Katie: On this episode,
Katie: happy your time.
Katie: Ooh it's your, but Jim, are you a fan of your tide? It's hard to tell . What do you mean?
Jim: If you're on YouTube, you can see my holiday sweater and my elf hat.
Katie: That's right. Today we have special guest
Katie: Jimbo the Elf Live from Santa's workshop.
Katie: Yay. That's right. You're very festive. I remember this sweater from last year and it's one of my favorites because it has the For real mane on your Mustang.
Katie: Y'all mustangs and insane.
Jim: It's a unicorn.
Katie: Oh, that's right. The horn. We had this conversation.
Jim: There's a horn. Yeah, it's a unicorn. It's so sorry. My ugly sweater with a furry unicorn on it. It's amazing.
Light From Lantern presents: Knit A Spell.
I'm magical maker: Katie Rempe.
And I'm the maker of magic: James Divine.
Join us as we stitch together the symbiotic relationship between crafting and 'The Craft'.
Jim: So merry Yuletide.
Katie: What is it? What is Yule?
Jim: So let's talk about it. The word Yule refers to a indigenous winter festival celebrated by Germanic people in Europe. Earliest references are somewhere in the modern calendar year between mid-November and early January. And so the no people referenced this ancient God named Oden.
Jim: Oh, yes, Oden. So if you think about Northern Europe in Iceland and in Dana, Swedish, Norwegian proto type of people Oden was the king of the gods, like the main sort of dude and. He would be tramping through the woods and he would show up sometimes at your little house in the snow and you had all your food stores for the winter, and he would show up as a ragged traveler.
Jim: Just shoveled, like he's a mess. He's stinky. A near to well type person. Lost in the woods. And he would knock on your door and you would open and he would say, I'm lost in the woods. I need help. And you would help him or not help him.
Jim: And you would give generously to this stranger who showed up. And he would eat you out of some of your food stores for the winter, making you very worried that you would be able to feed your family.
Jim: If you did that, the God Oin would bless you with amazing abundance after he left giving you the gifts beyond compare.
Jim: And of course he has this beard, white beard, and he's this big guy. Sound familiar. If you were naughty and selfish and did not help this traveler, oh boy. You lost out on that blessing and you were actually did not get blessings. Tough your ahead.
Jim: Yeah. This was a common myth and a lot of it stems from this idea that if you denied help of a stranger who was in the winter time in these northern European climates, they would die. Because it's an unforgiving landscape in the winter. So it's this sort of cautionary tale to help strangers and to help people who are, in that situation. And it's maybe the proto like Santa Claus type of idea.
Jim: Another sort of origin festival or thing that influences the holidays at this time of year is something from Roman Paganism, and it actually is influenced by ancient Greek festivals.
Jim: But it's something from Rome that's the ancient Roman festival and holiday honoring the God Saturn called Saturnalia. Oh, and that was held. Around the 17th of December and the Julian calendar, but then it expanded through like December 23rd.
Jim: It influenced the holidays of Christmas or then the epiphany and it was a ruckus holiday. It was one of the funnest holidays. Everyone who wrote about it in Rome said it was the best of days. It was a really awesome. Like week long, really fun celebration. And this is when gambling was permitted, when the masters would serve their servants.
Jim: So there was a role reversal type of thing happening. Fun, lots of gift giving lots of liberty for both slaves and free people alike. Common custom was the election of the King of Saal who would give orders to people. And lots of merry making, so it was. Pretend orders like, Hey, you need to kiss so and say this.
Katie: Oh yes, the mis mischievous. Yes, I love it.
Jim: Lots of drunkenness and partying and there was a lot of gag gifts that people would give and silly things that would just make people laugh. So it was a lot of ment and laughing and just a relief from the burdens of the year with flowing wine and laughter and joy.
Jim: And there was lots of vendors. And so people would open up their shops and for weeks ahead of time, people would shop and shop for gifts. And so it was tis the season for shopping to sound familiar. Even back then, thousands of years ago, people complained that SA was becoming too materialistic and too consumer based.
Jim: Oh my. Sound familiar.
Katie: What would they think of us now?
