Happy December

December is my favorite month. The smell of cold air, the heavy clouds that settle into the city, hot soups and baked goods – winter is my favorite season, and December has always been my favorite month of all.

This December will be especially busy. Job hunting will crowd my schedule, along with interviews, and volunteering is coming onto my plate in a big way again. I have tons of essays to write concerning the Otherfaith, mostly in preparation for the increase in outreach that I’m beginning in 2014. There are pieces I want to submit to Cross Quarterly, as well as another piece to send to God’s Mouth 2.0.

And then there’s Reunion – one of the (if not the) most important holy days in the Otherfaith. Reunion begins on December 25^th and runs through the New Year. A celebration that long takes some preparation and work, so pretty much every day of this month will be dedicated in part to making sure Reunion goes smoothly. And, of course, I’ll be posting about what the holy days mean and why we celebrate them, as well as why we start out celebration on Christmas.

There will be offerings to prepare. There are ‘human’ concerns* to take care of – ensuring I am in good spirits, as fighting is forbidden during this week (and that includes online spats), scheduling parties appropriately so they don’t conflict with rituals, preparing the Other People for the holiday, etc. There is lots of cleaning and cleansing to do. Honestly, I’m looking forward to it with a great deal of enthusiasm.

Spiritually, Reunion is the week when the gods reside closest to us. For that week, their presence in our lives is heightened. It’s also the week when our lover gods get together again without tiffs and spats. Hospitality is a big focus during this time, even more so than usual.

Happy December.

*I use quotes because human concerns are religious concerns, as well as concerns of the gods. Having a party or family celebration planned right when I’m supposed to be holding ritual is definitely a problem for the spirits I serve, as well as myself.