gift, too. There's a handy button right on the page to use just for that. (No worries about losing it in the mail, either!)

Okay--I'm done. I appreciate your patience. You may now return to your regularly scheduled program. Thank you all for all your support! It means a lot.

Holiday wishes,

Deborah