Jim: The last thing I'll say about Yu Tide is in modern paganism Yule tide holds this idea of the Oak King and the Holly King. And this is of an idea of why do we have this idea of the holly? So there's this idea that the Holly King is this old man who dies at this time of year and the new king takes over. This young veal oak King is born and is ready to take his place.
Jim: And so the Holly King passes his reign onto the Oak King at this time of year. And in the summertime, the summer solstice the Holly King takes over for the Oak King, and it's this trading of rule between the Oak King and the Holly King.
Jim: And this has a lot of symbolism as well. So Yuletide is this multiple sort of holidays that we've amalgamated from a lot of different traditions today and are influenced by all these things. And they influence both our modern day secular Christmas, even our religious Christmas is influenced by these ancient holidays.
Jim: And it is, the birth of the sun, it's the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere and the summer solstice in the southern hemisphere. And so in the northern hemisphere Yuletide, or the winter solstice is the moment that the days start to lengthen.
Jim: And so we see the birth of the sun. Sound familiar? Yes. So the son is born after three days and is reborn. And we start to see that, oh, that resurrection promise is fulfilled, and we start to see the day's lengthen. And so this birth and resurrection myth all in one holiday.
Katie: It's so interesting to see Oden could be Santa and Crump Crumps or Cramps could be like the you didn't treat me well. You're gonna see another side of me.
Jim: Soros is a demonic character from Germany and other Germanic traditions that shows up and captures the naughty kids, beats them with birch twigs.
Jim: Birch twigs are symbolic of purification. Oh. And puts 'em in a bag and carries 'em. So it's a threat for the naughty children to be good. Sure. This is a similar thing that happens in Holland, in the Netherlands where There's a whole bunch of sort of Santa's helpers that also pick up kids that are naughty and beat them with birch twigs.
Jim: So the birch twigs are used in hothouses that you beat yourself with birch. It's a purification right? You're very good for your skin because the leaves and what's in the birch sap. You gently yeah. Run it over your skin. So this is something that is a theme in these same festivals when you're like, pur as a symbol of your purification.
Jim: So it's a very interesting theme that runs through, and you'll see it in the image.
Katie: Wow. Of course. Again, things I just don't put together. You just, I see a thing. So literally, but of course it would have a symbolic meeting because of its,
Jim: And we have a very narrow view in North America and in the United States.
Jim: Santa lives where? North Pole. Yeah. But in the Netherlands, Santa lives in. And he arrives in the Netherlands in a Steamboat, of course, with all of his helpers. That's Santa obviously. That's how Santa arrives. He doesn't fly in a magic, sleigh with reindeer. That is very North Amer, that's very United States.
Jim: So in other countries, Santa has a completely different myth and he also dresses like a pope. He has a Pope hat. He rides on a white horse through the towns, giving children gifts in their shoe, in their clog. So it's a completely different image of Santa. So when you go to Holland, you don't have the same Santa experience that you have here.
Katie: Oh interesting, but of course it would be different. Oh, so cool. So how do you personally feel about this time of year? It's hard to tell from your fully decked out person right now, but I'm curious Anyway.
Jim: The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loudly for all to hear.
Katie: So you are the holiday elf. He is the spirit of the season everybody.
Jim: I really do love you Tide. I love Halloween also. I love the holidays. All holidays. I just think it's so much fun to get into it. Like why resist? Why not?
Jim: I think that it's totally worthwhile. To experience the pain and anguish of a holiday that has been co-opted, by the mainstream. And by, materialistic and the bullshit of our mainstream society and that sucks. And being under pressure from our mainstream society makes can make the holidays feel terrible. So I can see show me on the doll where Christmas and Christianity has hurt you. Yeah. Is completely valid.
Jim: But what can give you freedom is to embrace Saternalia flip. Drop down, twist it and reverse it. Ooh. And own Yuletide and Saternalia as the ancient Pagan festival that it is. And stick it to our social programming. Yes. The capitalists. Yes. Yeah. And have it be a countercultural activity.
Jim: That's true. Live in pride with, this countercultural, pagan festival and eat, drink, be merry, have an orgy. I don't know, do something that doesn't seem very Christmasy on the Equinox.
