"Io, Saturnalia!" Saturnalia Festival & Opalia

Io, Saturnalia! Please sign up here as well, thank you: http://www.meetup.com/Temple-Of-Venus/calendar/11150355/ We invite all from far and near to come together in this celebration of the old Gods, old ways and happy days. To dance and sing and laugh and feast! This is a family affair and children are welcome! Let us renew old bonds, make new friends, put aside the past and look forward to the future. Catullus described Saturnalia as the best of days (Cat. 14.15). It was a time of celebration, visits to friends, and gift-giving, particularly of wax candles (cerei), and earthenware figurines (sigillaria). We will decorate a bush or two outdoors near the entrance with sun symbols, stars, and faces of the God Janus and nuts and goodies for the birds and for humans - little gifts such as earthenware figures/sigillaria, candles/cerei, bells and coins and goodies in the shape of fertility symbols, suns and moons and stars, baby shapes, and herd animal shapes ;) Indoors we will have holly, wreaths, garland decorated with ornaments of gold and red, ribbons of gold, red and purple etc. Candles will be lit to signify sacred flames in honor of the gods and to signify the kindling of fires to keep us warm and warm our hearth through the cold winter. Gift exchange: small inexpensive gifts as noted in Martial Epigrams Bk 14 - writing tablets, dice, knuckle bones, moneyboxes, combs, toothpicks, a hat, a hunting knife, an axe, various lamps, balls, perfumes, pipes, a pig, a sausage, a parrot, tables, cups, spoons, items of clothing, statues, masks, books, and pets. Dolls for children, candles for friends. Fruit symbolize abundance and prosperity. Entertainment et Games: tesserae/dice, calculi/checkers, terni lapilli/tic tac toe and other games. http://ablemedia.com/ctcweb/showcase/boardgames.html Masks/masquerade, appointing a mock king, jokes and just partying. Pilei/ soft cloth (or paper) hats that symbolize Please bring a favorite recipe, drink, bread, cheese, fruit/veggie or dessert towards the feast! Opalia: Saturn's consort is Ops, the Roman goddess of abundance. She was associated with the granary god Consus, and also with Saturn because her festival coincides with the Saturnalia - let's set a feast that will honor her and bring us prosperity and abundance in the coming year! Note what you are bringing for the feast here thanks!: http://www.meetup.com/Temple-Of-Venus/calendar/11150355/ Committee sign up is at this link: http://www.meetup.com/Temple-Of-Venus/messages/boards/thread/7493550 There is a donation through paypal of $6.25 per adult or $3.25 per child (over five and under 14). Children 4 and under are free. Donations may be made in person at any of the events beforehand: $6.00 per adult or $3.00 per child (over five and under 14). This helps offset the rental as we will be renting the entire house for this event and other expenses incurred - thanks for understanding. FYI: http://novaroma.org/nr/Saturnalia http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/SMIGRA*/Saturnalia.html http://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/calendar/saturnalia.html