Non-Traditional Holiday Greeting Cards

The following information was created and
Copyright © 1995 by Carol McCullough

Winter Solstice -- Return of the Sun. Order #1A. This delightful card shows a baby's cherubic face peeking through the clouds at daybreak. It illustrates the ancient tradition of Winter Solstice which is still practiced today by the Wiccans and by many cultures around the world. Celebrated the night after the shortest day of the year, people gathered together out of doors around a bonfire to dance and sing and rejoice for the return of longer days that herald springtime. . .

	Dosmoche -- Tibetan Celebration of the Dying Year Order #2B. This card shows a scene from the lively Tibetan festival of Dosmoche. A tall pole decorated with stars, moons, pentagrams and crosses made of colorful string is erected for the festival. Monks in gruesome masks dance around the pole by firelight to frighten away bad luck and evil spirits for the coming year. . . . .

Ladouvane -- Bulgarian Fertility Ritual Order #3C. Young Bulgarian girls perform Ladouvane, or "Singing To Rings", a fertility rite, on January first each year. Each girl ties a red ribbon on her ring and ties ivy, a crane's bill, and basil to the opposite end of the ribbon. This is dropped into a cauldron of spring water and sprinkled with oats and barley. After the pot is left out overnight, there is a dance around the cauldron and the girl's fortune is told by the older women. This card shows a girl making a wish for her future as her be-ribboned ring drops into the cauldron. Her actions are guided by a kind grandma. .

Evergreen -- Tree of Life Order # 4D. The earliest Christmas trees originated in the 1500's in Latvia. However, the tradition of decorating evergreens is much older and was carried over into Christian rituals from earlier pagan cultures. The ancient pre-Christian religions revered the evergreen as a magical symbol of life because it was green even in the dead of winter when all other plants lay bare. Boughs from evergreens were brought into the homes to seek protection and insure the return of the other green plants in springtime. This card symbolizes their belief in the life-giving magic of the evergreen, depicting a goddess decorating a celestial evergreen with our beautiful and life-sustaining planet Earth. .

I have created these special greeting cards for those of us who wish to participate in the holiday season without reference to the traditional Christian icons which have become so overwhelmingly common in greeting cards. Each card has a beautifully illustrated full color scene of a unique holiday celebration on the front. The inside is blank. On the back is a paragraph describing the scene. These cards were created as original watercolors and pen and ink drawings. The images were then scanned into my computer and I enhanced each one using computer graphics software. Each card is a full color laser print of this original and unique combination of hand and computer art. Thank you for your interest. Here are your ordering selections: Order #1A -- Winter Solstice -- Return of the Sun. Set of 10 cards with envelopes. Order #2B -- Dosmoche -- Tibetan Celebration of the Dying Year. Set of 10 cards with envelopes. Order #3C -- Ladouvane -- Bulgarian Fertility Ritual. Set of 10 cards with envelopes. Order #4D -- Evergreen -- Tree of Life. Order #5E -- Assortment pack. 3 of each design (12 cards) with envelopes. Each set is $25 (4-day air mail postage included). Your paid order will be processed immediately and your cards will be air mailed directly to you. We will make every effort to fill your order within 5 business days. Include in your order: Your name and address and zip code. The order number and quantities for each. A check or money order payable to Carol McCullough. Mail to: Carol McCullough 67 Hoonani Street Kihei, HI 96753

Email Carol McCullough
at mcculc@maui.net

Copyright 1995 by Carol McCullough

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a very Happy New Year filled with good health,
good friends, and more than enough good luck.



May the trail rise to meet you.
May the Sun shine always at your back and
may the Creator hold you in the hollow of His hand.