Katie: Yeah. I mean it sounds very Saternalia though from what we just were saying earlier. So you know what, having more, if that's your present for yourself, you do what you want.
Katie: So that's some good perspective because it's not that I don't enjoy this time of year, it's just that it's endless. It starts the day before Halloween when I'm looking to, oh, September 4th. Huh? Yeah. What? Halloween? They basically just bulldoze that they just, it's like a holding room for a holiday decor to go that isn't Halloween.
Katie: And yeah and I used to work some retail oh, holiday music is a little triggering for me.
Jim: If you're listening and you've worked retail, raise your hand. Everyone's raising their hand. I don't believe in any kind of yuletide holiday before Thanksgiving.
Jim: American Thanksgiving. Yeah. Because. That's just not right. I
Katie: I can't. It's so long. And I think that's what's tainted it for me because by the time it actually arrives, I'm like, isn't this over already? Hasn't this been done for several weeks by now? Yeah. So it's like the political process.
Katie: Like election season has been forever and I'm just done with it. Sick.
Jim: I'm sick of it here. You're gonna come over it. Yeah. You're a hundred percent right. If we go to Christianity, Christmas, the 12 Days of Christmas, which is uniquely Christian, right? Actually begin on Christmas day and end on the epiphany.
Jim: If you're celebrating Christmas, Correctly. You begin Christmas on Christmas day, and then you have 12 days of Christmas celebration of visiting with people of visiting people in hospital and visiting and singing Christmas carols in. In old folks homes and taking gifts to people for 12 days, and then on the epiphany, a big gift giving day.
Jim: You go to church and you celebrate the coming of the three wise men and, all of that stuff. And that's the beginning then of Mardi Gras season. And, oh, shortly thereafter it lent season begins before Easter.
Jim: If you're gonna talk about Christianity, like there is this completely secular Christmas that's taken over and the, I don't know anyone, even a spiritual person who takes on Christmas in that way.
Jim: Because like we're so sick of Christmas.
Katie: Maybe that's why people used to wait. And plus, the rise of the commercialism push, but I used to hear oh, we, we used to decorate the tree and put everything up the day
Jim: before. On Christmas Eve. That's what we did. As kids. Yeah. As kids. My family did that.
Katie: That's pretty cool. If you're doing it till 12 days after, Then it's not just like a one and done kind of day. Yeah. Like you had it up for three days, one day. What is that all
Jim: about? And as a kid, what Santa would bring would be the Christmas tree and the gifts. Oh. And we would wake up Christmas, brought the tree.
Jim: Yeah. We would wake up Christmas morning and the house would be decorated and there'd be tree gifts under the tree. And then we'd celebrate for 12 days. Oh. We were one of those families that actually did. Whoa. Because before Christmas was Advent where we were waiting for the birth of arrival. Yeah.
Jim: Yes. We were very much that way and it a anticipation. Oh and that's was really right. It was super special to do it that way. There was no Christmas music. But we would do candy cane making parties and pasta, making parties to prepare.
Katie: What type of magic do you work at this time of year?
Jim: Oh yeah. So this is a time when there's still some things to gather. There's the last bits of remaining gathering. The harvest is pretty much over, but it's just in some areas coming in.
Jim: You are canning, you are preserving, you're taking the stores of produce and things from the harvest, and you're still in the place of canning them and making them. So you have a lot of those things that you've just put in jars or dried or made. And so there's a lot of that kind of gift giving that happens in exchange.
Jim: Sure. So you see a lot of that expressed in gifts. People have. Made things from the harvest and so they're exchanging. If I was a farmer and I had an apple orchard, I would be making all kinds of things from my apples and I'd be exchanging them and gifting them to people, and they would be gifting me things from their farm.
Jim: And so I would be getting dried meats and I would be giving them apples and. This kind of exchange would be happening at this time of year, just so that there would be a variety of supplies to get through the winter so that we wouldn't just be living off apples all year. We would have a variety of things to get through.
Jim: So you start to see those kind of things happen. Yeah, and that makes a lot of sense at this time of year, which is why the crafts make a lot of sense.
