'Christmas Adverts' It is that time of year again. Sickly sweet, plastic consumer manipulation. Winter.

It is that time of year again. The sickly, manipulative adverts have begun. People are gearing themselves up to spend too much money on a bunch of made up, zombie nonsense. Eating, drinking and buying too much plastic tat that makes them feel like they are part of something. Walking mindlessly through the shopping and eating 'traditions' like something undead.

I am talking, of course, about 'Christmas' and 'New Year'. At the risk of being called 'a humbug' or a 'party-pooper,' it really is the worst time of year. The depths of a Northern Hemisphere winter spoilt by overly commercialised, overly religious festivals that nobody thinks about and that should have limited place in a modern society. Think about it. Creationism, prophecies, virgin births, angels, wise men, magical moving stars, stables, donkeys, trees, turkeys, crackers, reindeer, chimneys and gifts. Really? What a load of absolute hokum. Nothing more than a mixed up, patchwork quilt of Pagan,

Halloween. Shorter days. Longer nights. Darkness. Death. Autumn. #Halloween #Samhain. The Day of the Dead.

Monday (Moon Day) 31st October '2022'. Here we are again. Halloween.

Treats, costumes, lanterns, spiders, bats, blood, horror, death, ghosts. 

'Halloween' has its origins in the ancient, pagan, pre-Christian, Celtic festival known as Samhain ("sah-win"). The Feast of the Dead. A time when humans had much less knowledge of the world around them. Later, hijacked and assimilated by the religious ceremony of All Hallows Eve & All Saints Day. A day to celebrate the onset of Winter. Look it up. It is a celebration of the end of the harvest season, a recognition of the lengthening nights, worsening weather and the harsh winter season running up to the winter solstice ( Dec 21st aka Christmas. Here ). It represents the point in the calendar when livestock were moved to lower level farmland from the higher, summer feeding grounds and when animals were slaughtered for the winter larders.  In the northern hemisphere, the reduced daylight, winter temperatures and sparse food supply meant that our ancient, pagan ancestors felt the icy grip of winter tightening and closer to their (made up) spirit world, disease and death. The coming of the Light. Humans have always feared the things that they hadn't worked out.

Mon 10th October '2022' - Canadian 'Thanksgiving'. Thanks be to nature.

The second Monday of October (10th -2022) in Canada is Canadian Thanksgiving', their fixed celebration of seasons, harvest and plenty. Based on ancient, pagan, seasonal celebrations, now, high-jacked for religious / political gains, it wasn't always a fixed date.(1879). For millennia, early peoples would have been aware that the summer growing season was over and their journey in to winter was beginning and food stores would have to last

'Halloween'. The Day of the Dead. Shorter days. Longer nights. Darkness. Death. Autumn. #Halloween #Samhain

Sunday 31st October '2021'. Here we are again. Halloween. Treats, costumes, lanterns, spiders, bats, blood, horror, death, ghosts. 

'Halloween' has its origins in the ancient, pagan, pre-Christian, Celtic festival known as Samhain ("sah-win"). The Feast of the Dead. A time when humans had much less knowledge of the world around them. Later, hijacked and assimilated by the religious ceremony of All Hallows Eve & All Saints Day. A day to celebrate the onset of Winter. Look it up. It is a celebration of the end of the harvest season, a recognition of the lengthening nights, worsening weather and the harsh winter season running up to the winter solstice ( Dec 21st aka Christmas. Here ). It represents the point in the calendar when livestock were moved to lower level farmland from the higher, summer feeding grounds and when animals were slaughtered for the winter larders.  In the northern hemisphere, the reduced daylight, winter temperatures and sparse food supply meant that our ancient, pagan ancestors felt the icy grip of winter tightening and closer to their (made up) spirit world, disease and death. The coming of the Light. Humans have always feared the things that they hadn't worked out.

Diwali - Just another celebration of the Human place in the Solar System. Light, Darkness, Seasons.

