Comments on: Happy Solstice Crash Pad Series Membership Giveaway

By: And the Crash Pad Membership Goes To … – Sugarbutch Chronicles

And the Crash Pad Membership Goes To … – Sugarbutch Chronicles — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 21:03:11 +0000

[...] winner is: #41, Morgs! Congrats! I will email you and set you in touch with the folks at The Crash Pad Series to get your [...]

By: MossBe

MossBe — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 15:56:01 +0000

My favorite way to celebrate the holyday Solstice is with an all-night candlemaking party. It starts at sundown on the longest night of the year and lasts until sunrise the next morning. All night long friends gather, drop in, libate, eat, laugh, sing, share, and all the while I'm/we're making candles. I've found it to be the most personally fulfilling way I can recognize the dark time and rebirth of light. Additionally, I get a slew of candles made, each steeped in the memory of the collective celebration.

By: Jacket's girl

Jacket's girl — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 12:40:09 +0000

This Holiday I was on-call as a nurse and had to give up my child-free romantic get-a-way on the WA coast (too far from the hospital). So instead I surprised my butch by renting a fancy room at a (much closer, but still not home) resort style hotel, soaking in jetted tubs, taking in horbor-amic views and presenting my gift of a Mr. Silky… much debauchery insued!

Not at all typical, but a lovely way to spend all that pent up holiday energy.

By: Ariel

Ariel — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 04:21:20 +0000

This was the first holiday season I spent on the opposite side of the country as my family. My roommates and I decorated the apartment with candy canes, the fireplace with our stockings and the first night of Chanukah my girlfriend drove the four hours from her house to celebrate with me. We lit the candles and sung the songs. It was nice to know that we can mix traditions.

By: Chloe

Chloe — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 03:23:38 +0000

While holidays can be tough with homophobic/racist relatives, I challenged myself to put more energy into appreciating the few queer friendly moments, rather than get upset by the bigger picture. It was actually pretty sweet to have even just a few awesome moments when my family both acknowledged and accepted my life. By appreciating the positive instead of getting worked up by the ridiculous comments, I was able to relax and enjoy time spent with my family.

Although I am a little skeptical of my family's love of the consumerist christmas spirit, I do fully support coming together with a group of people to cultivate love and positivity. So for a change i tried to actually live this mentality with my family and let go of frustration.

By: Simone

Simone — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 15:21:34 +0000

Every Christmas my Grandma loves to tell the story of how, in my family's first big loft apartment, I made my whole family join hands 'round the tree and sing "Dahoo Doray" because I had just seen "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." Sure, it's embarrassing, but I also kind of love my little self for it.

By: M.H.

M.H. — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 13:33:39 +0000

Solstice is the day my sister and her husband got married 4 years ago. For the past 3 years, I have spent Winter solstice with my best friend…watching the sun set and talking. Usually followed up by dinner together or with friends and sometimes a trip to the Hothouse.

I am not the only queer one in the family though I would classify my older sister as a urban hipster lesbian (which is totally fine). My family doesn't get who I date (generally butch, FtM, gender queer individuals but they try and are respectful). As my sister said I should invite the person I currently am dating, I spent a lot of time laying ground work…sending a email to see if they were all on board (because the last time (the first time) I brought someone home I guess they really were not…). In that I also let them know that my date is gender queer which then led to a discussion about different definitions (i.e. Genderqueer, Transgender, Transsexual)…which I thought was awesome! So my date came to dinner and dessert, I think it went well. My family is very uber protective of me and has strong opinions so I am sure at some point I will get "gentle" feedback but I really don't care as I got to spend most of Christmas day with both my family and the person I am dating and it was nice having him there with me :)

By: Elisabeth

Elisabeth — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 05:28:56 +0000

The holidays are often painful as I am no longer in contact with most of my family. However, I am still close with my aunt and this year, I spent a few days with her. Unlike any other place I’ve been to, I am able to be carefree here, to cast aside my worries, relax, read, and enjoy her company. I am thankful to have her and time to take care of myself this year.

By: Caitlyn

Caitlyn — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 03:08:46 +0000

On Christmas Day this year, I went to my grandparent's house with all my extended family. I feel like my faggy prep school boi outfit was probably lost on them-straight leg black velvet pants, sweater vest with an old pin of a crest jauntily attached below my collar bone, a crisp white button down rolled to the elbows- but I felt good, and had vowed to stop dressing in assigned gender clothing for family occasions. Some time after I got there, my aunt asked me to go select a wine and open it for everyone. Such a small thing, and she said it casually, but I felt seen and recognized as the adult butch that I am. It was the best part of my holiday.

By: alphafemme

alphafemme — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 02:58:19 +0000

well, I just wrote a post about how much I hate dealing with homophobia when I'm with my family for the holidays, so instead I'll comment here on how my favorite thing about Christmas is going to midnight mass on Christmas Eve at the (Episcopal) church I grew up attending. I'm not even remotely religious anymore, but there's something about the ritual… the incense, the music, the candle light, the pipe organ… it's just so peaceful.