Katie: Yeah. And again, that they didn't start as just oh, it's just a fun craft, something for me to do for the time. It's every minute you had to be doing something that was useful, like making the sweater so you wouldn't freeze that year because it's so big and worn out that you know you have to do one.
Jim: Yeah. You're patching necessity. You're patching the bedspread, you're doing all these things. Yeah, exactly. Today in our modern world, we can emulate that, but it's a different world today.
Jim: But the symbolic aspects are really fun. We exchange gifts, and show that generosity. So magically we can show this generosity and remind ourselves of all of these aspects of, both, being kind to strangers and being kind to people who have less than. Remembering that anyone could be Odin.
Jim: Yes.
Katie: This season of giving, by the way.
Jim: Yes. And generosity and kindness. Yep. And that's magical because we can really see that in the myths.
Katie: Yep. And giving of your time and not just money is also really great because not everyone has the luxury of money and sometimes money is the easy way to deal with things.
Katie: Not bad, but just maybe. Meaningful because yeah, you didn't have to make the sweater.
Jim: Sometimes it's everything though. Yeah, exactly. Sometimes giving 20 bucks is a lot for someone. Yep. Absolutely. Yep.
Jim: Katie, I wonder, do you believe in Santa?
Katie: Jim Santa always freaked me out. What? Yeah. I was the kid who you put on the lap and then just screamed the whole time.
Katie: It was always a very intimidating person to me and I never was comfortable with it.
Jim: So do we have photos of little Katie like this Ah,
Katie: oh, Tana's laugh.
Katie: Fully red face, like reaching out to mom
Jim: oh, I love it. I wanna see if we can find one of those and put it on our show notes. Oh
Katie: my gosh, yes. I will have my mom look for them. You know her Connie Rempe. She was on the show earlier in the
Jim: year.
Jim: She will come, Connie come through. Connie . You got this?
Katie: But what about you do you believe in Santa?
Jim: So you don't believe so, you don't believe Santa actually exists? Oh,
Katie: I guess I never really thought about it. So I guess at this point, I would say a cautious no, only because I know enough not to have a firm stance on any of that kind of stuff. You can have a firm stance. You never know. , you
Jim: can believe in, you cannot believe in things as far as I'm, you're wrong.
Jim: Currently aware, but that's okay. No offended? Nope. All right. I totally believe in Santa. Okay.
Katie: How, not how but like in what manner?
Jim: You're ready to call Harborview and be like, he needs committed to the cycle.
Katie: No. I'm gonna call the newspapers and be like, proved.
Katie: Jim knows the stats.
Jim: Santa 100%. And it exists as an Agra Gore, or some people might pronounce it aggregor as an energy of generosity and love and as the idea. When we're not being materialistic, when we're truly being generous with the giving of gifts and the giving of ourselves to each other, that is the spirit of Santa.
Jim: I see. Yes. Like how does santa actually exists in the world and make it across the world in one night. It is not the physical existence of a bearded creepy man at the shopping mall that then somehow rides in a sleigh. No, it is that everyone is possessed by a desire. To give a token of something, even if it's a painted pet rock to their sister, right?
Jim: Whatever the thing is that represents, I was thinking of you or I'd love you, or a token of something tangible.
Jim: We often discount the physical, the earth element, as not having a tangible or spiritual, or energetic aspect to it because of the way our world conditions us to be materialistic, but when we really embrace it as also spiritual, we can really understand that. A physical object can carry energetic and magical energy, and I think that's one of the coolest ways to think about the existence of Santa, not in the creepy way at the mall.
Katie: I'm way down for that idea, and I agree with you totally. It is a concept. It is not a literal fat guy in a suit who is breaking into your house. Cool.
Katie: Yes.
Jim: When we come back from our break, we're gonna talk about decking, the halls with bows of Holly and why we might do that, and a bunch of things that we don't think about as magical crafting.
Jim: But that might be.
Katie: All right. We'll be right.
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Jim: And Mary Yuletide.
Katie: How did I not see that coming?
Jim: I had to!
Katie: We're back with Jimbo the elf and he's still excited about the Yuletide season, which tracks I love you so much.
Jim: People are gonna think I'm more into Yuletide than I, I mean I am totally into Yuletide.
