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llamadolly

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Posts posted by llamadolly

  1. Posted

    On 11/19/2023 at 7:38 PM, goddessrobyn said:

    Just a note...

    I DO plan to host the gnome swap again this year but am not sure how house shopping is going to effect the timing.... might be a little more Spring-y and a little less January LOL

     

    I loved the gnome swap and it could be very fun to have it rotate around the year seasonally

  2. Posted · Report reply

    This was one of my very first introductions to BPAL, and years later remains an absolute favorite. I grew up in an area that grows a lot of cranberries, and am obsessed with cranberry wine. That's what this reminds me of: rich, tart, sweet without being syrupy. Wet it smells juicy, and as it dries it becomes more wine-like. I wear it all the time in the winter and wore it to Sleep No More in NYC pre-pandemic - one of the actors told me I smelled good. 🙂

  5. Posted

    12 minutes ago, Greenwoodtree said:

    I wrote up the winter crone swap but now I think I should wait until later this month to start it. I was thinking of a send date mid to late January. Thoughts, anyone?


    Here in MD the coldest/worst parts of winter are in January and February!

  7. Posted

    4 hours ago, Lucchesa said:

    Boo, I was out of town and missed the signups for all the end of year swaps.  @Greenwoodtree, is anti-Christmas still in the offing?  I would totally be up for it.  Or some kind of "have something to look forward to in the new year" swap.  If not, I'll think about a dead of winter art swap.  Thanks!

     

    Lucchesa, I was about to do matches for the NYE swap but if you can get it to me by tomorrow at noonish I'll get you in!

  8. Posted

    14 minutes ago, spookygrrrly said:

     

    Oh yay! I hope it gets approved too. I really like doing the 12 days of Christmas but we're a little tight financially going into the holidays this year and I'm trying to keep it really low key. I do love the Solstice swap. That is much more manageable for me. 

     

    It's up! 

  9. Posted

    I've seen some requests for the Solstice Swap - it's a touch late to bring it back for solstice this year BUT I've re-imagined it as a New Year's Swap instead - same theme, same categories (with one small alternative). I just posted it so hopefully it'll be approved soon! 

  15. Posted

    I took forever to get back to this. I'm sorry! So, here are what would probably be the guiding principles for each swap (to me! and I'm happy to take suggestions!):

     

    Yule (~December 20) -

    storytelling,

    light,

    healing,

    nourishment,

    sound

    Imbolc (~February 1) -

    fire,

    water,

    creativity/inspiration,

    metal,

    healing

    Ostara (~March 20) - again, this one is not in my normal calendar, but would probably be something like:

    something to represent the sun

    planting/life (seeds, a plant, a representation of a plant)

    Beltane (~May 1)

    flame

    protection (I'm thinking of adding a crafty element to this part)

    fertility (not necessarily for the body, lol - something to inspire creative fertility, or related to planting/growing)

    Litha (~June 21)

    - flowers or some other greenery decoration for your home

    - water

    - medicinal plants/teas/something

    - flame

    Lughnasadh/Lammas (~August 1)

    this will be tough but I'd like to be local focused

    - local skin care product

    - local food

    - a game or fun activity

    Mabon (~September 23)

    since this is also harvest related I feel like a focus on food/nourishment/local products would be meaningful

    Samhain (~October 31)

    I think we usually have a glut of Halloween time swaps but in the pagan calendar Samhain is the New Year festival

  16. Posted

    For me, Beltane and Mabon have always been important. The only thing is, I dont feel comfortable with all the swaps having the sacrifice aspect. I see that being part of Autumn and Winter celebrations. But not Imbolc to Litha

     

    That's a good point and one I was thinking about adjusting for upcoming swaps, at least with changing the wording to address that different traditions approach that idea in different ways. I'm thinking "offering" might have been a better word to describe it for Imbolc (and maybe including that as an alternative for all of them), plus questions about whether or not sacrifice or offerings are a part of the person's tradition.

  17. Posted

    The Imbolc swap is drawing to a close and I am trying to plan ahead for future, similarly themed swaps as there has been some interest. Currently we have swaps for Yule and Imbolc.

     

    I think it would be overwhelming to do one for every part of the Wheel of the Year, but would consider if there was enough interest (except maybe Samhain, which has a lot of swaps already, and Ostara/the spring equinox, which doesn't have much historical reference in European traditions besides Easter and I don't know if I feel comfortable adapting other traditions - but someone else certainly is welcome if they've got connections to the day!). There are eight days, so they are roughly six weeks apart from each other:

     

    Yule (~December 20)

    Imbolc (~February 1)

    Ostara (~March 20)

    Beltane (~May 1)

    Litha (~June 21)

    Lughnasadh/Lammas (~August 1)

    Mabon (~September 23)

    Samhain (~October 31)

     

    I'm thinking Beltane and Lughnasadh, admittedly because I am partial to the Celtic holidays, but mostly because of their timing (less happening around them - Samhain/Halloween has so many swaps already, for example!) and their themes:

    Beltane - protection or fertility, depending on your tradition (also coincides with Walpurgisnacht!)

    Lughnasadh - the first harvest festival of the year

     

    I'm also interested in Litha, because there are a lot of really fun and interesting traditions around midsummer.

     

    Does anyone have any strong thoughts, feelings, or opinions?

  19. Posted

    I'd love something like that! I too am an atheist who is still drawn to pagan holidays.

    I'm glad I'm not the only one! I think it's the history and tradition, plus the close ties to folklore, that draw me to paganism. I discovered the concept of "humanis pagan" a couple years ago and think that describes me pretty well.

  20. Posted

    Due to the seeming success of the Solstice swap I'm thinking about running it again for my other favorite pagan holidays (I'm an atheist but I think we need more holidays all the time!). Next up is Imbolc, on the night of January 31 through the day of February 1. Imbolc is traditionally the festival of the goddess/saint Brighid, and potentially themed gifts would include: fire/flame, something to "spark" creativity, something related to divination or wishing, a water-related offering, something silver, and something healing. Would there be any interest in that?

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