Friday Family Fun Night!

The Candle and Poem in question...

So we have started this weekly ritual at my house- we call it Friday Family Fun Night. We were inspired by our Jewish friends who are lucky enough to have Shabbat every Friday evening-Saturday day. After spending many Shabbats with them, we were encouraged to come up with a personalized, Witchy equivalent.

So... what is the ritual about? The ritual marks the end of the work week (which is harder to do than you might think). It is about making time for family relationships and connections and having fun.

And what do we do? The ritual has morphed since we started (and I further expect it to morph as we go), but as of now we light a special candle that mama made (which burns all night during our time together), read aloud a poem that daddy wrote for the occasion, and then stomp around the dining room table (often with flamboyant arm gestures or props) chanting, "Friday Family Fun Night!" until we giggle.

Rowan, waking daddy on Saturday.

Then we get into jammies and do things together as a family. Popping corn and watching a movie, playing games, making hot cocoa, snuggling, singing, or storytelling. As Rowan ages, there will be lots of things we can do together as a family. The plan is that FFF is a home activity, anchoring us to one another and home, creating a shape to our weeks that is reliable and predictable (kids thrive on routine), and bonding, bonding, bonding.

We then spend the next day doing family things as well- a family sabbath where we do not work and spend time together. We always make a nice breakfast together (Rowan helps!), and then check the available activities out there on the "Rowan's Potential Fun Stuff Calendar" (mama gets email updates and checks websites and adds them to a calendar so we do not miss cool things like story times, fairs and festivals, and the like.

Most of the stuff we do is free or low cost. Being poor it has to be. But spending money is not the point- being together in the best possible way, being present with one another is.

The poem:

Frigg's Eve, by Oberyn Kunning

All week long we toil, toil

Weaving, spinning, singing, growing

So we set the cauldron to boil

And pour it out, Love ever-flowing

When Frigg's Eve comes, one out of seven

Our work we set aside

And together, Kunnings Three, at home we do reside

Hand-in-hand and heart-to-heart

We set the lights to mark its start (light candle here)

Friday Family Fun Night! (x infinity)

Thinking About My Son's Education

I am currently compiling notes to create a year-long cyclical curriculum for my son. It is for his religious and mundane education- The best way to describe the spiritual aspects of it are "multi-religious, as seen through a witchy filter". As I learn about other religions and their traditions in seminary and out in the world, I am noting what rituals and traditions ring true for me and what I would like to incorporate into our lives (in addition to the wheel of the year and esbats).

One Jewish tradition I value and would like to start in our home is a Witchy version of Shabbat. Every Friday evening, a ritual to declare no more work for a full day! Friday evening would start with a ritual to start the experience and a good family meal. Then quality time with the family- reading stories, playing games, and good old fashioned conversation. Saturday would be a special time meant to be spent with family and friends- visiting, playing, going to places together (like the zoo or other fun educational places), and again- lovely meals. While my Witchy theological reasons would be different than a Jewish person's for observing a special weekly holiday like this, I feel that the tradition is easily adapted to both a religious Witch's outlook or even a secular one.

I have been thinking that when Rowan is old enough, we will work for the poor on Thanksgiving, and have our harvest feast of gratitude on the similar Witchy holiday, Mabon. Having an annual ritual of volunteering for those less fortunate is something that I would love him to remember and learn the value of.

Do you celebrate holidays from multiple cultures or religions? What caused that situation? How do you tech your kids about different faiths and ideas that may not be your own?