Jim: It is our fun. Maybe this is
Katie: an accurate representation.
Jim: Yeah, it is our funnest like thing we do. So in our coven, we stay up all night long. So we start at sundown and we end at sunrise and we party all night long in a Saturn alias type fun, revel. Ridiculous. Awesome. All night vigil. We're not really viding.
Jim: We're partying and we drum up the sun in the morning. You're welcome. You're welcome everyone. Save the world again. Yep. Uhhuh . And it's just a blast and we just have so much fun. And yes, everyone takes the day after because we're all wrecked. Smart, just going to bed like full of yummy food that everyone made and there's a gift exchange and they're all like handmade gifts different things that people have mostly handmade or hand adorned in some way.
Jim: The feeling of fullness of magic and friendship and joy and love. Ah, it's the best.
Katie: This is the time of year when community really counts because, like you said it was practical. It helped you from having only apples to eat for five months and hoping that you had enough.
Jim: Yeah and if something happened, you had a community to help support you in this time.
Katie: That's right. People who had interest in you not dying, which is really cool.
Jim: Which is true today. If there's a hurricane or a tornado or an earthquake or whatever's happening, you have your community to support you.
Katie: That's right. . That's why also investing in charitable acts around this time is super important and part of the whole mainstay of it.
Katie: Yes. Because without. No one survives Abundance comes in giving, wouldn't you agree?
Jim: I totally agree with that. And that's part of this, the magic, when we think about the myth of Oin and the example of sa Alia, I. The whole thing of giving to those who have less giving to the underserved, why is that such a push at this time of year?
Jim: It comes from the charity work that is told to us in ancient times of giving to Oden and giving to, those who are poor and who are derelict, this is something that is ancient magic and it isn't just to be self-serving. Some philosophers would say, everything we do is self-serving.
Jim: But we would look at that and we would say this is part of the magic of the season, is to balance out the power to give to those less fortunate. We are overwhelmed with blessed things after the harvest time. And there's so much that we have, of course we give and we are charitable at this time of year and this is the time to do that.
Jim: In Japan, the Japanese custom is to always pour someone else's. And pour your own tea. Last, when you're pouring someone else's tea, you pour the blessings, you pour with intention, you pour with love and good feelings in someone else's cup.
Jim: And this is a similar thing as you're giving to someone else. You give with intention of blessings and of abundance and a prosperity for.
Katie: Yeah. Oh, that's beautiful.
Jim: So as you're putting that toys for tot, gift into the box, as you are giving that extra donation, you can give a little intention with that teddy bear.
Jim: May this bring that family abundance and a transformation in their station. May this donation to, the ringing bell Santa, bring whoever this comes in contact with abundance and prosperity. May this. Donation to the food bank. Bring that family transformation. What a cool thing to do.
Jim: Magical.
Katie: Yeah, just expanding on the energy you're already putting out there. Yeah, that's right. That's great. Yep. We have all sorts of fun ways to induce more energy into your making around this time of year, including, like you said, things that you probably didn't even consider were magical crafting.
Katie: A couple of the things I thought of were, one of our favorites to talk about, which is making a blocking water or a wash or something that you're using around the. With your intention, herbs and oils and things like that. So things that are seasonally popular around this time are like orange and cinnamon and evergreen.
Katie: What other sense am I missing?
Jim: Yeah. One of the coolest things you can do is take an orange. And decorate it by piercing it with whole cloves. That's right. You can put cinnamon oil on it. You can anoint it with a spray with different oils like evergreen. You could put evergreen bows on it, little berries at the top. It can be a very beautifully scented orange. It's very traditional to do this, and it can be very magical.
Jim: It's a symbol of abundance. As it dries, it becomes an ornament that can be preserved. They can sometimes get moldy but they can also sometimes dry really well, especially if you dip them in Oh, I forget what it's called.
Jim: You can an ORs root so you can Oh, ORs root. Yeah, so you can do different things to preserve them in a natural setting powder.
Jim: In any case, there's different things you can do, but you can find instructions for that and they can be a really fantastic magical talisman. For your home. We like to hang them, from on either side of the mantle from the lights or in the windows.
