Share special days/celebrations from different culture here

[Peppermintbach]

Hi all,

I thought it would be a good idea for us to have a thread where we share special and discuss celebrations from different culture(s).

It would be great to learn from (and celebrate with) one another.

People from all cultural backgrounds are welcome 🙂

So anything from Christmas to Hannukah to Children’s Day in Japan to many others of course 🙂

I would like to start by saying:

Today is the lunar new year 🙂 It’s the year of the Dog.

Happy lunar new year to all who our Chinese, Chinese-Australian or Australian (and anyone else too) who celebrates this important day.

Wishing everyone health, love and kindness.

Pepper xoxo

[Peppermintbach]

Hi Donte’ and all readers,

I want to thank you for sharing such a heartfelt post as well as the life affirming and empowering quote 🙂

You seem to take full ownership of your own life and actions. It must be a very empowering way to live.

I feel life paths that society, culture, etc tries to impose on a person isn’t always suitable or appropriate for everyone. I understand sometimes people, like you, have to walk away from what they’ve been taught to follow their own path. It takes courage to do that...

Seeing as you shared a quote, I would like to share some famous words that I feel complements Kazantzakis’ quote. As an aside, I shared this quote recently on another thread too.

The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high for the privilege of owning yourself.

- Nietzsche

Pepper xo

P.S. Thanks for your replies to some of my other posts (multicultural forum). I’ll get back to you next week 🙂

[Donte]

Thank you Pepper,

What an amazing truth! It represents me very well.

The way I’ve experienced it is like a wall that parents, school, society builds slowly and gradually but surely around the individual. It’s a useful and often necessary wall to protect, help grow, provide boundaries and definitions which serve towards self identity. However, it’s each individual’s role to deconstruct this wall, pick up each brick, every stone and throw it as far away as possible in order to free ourselves from the heavy weights of expectations, restrictions and conditioning that suffocates our spirit and kills our authenticity. It is our duty to question, put to the test and examine thoroughly all the ideas and beliefs that the system wants us to adopt and see if they serve us and contribute towards our growth and development to reach our full potential as human beings in the very limited time we have in our one and only life time. I wouldn’t wanna miss out in this unique opportunity to leave my mark and make a difference just simply out of fear to rock the boat.

Every society moves forward only by individuals who are willing to break the mould and dare to be different. The rest just follow along with often their heads down I find.

Well, I like creating my own splash in the sea of consciousness rather than ride the waves. X

[Birdy77]

Hi Pepper and everyone 😊

I just wanted to say Happy Mardi Gras! Coming up this weekend.

Although it's a Sydney festival, there are lots of us around Australia who feel this is a celebratory day for LGBTQI people and their loved ones.

Maybe extra special this year as it's the first one since SSM became legal here, finally.

Love to all xo

🌻birdy

[Peppermintbach]

Hi Donte’, Quercus, Birdy and all,

Donte’: You’re most welcome 🙂

This was beautiful:

I like creating my own splash in the sea of consciousness rather than ride the waves.

True, I agree that often moving forward and making important changes was (and is) down to individuals who paved the way. This is especially true if certain norms and traditions feel unjust or even unsuitable for certain individuals.

Birdy: hello to you 🙂

Happy Mardi Gras to you and everyone else too!

Thanks for reminding us. I didn’t even realise it was this soon.

True, it is a particularly momentous one this year considering it’s the first since the legalisation of SSM. Something to be remembered and celebrated for sure.

One of my offline friends who is gay, and who campaigned hard, will finally be able to marry should he choose to do so. He’s not seeing anyone at the moment but that’s beside the point; I feel the point is SSM is about equal rights/human rights.

Will you be doing something special during the Mardi Gras?

Pepper xoxo

[Donte]

During a conversation with my brother we happen to discuss diversity and respect. I mentioned a neighbor who is vegan and finds it very difficult when attending Xmas or Easter lunch or dinner with family or friends. The mere sight of turkey and lamb roast and other animal products on the table makes her sick. She’s really trying to not make it obvious. She truly wants to blend in and is not interested in making it an issue.

Last Xmas she brought her own vegetarian lunch with her at the family gathering. Again, it wasn’t arrogance or anything, just knew from previous years there wouldn’t be anything there that wasn’t dipped in animal fats and juices so she made her own arrangements and hoped no one would be offended. Unfortunately, this action brought family conflict and a fight erupted. My neighbor had to leave the family home.

Isn’t it interesting that people demand their traditions and beliefs being respected but they can’t accomodate, tolerate or accept anyone who has different views? Diversity is for all not just for you.