 Diwali. Another part of the global acknowledgment of our place in the solar system. You can tack on any religious nonsense you want to the event but it is essentially a seasonal shift marker. The fictional battle between 'good' and 'evil'. The victory of light over darkness. A new moon after the autumn equinox. The darkest night. Fire, lights, gifts, good wishes, celebrations of life and yearning for springtime and harvest. Our Northern Hemishere ancestors would have been acutely aware of exactly what advancing darkness and longer nights meant to their everyday lives and their geographical position. Preparing for longer, colder nights and celebrating with festivals such as Bonfire Night, Halloween, American 'Thanksgiving' festive lights and Samhain, all of which are connected to the seasonal changes, harvest and winter

'Halloween'. The Day of the Dead. Shorter days. Longer nights. Darkness. Death. Autumn. #Halloween #Samhain

Saturday 31st October '2020'. Here we are again. Halloween. Treats, costumes, lanterns, spiders, bats, blood, horror, death, ghosts. AND this year, for the first time since '1974', there will be a FULL MOON - the 2nd full moon in the calendar month - known as a BLUE MOON. 

Halloween has its origins in the ancient, pagan, pre-Christian, Celtic festival known as Samhain ("sah-win"). The Feast of the Dead. A time when humans had much less knowledge of the world around them. Later, hijacked and assimilated by the religious ceremony of All Hallows Eve & All Saints Day. A day to celebrate the onset of Winter. Look it up. It is a celebration of the end of the harvest season, a recognition of the lengthening nights, worsening weather and the harsh winter season running up to the winter solstice ( Dec 21st aka Christmas. Here ). It represents the point in the calendar when livestock were moved to lower level farmland from the higher, summer feeding grounds and when animals were slaughtered for the winter larders.  In the northern hemisphere, the reduced daylight, winter temperatures and sparse food supply meant that our ancient, pagan ancestors felt the icy grip of winter tightening and closer to their (made up) spirit world, disease and death. The coming of the Light. Humans have always feared the things that they hadn't worked out.

22nd September 2020. Autumn Equinox. The solar reality. #AutumnEquinox Heading into Winter.

1430hrs (UK) on Tuesday 22nd September is the Autumn Equinox for those of us in the Northern hemisphere. When length of light hours & dark hours draw towards #Equilux. The sun appears to pass the equator on it's journey in to the southern hemisphere at it's height. It means shorter hours of daylight as we head towards the winter solstice in December. For the next few weeks of the solar year, we will lose appx 4mins of daylight per day (in UK). Our ancestors would have been acutely aware of exactly what this event meant to their everyday lives. Prepare for longer, colder nights and look out for human celebrations such as Diwali, Halloween, American 'Thanksgiving' and Samhain, all of which are connected to the seasonal changes, harvest and winter moons.

It is that time of year again. The sickly, plastic consumer adverts have begun. Winter

It is that time of year again. The sickly, manipulative adverts have begun. People are gearing themselves up to spend too much money on a bunch of made up, zombie nonsense. Eating, drinking and buying too much plastic tat that makes them feel like they are part of something. Walking mindlessly through the shopping and eating 'traditions' like something undead.

I am talking, of course, about 'Christmas' and 'New Year'. At the risk of being called 'a humbug' or a 'party-pooper,' it really is the worst time of year. The depths of a Northern Hemisphere winter spoilt by overly commercialised, overly religious festivals that nobody thinks about and that should have limited place in a modern society. Think about it. Creationism, prophecies, virgin births, angels, wise men, magical moving stars, stables, donkeys, trees, turkeys, crackers, reindeer, chimneys and gifts. Really? What a load of absolute hokum. Nothing more than a mixed up, patchwork quilt of Pagan,

Remember, 5th November. Burning Popes, Light & Autumn Equinox. Whizz. OOOOOooo Ahhhhh

Bonfire Night. Burning Popes, religions, cats and traditions.

Another crazed, religiously inspired, leftover celebration. Guy Fawkes was a Catholic man who wanted to over-throw a King. The King was a Protestant who knew the importance of instilling religious fear in his servants . As the King survived an attempt on his life in the 1605 plot, it was thought that the Protestant version of 'god' was good and puritanical ministers in government effectively made it a day of compulsory worship. There is even the possibility that the whole 'plot' was an exercise in spin, designed to inflame anti-Catholic feelings. ( here ) In 1606, to avoid being hung, drawn and publicly disemboweled for his 'crime', Guy Fawkes jumped from

'Halloween'. Shorter days. Longer nights. Darkness. Death. Autumn. #Halloween #Samhain #Human #Nature

So here we are again. Halloween. Treats, costumes, lanterns, spiders, bats, blood, horror, death, ghosts.

