Merry or Happy?

Every year at this time the news and social media get flooded with the "Happy Holidays" vs "Merry Christmas" debate. The solution is simple - we just need to remember that Christmas IS a holiday and wishing everyone a happy one is not inconsistent with the spirit of the thing. Human have an intrinsic need to create myths, rites and rituals that not only define us but sustain us in an harsh and uncertain world. The holiday season is an amalgam of many myths, rites and rituals that have various historic relevance but that nonetheless depend on our connection to nature and each other. Back to the "Happy Holidays" vs "Merry Christmas" debate. Let's remember that December 25th is not the actual birth date of Christ - this date was selected by early Christian church leaders because it coincided with the Roman pagan festival Saturnalia as an incentive for the Romans to convert to Christianity. Not coincidentally its also the time of the winter solstice that spawned Saturnalia. The shortest day of the year is celebrated because it signals the beginning of the end of winter as well as the march towards an awaking earth ripe for planting. Many Christmas customs evolved from this pagan celebration as well as from countless other traditions worldwide and what we have today is what has been passed down and morphed over centuries of use. These celebrations get us through the winter, get us in touch with each other, and yes, make us merry and happy. So say and do whatever reflects your spirits and be gracious enough to let others do the same.

You're not throwing out that pumpkin, are you?

This photo is just one of many I could have taken on any given block of any given street here in the Northeast.

If they weren't brutally cut up into strange or happy faces for Halloween, they have sat forlornly on porches everywhere eversince waiting for final disposal. Instead I want to remind readers that pumpkins are FOOD. They are highly nutritious and delicious when stewed, baked or turned into soup, pie or bread. Or they can be frozen, then prepared for consumption during the dismal days of winter. This blog will not necessarily include recipes as those are utiquitous in the blogosophere but I pass along this food for thought: paint the pumpkins if you must but bring them in after the holiday, and cook them as the food that they are. If they are forgotten, frozen, or start to rot, they can go into the compost joining in the ultimate circle of life. I simply ask: when else do we spend $5 or $10 or $20 on something that we can eat, then simply throw it away with no concerns for the expense or waste? If you're not going to eat it or compost it then spend your money on plastic pumpkins that you can reuse every year. Farmers will then be able to focus on growing the food we actually eat.