Jim: Cinnamon sticks are really beautiful to include, in popcorn strings. So that's another thing you can do. You can decorate outside. With popcorn and cranberries and cinnamon sticks and put that outside and the birds will land and peck at it.
Jim: And that's a really beautiful thing to do in the winter time. Yeah, so there's all kinds of really beautiful things you can do. Certainly sprays with cinnamon, orange, evergreen, different essential oils can bring that abundance and prosperity and energy into your home as well. So these are all fabulous things to do and they make your house just smell like holiday.
Katie: Yeah, exactly. And the scent is always such a magical experience.
Jim: Yeah. Every time I walk by those cinnamon scented things in the store, yes. I think, oh, I wanna make my own, gather my own pine cones, put them together and then put my own concentrated spray on those instead of getting the ones that are probably artificial from the store.
Katie: Probably less expensive in the long run too, actually. Or you'd be able to make many of them from the oil probably that you're getting.
Katie: You can deck the bows with. Deck the bows of Holly, right? Bows of Hollys with bows of Holly. There we go.
Jim: Here in the Pacific Northwest we do have Holly that grows and it is an invasive species. So except for places where it's planted purposefully we gather rogue Holly Bow.
Jim: From invasive places and it often is growing with berries that are red at this time of year. And we actually literally deck our halls with bows of Holly and the Holly is a symbol of this renewed time of year and that the sun is returning and that there is this that the, New. Year will bring prosperity.
Jim: And it's a beautiful magical, plant. And so we do hang it over all of the doors, all of the passageways in the home, and it is absolutely beautiful to see it up, those big prick. Branches with the red berries. Yeah. So we do hang it all over our home. We decorate our home to the max.
Jim: So yes, our home is decked with Bow of Holly and we are dressed in very gay apparel. Super gay. That's as you can tell right now, I don't know. Looks pretty low key, Jim.
Jim: It's as gay as possible.
Katie: I never thought about that song being so pagan. But you mentioned to me earlier there's not really like a Christmas connotation to it if you really listen and Yeah, you're right.
Jim: Deck the Halls doesn't have any reference to Christmas. It is, deck the halls with vows of Holly. Blah, blah. Oh, now I'm forgetting the words. Don, we
Katie: know you can't remember it without singing the whole thing.
Katie: It's magic. That's right. .
Jim: It is, it doesn't reference anything Christian. It is really a very Pagan, a Germanic, song about, the celebration of the holiday. It's a very fun song to sing at this time of year.
Katie: Yeah, that's a good one.
Jim: Holiday songs are one of the ways, one of the crafting, one of the ways to be magical. It can be a chant. There's lots of non-Christian songs that have come up in recent times that are about the holiday, both sec, both modern songs, but also repurposing older songs in very ancient songs that have been created or redone.
Jim: So those are really great ways. Like with the branches and things we can craft from nature. And so there's all kinds of things to create Wreaths and adorn, candles and other things. You wanna be careful with candles and natural things, cuz the burning fire thing, right? The
Katie: flame, yeah, flame after gets, you know what, with fire?
Katie: Yeah. And in that vein, you can also craft. For nature. So let's say, as part of your charitable act, you're thanking your local, fairies and birds and deer and nature. Bits with little like pine cones with peanut butter and seeds on
Jim: them. Yes. Make sue it for them.
Katie: Exactly. So treat your. Local wildlife and thus the spirits will be happy because you're taking time to connect with them.
Jim: That's right. And that's similar to the popcorn and berry and cranberry. But yes, making sue it and other things to feed the birds and hang those up on a tree as decoration is a fabulous way to attract birds and have.
Jim: Around during the holiday. Yep.
Katie: So let's wrap by saying the things that we may not typically think of as magic.
Jim: Oh my gosh, everything.
Jim: Oh, basically it's everything at the holidays that we don't think of as magic can be magic. Your holiday , it's a symbol of right. The evergreen of continued life throughout this season and adorning it with decoration is a symbol of the sky, the universe of the stars of the planets, and the sky of the connection that we have.
Jim: With all of that, you can think of that as magical as you're decorating it.
