Thursday 5 January 2012

I like January

I like January. I look forward to January, it's one of my favourite months in the year. Actually, the season between Yule and Ostara is my favourite, with Imbolc the high-point. After that the year tends to go downhill a bit (though it does pick up a bit come autumn).

Yule brings the return of the Sun, and although it's not exactly noticeable at the time, the days start to lengthen, and the life energy of the world begins to reinvigorate the northern hemisphere. The year is just so brand, spanking, shiny and new! The possibilities are endless and just so positive.

I like the rest of the winter months, my birthday falls amongst them. But so do the preparations for Christmas, whilst not necessarily stressful, they take a lot of planning. Which is probably one of the original meanings for Yule itself - to take the mind off the long, hard, cold winter stretching ahead. In my book, the original meaning of Christmas is a great big party, something to occupy us for weeks on end in preparations, something in the bleak midwinter to look forward to with anticipation. Something to bring the community and families together.

And once it's past, we find that the wheel has turned and spring is on it's way. We are no longer looking at long, grey, dismal months of winter, but now we have something new to plan for, new preparations to be made. We have a whole year ahead of us, the spring, the summer, the light and the warmth. What a Christmas gift is that!

Now the decorations come down, and we all sigh with relief, our rooms look so much bigger, so much more spacious. We can stand tall, we can breath and stretch out, we are so much lighter. That's why we have spring cleaning... because once we've decluttered the decorations, once we've felt that lift, we want more of it, and so we tackle those dreaded corners of the house where the dust is piled thick.

Of course, it's still far too cold, wet and windy to spend a great deal of time outdoors. Perfect weather for sitting around the fireplace with book or crafts in hand. We can start planning projects for the year ahead, maybe around the home, maybe in the garden, maybe for the summer holidays. Checking tools and equipment, restocking necessary supplies.

I like January for the brand new year that it brings, for the return of the Sun, hope and revitalised energy. I like January for big, wooly jumpers. I like January as I have a whole year in which to prepare gifts for the next Christmas, though perhaps this year I will spend less time on the planning, and more on the crafting...

Blessed be

Blaidd

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