Seasons Greetings - and 'The Feast of Dolls".

Dear Readers,

Greetings of the Season to you all. May you enjoy peace & merriment. We wish you well for the year ahead.

As you see we are ready for "The Feast of Dolls".

What ? you have not heard of the feast of dolls or Sigillaria (little figures) to give it it's proper name.

Well ....... you know that modern Christmas is really just a composite of several year end ancient rituals, feasts & festivals from various & numerous cultures - about the time of the Winter Solstice - to celebrate the return of the Sun, or to them, the Sun God.

All were eventually subsumed and incorporated by the Emperors and Christian Church into the story and festival we all know today as Christmas.

Yep, from Christmas trees, decorations, giving of gifts, Yuletide logs, feasts and nearly all the other trappings - even Santa Claus (Saint Nicolas, a benevolent well wisher and gift giver) - to the sex, orgies and debauchery were all done hundreds, if not thousands, of years BC.

Oops, no that last group they decided not to include (the wowsers) much after the third century - although some popes around the early Renaissance period , particularly Pope Alexander VI did try to revive that aspect & enjoyed an orgy or two.

Anyway, we digress. Getting back to Sigillaria "The Feast of Dolls". The Roman festival of Saturnalia (which itself a composite of earlier traditions from Mesopotamian, Egyptian & Greek cultures among others around the Winter Solstice) lasts several days. A time of revelry, merriment, drinking, feasting, extravagant decadence & sex (poor muz, can he take it?). Slaves and Masters traded places and a sort of lawless, anarchistic peace was to prevail. Part of all this (22nd Dec) was Sigillaria, the giving of gifts, generally little figures or dolls made of dough or clay, to children, hence "The Feast of Dolls". Not quite sure what they did with them but possibly the dough ones were eaten like our 'gingerbread men'.

Saturnalia concluded, with everyone feasted and debauched out, with Brumalia, (literally shortest day) on the 25th to celebrate the rebirth of the unconquered Sun as it returns to bring warmth & Growth.

Io Saturnalia (pronounced Yo Saturnalia - the beginings of Ho, Ho, Ho perhaps ).

hugs & kisses

Dolltime

PS: We have very heavily summarised references & texts, much to lengthy, numerous & complex to mention or list, as we try to keep our blog short and sweet. After all, the blog is just an adjunct to the photos we post. Minor variations regarding certain aspects exist in the references but the general thrust and outline is common to all. Rejoicing and merriment in the hope of a happy, prosperous and fruitful year to come. The message of peace and goodwill to all men (and women and dolls), however you wish to celebrate this time of year.

We circle round this sacred space invoking from the heavens the holy grace.

We call the gods to our solemn rite and ward this hallowed ground with walls of light.

Let sky above and earth below unite, a bond established by Olympic might.

Let fear and discord leave without trace and peace prevail within this holy place.

Sit verbum factum hoc decreto. Ut dictum est, sic statim fiat!

(Let word be deed by this decree. As it is said, so must it be!)