Jim: All of the decorations in the house, the circular symbol of the wreath of the evergreen wreath. The bells and their symbol of the resounding sounds that go. Yeah. What are some of them that you were thinking?
Katie: Oh candles, obvious.
Jim: And singing. The light. The light that continues throughout this dark time and the rebirth of the sun. Yep. Singing and the resounding sounds that go through the woods and at wintertime, the sounds carry so much more. How beautiful it is to hear that singing at this time.
Katie: Yep. And since community is a big aspect, of course, music very easily flows into that.
Katie: Even if it's just oh, a bunch of your friends around doing a craft, you're probably gonna have music in the background, whether it's seasonal or just something that you, everyone likes to raise the vibration of the energy. It's gonna be in there.
Jim: Yeah. Slow chaz.
Katie: Yeah, exactly.
Katie: Yeah. Whatever your your flavor is that you want it to be . But also like cooking. So cooking for people, cooking in general, feasting the community aspect. Enjoying the abundance and enjoying it with.
Jim: That's right. I think having parties is a magical act. . And this comes to welcoming in guests and being generous with guests.
Jim: Having those community events, whether it's group crafting or just having people over, those are things that could be very magical. And sharing your gifts and generosity with others can really bring an infusion of magic into your life.
Jim: One of the most magical things we talked about is giving to the poor charity.
Katie: It is the season of giving charitable acts. Yes. That's helping. That's those less fortunate and donating your time as well as your money again.
Jim: Yeah. If you don't have. Money perhaps you have time to, spend a couple hours in a soup kitchen or make a hat for your local cancer center and donate that.
Jim: Yeah. Yep.
Katie: Get your friends together who craft and knit, crochet and weave hat. And leave them for the homeless that are around that may need extra layers. This time. There's lots of people in need who will enjoy your craft, even if it's not a gift to someone in your family. That's your extended family and helping anyone is a huge gift.
Jim: .
Jim: So donate your clothing to a coat drive. Or other things that you're not using anymore. Sweaters. To a clothing drive for the homeless. You may not have the money or the time, but that's something that you may have.
Katie: If you're looking to help those in need with their specific needs, check like your local food bank and other charities that may have a list of like their most highest needs. Because I have really been surprised at what has been on those lists, things that I wouldn't normally think about.
Katie: Feminine products and socks and toothpaste. I mean like things that we really take for granted and are so basic to making anyone feel comfortable.
Katie: That's our list of magical things.
Jim: Yay.
Jim: I wanna know dear listener, do you believe in Santa? And if so, or if not, let us know. Drop us a line.
Katie: Email us at [email protected], or comment on our Instagram, which is @KnitASpell and linked in our show notes for easy reference.
Jim: What are your magical access holiday season? What gets you into the spirit? Is it your ugly Christmas sweater?
Jim: Is it your silly hat?
Katie: Is it watching Elf 15 times?
Katie: Is it watching a whole day marathon of Ralphie?
Katie: Yes. What is it? All of those things. Is it something we didn't even think about? We wanna know, drop us alone.
Jim: Personally attacked.
Katie: Does Santa freak you out? Are you team Katie? I need to know if I have friends and allies out there, let me know.
Jim: Help Katie out.
Katie: I can't be the only one, right? , maybe I'm, I dunno.
Katie: All right, Jim. Until next week, I'll see you then. Happy Yule.
Jim: Deck the halls with thousands of holly for la.
Katie: I love holiday music. Yay.
Jim: Bye everybody.
Katie: Bye.
Thanks for listening. Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the show, consider sharing it with a friend, leaving a review on iTunes and Spotify or following Knit A Spell on Instagram.
You can also subscribe to the Light From Lantern YouTube channel to enjoy full episodes of Knit A Sepll and see our happy faces.
You can also learn more about readings, classes, and events going on with your favorite Maker of Magic James Divine by visiting thedivinehand.com and subscribing to his newsletter. Then follow Jim's fun and interactive Instagram account @DivineHandJim.
Keep up with Katie the Magical Maker by subscribing to her newsletter at lightfromlantern.com.
You'll receive a free knitting pattern as a thank you gift, then follow Katie on Instagram @LightFromLantern for even more magical making tips.
See you next week. Next week.
