Winter Solstice—my reason for the season

By Otto

This is the big day! It’s Winter Solstice. Since I’m not a Christian I celebrate the Solstice—the shortest day and longest night of the year. 

And while I’m at it, this is my final salvo in my war on Christmas. But rather than tear down someone else’s beliefs, which is often what some Christian warriors do, I simply celebrate my holiday and enjoy the festivities of the season.

My plan of action for this year has been simple: celebrate my own holiday in my own way.

The Winters Solstice has been celebrated by Wiccans, Druids, other pagan religions and today some atheists, agnostics and religious like philosophies such as Taoism and Epicureanism celebrate this holiday because it celebrates nature rather than the birth of a divine uberman. I am an Epicurean.

So here is how my holiday went.

I woke up to a cup of my favorite herbal tea. This was the best way to start the day.

Chris Otto, from St. Louis, MO came to town to visit relatives. Otto is both my brother and a correspondent to this blog. He played a session of flute music at the R Coffee House in Wichita's Riverside Park.

Otto plays a lot of Native American Indian style flutes, with a lot of Native American folk music as well as mainstream style flute music.

The crowd was quite small, but very enthusiastic, with many people asking questions of Otto after his sets.

Otto's wife Kathi Corbett-Otto, was there in the audience (Seen here with Steve and his wife Cam Gentry).

Also in the audience were his father, Jack and his brother, John.

Naturally Cam and I have a Solstice tree.

At the end of the day I kicked back with my relatives and drank an Arrogant Bastard Ale.

And no day is complete without another round of Solstice carols.

Happy Winter Solstice!