It has its origins in the ancient, pagan, pre-Christian, Celtic festival known as Samhain ("sah-win"). The Feast of the Dead. A time when humans had much less knowledge of the world around them. Later, hijacked and assimilated by the religious ceremony of All Hallows Eve & All Saints Day. A day to celebrate the onset of Winter. Look it up. It is a celebration of the end of the harvest season, a recognition of the lengthening nights, worsening weather and the harsh winter season running up to the winter solstice ( Dec 21st aka Christmas. Here ). It represents the point in the calendar when livestock were moved to lower level farmland from the higher, summer feeding grounds and when animals were slaughtered for the winter larders.  In the northern hemisphere, the reduced daylight, winter temperatures and sparse food supply meant that our ancient, pagan ancestors felt the icy grip of winter tightening and closer to their (made up) spirit world, disease and death. The coming of the Light. Humans have always feared the things that they hadn't worked out.

Autumn Equinox. A solar reality. No need for religious BS. #AutumnEquinox Heading into Winter.

0850hrs September 23rd 2019 is the Autumn Equinox for those of us in the Northern hemisphere. When length of light hours & dark hours draw towards #Equilux. The sun appears to pass the equator on it's journey in to the southern hemisphere at it's height. It means shorter hours of daylight as we head towards the winter solstice in December. For the next few weeks of the solar year, we will lose appx 4mins of daylight per day (in UK). Our ancestors would have been acutely aware of exactly what this event meant to their everyday lives. Prepare for longer, colder nights and look out for human celebrations such as Diwali, Halloween, American 'Thanksgiving' and Samhain, all of which are connected to the seasonal changes, harvest and winter moons.

Diwali - Just another celebration of the Human place in the Solar System. Light, Darkness, Seasons.

Diwali. Another part of the global acknowledgment of our place in the solar system. You can tack on any religious nonsense you want to the event but it is essentially a seasonal shift marker. The fictional battle between 'good' and 'evil'. The victory of light over darkness. A new moon after the autumn equinox. The darkest night. Fire, lights, gifts, good wishes, celebrations of life and yearning for springtime and harvest. Our Northern Hemishere ancestors would have been acutely aware of exactly what advancing darkness and longer nights meant to their everyday lives and their geographical position. Preparing for longer, colder nights and celebrating with festivals such as Bonfire Night, Halloween, American 'Thanksgiving' festive lights and Samhain, all of which are connected to the seasonal changes, harvest and winter

'Halloween'. Shorter days. Longer nights. Darkness. Death. Autumn. #Halloween #Samhain #Human #Nature

So here we are again. Halloween. Treats, costumes, lanterns, spiders, bats, blood, horror, death, ghosts.

It has its origins in the ancient, pagan, pre-Christian, Celtic festival known as Samhain ("sah-win"). The Feast of the Dead. A time when humans had much less knowledge of the world around them. Later, hijacked and assimilated by the religious ceremony of All Hallows Eve & All Saints Day. A day to celebrate the onset of Winter. Look it up. It is a celebration of the end of the harvest season, a recognition of the lengthening nights, worsening weather and the harsh winter season running up to the winter solstice ( Dec 21st aka Christmas. Here ). It represents the point in the calendar when livestock were moved to lower level farmland from the higher, summer feeding grounds and when animals were slaughtered for the winter larders.  In the northern hemisphere, the reduced daylight, winter temperatures and sparse food supply meant that our ancient, pagan ancestors felt the icy grip of winter tightening and closer to their (made up) spirit world, disease and death. The coming of the Light. Humans have always feared the things that they hadn't worked out.

Mon 8th October 2018 - Canadian 'thanksgiving'

The second Monday of October (8th 2018) in Canada is Canadian Thanksgiving', their fixed celebration of seasons, harvest and plenty. Based on ancient, pagan, seasonal celebrations, now, high-jacked for religious / political gains, it wasn't always a fixed date.(1879). For millennia, early peoples would have been aware that the summer growing season was over and their journey in to winter was beginning and food stores would have to last

#AutumnEquinox .Nature and our place in it, celebrated. #Autumn #Equilux #Equinox #NorthernHemisphere

0254hrs September 23rd 2018 is the Autumn Equinox for those of us in the Northern hemisphere. When length of light hours & dark hours draw towards #Equilux. The sun appears to pass the equator on it's journey in to the southern hemisphere at it's height. It means shorter hours of daylight as we head towards the winter solstice in December. For the next few weeks of the solar year, we will lose appx 4mins of daylight per day (in UK). Our ancestors would have been acutely aware of exactly what this event meant to their everyday lives. Prepare for longer, colder nights and look out for human celebrations such as Diwali, Halloween, American 'Thanksgiving' and Samhain, all of which are connected to the seasonal changes, harvest and winter moons.

