[positive adjective] [seasonal event]!

[doc_strange]

A number of co-workers and clients have been struggling this year to come up with a way to wish people "Season's Greetings" or the like, and also to celebrate with appropriate symbols to everyone. I'm more of a "give everyone the ability and space to make their own proper statements" type, myself. However, in light of this apparent need for a truly multicultural celebratory event, I've come up with:



Multicultural December Solstice-ish seasonal event celebration instructions.
1) Take 44 small evergreen trees or bushes. Water them only at night for one month.
2) Obtain 9 grass mats.
3) On the last evening of the 30 days, decorate the 44 evergreens with a multitude of tiny oil lamps while contemplating the blessing of having trees.
4) On the next evening, place one evergreen on a grass mat.
5) Set one of the other evergreens on fire; use it to ignite the first, then place it on another grass mat.
6) Repeat for seven more evenings, adding an extra evergreen each night. [Grass mats and oil lamps may need to be replaced, depending on quality, materials, and treatment.]
7) Plant 45 evergreens at the end of the festival.

Warning: not recommended for indoor celebration.


It's sure to please or offend all in equal portions.
[edited 13:18]

Comments

[cheesetruck.livejournal.com]

See here's my take on it.

I celebrate Christmas, and I wish people as happy a time as I hope to have.

And people who say rudely "I don't celebrate Christmas asshole!" get a "Well, I do, and I hope you have a good one."

And if they rage on about things after that I ignore them.

I do NOT remember reading where you have to celebrate a particular event to be wished well.

Course I could also do this one:

"Happy New Year!"
'I don't believe in TIME, asshole'

[docstrange.livejournal.com]

"Happy New Year!"
'I don't believe in TIME, asshole'

8-) I really like that. That said, I'm less concerned about wishing someone generic positive time of year (or, in one extreme possibility, telling them happy holiday-that-the-people-what-killed-grandma-celebrate) than about the misguided effort to create generic observances acceptable to all. I'd rather see shared space created for celebratory display by each. Yes, including "fringe" religions.

[cruiser.livejournal.com]

I continue to find amusing my buddy Nathan's "Happy non-denominational day off from work" which I've modified to "happy non-denominational day off from work or justification for fat overtime if you've got a good contract."

random question

[anthrogeek.livejournal.com]

are you an anthropologist? i noticed you have legal anthropology as an interest.

Re: random question

[docstrange.livejournal.com]

Yes, JD/MA quite a while ago. In writeup on PhD now (and for a bit). Cultural anthropology; contemporary US.

Re: random question

[anthrogeek.livejournal.com]

wow! i'll graduate this year with my BA in cultural anthropology. i want to pursue political/legal anthropology to prepare me for my interest in civil and human right. do you mind if i add you to my friends list? thanks.

Re: random question

[docstrange.livejournal.com]

Certainly, add away! Legal anthro is a terrific way to approach human rights policy issues with a broad understanding of all the ways we resolve conflict, establish institutions, make ritual, and create healthy social change. I often think all anthropology should be at least a bit political anthropology (in the way it should be a bit historical anthropology, and a bit the anthropology of power, etc.).