"Those who want to come may come, those who want to leave may leave, without harm to myself and my people."
I always end up reading about other cultures' traditions and folklore around this time of year; usually for the Northern Hemisphere, and usually because I think other countries handle Winter months better than Americans do. A lot of us, at least in my experience, seem to be offended, if not downright indignant over the days deigning to get dark earlier, and the weather turning cold, while folks in other places around the world just seem to roll with it, and dare I say, even enjoy it? So I was reading along, and found a passage where 19th century Author, Jón Árnason describes Icelandic women, whom after tidying their homes for the Christmas holiday and leaving food out for elves, or Huldufólk (Hidden People) who allegedly partake in raucous dark-season parties, would then make their homes immaculate for the incoming new year, and move about the space reciting the above quote whilst lighting candles for every corner of their homes so any entities besides the family who'd taken up residence in the home could find their way out.
I don't know about you, but I dig this idea. The alternative, of course, is to build a bonfire in my front yard, and I don't think I can get my landlord on board with that one, but I can definitely throw a log in the fireplace, light a few candles, and give the joint a good scrubbin'. I won't be putting a candle in every corner of my house, thanks to my early 80s Sting-induced childhood nightmares, but I can provide enough light to help any lost entities scram. I'm not interested in starting 2021 with anyone or anything in my life that's not meant to be here, not to mention (heaven forbid), anything possibly trapped in the dark recesses of my home ... So if you're coming along, let's go! And if you're not, let go, but either way I hope we're all going to be a bunch of cool little Fonzies.
xoxo