Remember, 5th November. Burning Popes, Light & Autumn Equinox. Whizz. Boom.

Bonfire Night. Burning Popes, religions, cats and traditions.

Another crazed, religiously inspired, leftover celebration. Guy Fawkes was a Catholic man who wanted to over-throw a King. The King was a Protestant who knew the importance of instilling religious fear in his servants . As the King survived an attempt on his life in the 1605 plot, it was thought that the Protestant version of 'god' was good and puritanical ministers in government effectively made it a day of compulsory worship. There is even the possibility that the whole 'plot' was an exercise in spin, designed to inflame anti-Catholic feelings. ( here ) In 1606, to avoid being hung, drawn and publicly disemboweled for his 'crime', Guy Fawkes jumped from

Seasonal Change #Halloween #Samhain #DayOfTheDead #NewMoon #DarkNights

So here we are again. Halloween. Treats, costumes, lanterns, spiders, bats, blood, horror, death, ghosts.

It has its origins in the ancient, pagan, pre-Christian, Celtic festival known as Samhain ("sah-win"). The Feast of the Dead. A time when humans had much less knowledge of the world around them. Later, hijacked and assimilated by the religious ceremony of All Hallows Eve & All Saints Day. A day for the dead. Look it up. It is a celebration of the end of the harvest season, a recognition of the lengthening nights, worsening weather and the harsh winter season running up to the winter solstice ( Dec 21st aka Christmas. Here ). It represents the point in the calendar when livestock were moved to lower level farmland from the higher, summer feeding grounds and when animals were slaughtered for the winter larders.  In the northern hemisphere, the reduced daylight, winter temperatures and sparse food supply meant that our ancient, pagan ancestors felt the icy grip of winter tightening and closer to their (made up) spirit world, disease and death. The coming of the Light. Humans have always feared the things that they hadn't worked out.

Diwali - another celebration of place in the solar system.

Diwali. Another part of the global acknowledgment of our place in the solar system. You can tack on any religious nonsense you want to the event but it is essentially a seasonal shift marker. The fictional battle between 'good' and 'evil'. The victory of light over darkness. A new moon after the autumn equinox. The darkest night. Fire, lights, gifts, good wishes, celebrations of life and yearning for springtime and harvest. Our Northern Hemishere ancestors would have been acutely aware of exactly what advancing darkness and longer nights meant to their everyday lives and their geographical position. Preparing for longer, colder nights and celebrating with festivals such as Bonfire Night, Halloween, American 'Thanksgiving' festive lights and Samhain, all of which are connected to the seasonal changes, harvest and winter

Equinox - The Solar reality of seasons. Bring on the plastic festivals.

September 22nd 2017 is the Autumn Equinox for those of us in the Northern hemisphere. When length of light hours & dark hours draw towards #Equilux. The sun appears to pass the equator on it's journey in to the southern hemisphere at it's height. It means shorter hours of daylight as we head towards the winter solstice in December. For the next few weeks of the solar year, we will lose appx 4mins of daylight per day (in UK). Our ancestors would have been acutely aware of exactly what this event meant to their everyday lives. Prepare for longer, colder nights and look out for human celebrations such as Diwali, Halloween, American 'Thanksgiving' and Samhain, all of which are connected to the seasonal changes, harvest and winter moons.

Thanksgiving - praise be to nature. That is all.

The fourth Thursday of November in the USA is 'Thanksgiving', their fixed celebration of seasons, harvest and plenty. Based on ancient, pagan, seasonal celebrations, now, high-jacked for religious / political gains, it wasn't always a fixed date. For millennia, early peoples would have been aware that the summer growing season was over and their journey in to winter was beginning and food stores would have to last