What about respecting someone who doesn’t participate in whatever ritual is important to you? Isn’t this meant to be a two-way street? You can’t have your cake and eat it too!

[Birdy77]

Hi Everyone 😊

With a late reply to you Pepper, i didn't do anything for Mardi Gras, just the usual, sit on the back deck with a wine 🍷 and watch the sunset 🌅

Donte', your latest post hit home for me for a few reasons.

Family celebrations such as Christmas and (oh my goodness it's almost here) Easter are a royal pain in my butt. I will share:

1. My partner and i are vegan. We always bring platters full of our homecooked vegan food, enough for everybody to share. When this first started, my partner's mother was so angry and insulted "oh so you don't like my cooking anymore?! You'll never eat my schnitzel anymore?!" She was so angry that she cried. After i explained to her it's nothing to do with her cooking, it's an ethical decision we've made ... it didn't really calm her down, but eventually started to look forward to seeing what we'll bring. But ... drama!

2. My partner and i are lesbians. We have been in a committed relationship for six years and own our home together, looking forward to spending the rest of our lives together. My partner's parents accept me 100% and in fact said they'd be happy if we marry. However, to any visitor to the house when we are there visiting i am introduced in this blasé offhand manner "this is one of ***'s friends". Not even "this is ***'s friend" but "one of ..."

3. My partner and i have decided not to have children. We have given it a lot of thought, and have reasons, but one of my partner's siblings has children. They had one child, and they can't afford it financially, and then had a second, and are draining my partner's parents financially, and mooching off them. But because they provided grandchildren, they are the golden people, and we are disregarded as not much chop because we're not "growing the family".

So, i am not looking forward to the next gathering, as you may have worked out 😂.

That was quite a rant! I shall step down now.

🌻birdy

[Donte]

I hear you Birdy77!

Loud and clear!

Luckily I have no family in Australia and my daughter always works on public holidays as is double pay! No Easter for me! And I can’t remember if I mentioned that I’m also lactose intolerant! Hahaa no chocolate eggs or bunnies either!

Funnily enough, even though I’m the gay son, I am the only one with a child! My brother and his wife are unable to have children! So our family has only grown from the one and only gay offspring!

Isn’t life interesting? X

[Peppermintbach]

Hi all,

I’m so sorry it has taken me a while to get back here. It’s wondeful to see people like Birdy and Donte’ keeping this thread active 🙂

Donte’: I think your opening paragraph (in your second most recent response) about respecting diversity sums it all up nicely 🙂

Yes, I agree that some people have a very one-sided view that only their own beliefs and traditions should be respected and/or hold “precedence” above others’ beliefs. It must have been a horrible experience for your neighbour...

Birdy: Your relaxed evening during the Mardi Gras sounds as though it was was nice a relaxed 🙂

I can relate to your feelings about family gatherings...let’s just say I’m not a huge fan of them either.

I’m glad your mum’s partner eventually came around in the end. Although it must have been rough initially...I feel sometimes people don’t seem to understand that not everything is about “them” and to not take everything personally. E.g. it wasn’t a personal affront about her cooking, it was about you and your partner’s ethics.

Being introduced as your partner’s “friend” would hurt a lot. I feel it seems your partner’s family, at this point in time, is happy to accept you behind closed doors but not to the outside world. That would really sting especially as I doubt that it would happen if their daughter was in a heterosexual relationship.

Your 3rd point is the one that I personally relate to most as I don’t want my own children either. I will never hear the end of it from my extended family (who have an opinion on everything I do or don’t do, and feel the need to express it...repeatedly).

I feel sometimes, and even if it’s not necessarily with bad intentions, some people have this perception that it’s not a “complete” life unless one chooses to have their own children. I feel neither decision (to have or not have children) is necessarily better or worse than the other. Just different.

Yet I often feel that one is regarded more highly than the other, that is, the decision to have child(ten). I long for the day where the decision to have (or not) have children is viewed as equally valid and respectful.

Not to mention a whole other group who want children but can’t physically have them or end up in circumstances where they are unable to e.g. relationships falling apart, adoption not being affordable, etc.

Anyway, thank you all for your wonderful insight 🙂

It was St. Patrick’s Day on Saturday so happy St Patrick’s Day to anyone who celebrates that day 🙂

Pepper xo

[Peppermintbach]

Hi Birdy,

Sorry, I accidentally wrote your “mum’s partner.” I meant your partner’s mum.

Pepper xoxo

[Peppermintbach]

Hi all,

Today is Harmony Day in Australia 🙂

It’s a day that celebrates:

- cultural diversity

- promotes respect and inclusiveness

Happy Harmony Day!

Pepper