Back in the day, before the retail industry owned most of our holidays and before corporations had become "people", (could a presidential candidate have chosen anything stupider to say?) it was customary among European Pagans to give gifts of homemade food to relatives and friends on Winter Solstice. At that time of year in the northern hemisphere, harvest had been completed and Nature was at a loll, in between seasons. Food was a highly appreciated gift. The process of canning, of course, had not been invented, but our Ancestors dried herbs, brewed wine, distilled spirits, and baked. In fact, dried herbs and teas were the traditional ways everyone got enough folic acid during the winter.
The time between Mabon and Samhain is a very busy season for any type of agriculture, but the Ancients probably never had time to spare as the days got shorter, and Halloween, the last holy day of the year, got closer. The Goddess has blessed this Witch with a great garden and lots of creative ideas, and this year, the retail industry will have one less customer for Winter Solstice gift giving. Blessed Be!
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