С Рождеством - Merry Russian Christmas! From Floridabama with Love

С Рождеством! 

That's Merry Christmas in Russian.  Surely there are a few Russian immigrants in Alabama and Florida who would appreciate the sentiment.  Anyways, not all the Christian world celebrates Christmas on the 25th of December.  Russia celebrates this holiday on January 7th.  So in honor of the other half that celebrates Christmas today, we have the Florida Christmas flag.  Basically the flag of Florida is decked out with the Nativity story of Mary and Joseph, hours before the birth of baby Jesus.  Instead of the Native American woman with flowers, we have the iconic Christmas scene as the mother and father of Christ head towards Bethlehem with a star pointing the way.

Since the fraternal flag twin of Florida is Alabama, the Alabama state flag is North Polarized into a Christmas gift.  A big holiday bow has been added with a Merry Christmas tag. 

It is amazing what a little twist can do to a flag!  Pun intended. Alabama becomes a gift with white wrapping paper with a red bow.

Image Source for Christmas Bow: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/399905641891839295/

Final Night of Lunar Twilight 2019 - 5th Night & Final Night of Lunar Twilight

Lunar Twilight is based upon the fading phases of the Moon past the New Year.  As a reminder the celebration of a New Year is the celebration of a completion of an orbit around the Sun.

Although it is now 2019, the current Moon was created in 2018.  It will not be until January 7th, 2019 that the first, complete, new cycle of the Moon will begin.  As we celebrate the orbit around the Sun, it is proper and fair to acknowledge the Moon.

In a way the first five nights belong to the Moon, since this Moon was created in 2018.  So from a certain point of view, the nights virtually revert back to 2018, until the next new Moon of 2019.  Only after January 7th, 2019 will both the Sun and Moon will be in sync for 2019.

This celebration offers up a more peaceful and graceful transition from Old Year towards the New Year.  Besides making peace and saying goodbye to those that have passed, it is an opportunity to prepare in a positive way for the future.

It is the Moon, our heavenly object that is closest to us, that should say goodbye to the Old Year.

Lunar Twilight's 4th Night of 2019

Making peace with the past for hope into the future is a common end of year ritual.  Emotions do not easily turn off or at the stroke of the hour.  Remedies take time, and some problems have to burn their oil out; it is proper to acknowledge them rather than to ignore them.

One of most efficient remedies is music.  In the soul of America, the wallowing, sweet and somber song of the Country Gentleman can help other make that transition easier.

Our lives are impacted many, it is always good practice to appreciate all the 10,001 good things that have fallen into one's lap.  In any transition it is good to appreciate things small and big, especially small.

As for flag geeks, that is the correct flag in the video below.  Although it is supposed take place in the late 1940s.  In this quantum reality, the US had 50 states in 1947, because in this alternate reality the Panama Canal Zone and and Cuba became US States.  So yes, that is the correct US flag in this video.

Paint Ball Red & Blue Flags from today's Big Bang Theory Show

Capturing the flag is often a vital component in paint ball.  Today on the Big Bang Theory Show a red and blue flag appear as our pals work out their problems and play a game. 

Bernadette can be see getting the blue flag.

 Penny and Leonard are having a little discussion while the red flag is in the background.  Although Leonard has 'captured' the flag Penny shoots him.




Leonard, in blue, shoots his load at Penny, and the red team's flag is in the background.

Lunar Twilight - The Third Night 2018's Echo in 2019

Heartfelt reflection of the passing year is an important aspect for Lunar Twilight.

Reflection on the heart is something that needs to be encouraged.  The hyper stimulation of life can lead to stress and a potentially burst of ugly bottled up emotions.  Relying on sleep alone to decompress, just won't cut it.

Although music can help, allowing one's mind to listen to the heart without judgement and feel its message is the most wholesome remedy.

Lunar Twilight - Second Night Afterglow of 2018

Here is the what a Lunar Twilight Candelmast looks like on the second night.  One candle has disappeared to represent the passing of the second night of Lunar Twilight, under the last Moon created in 2018.  Although officially 2019, at night the last embers of 2018 are slowly dimming down.

Here is another song that captures the mood of Lunar Twilight, by U2. It is time to unplug from the television and computers.  Quiet reflection of the passing year with or without music is a must. 

Lunar Twilight 2018

Although it is 2019, the last Moon of 2018 shines on at night for five nights of 2019.  This gives us five more nights to say goodbye and make peace with 2018.  This year the Lunar Twilight Candelmast has five candles.

Unlike Hannukah and Kwanzaa, all the candles are all lit at the beginning of Lunar Twlight.  Each night a candle burns out completely, which will be the shortest, to represent the passing of a day.  When the shortest candle burns out, the others should be blown out before the dawn of the next day.  Then on the next sunset of the day afterwards the remaining candles are to be lit, whence the next shortest candle burns out in the manner, until none are left.

The celebration of Lunar Twilight is a universal inclusive celebration to mark the passing of time for any person of any heritage, faith, nationality, gender, or path to appreciate our connection to the heavens by ancient traditions and modern science revelations, or a mixture of both.  

It won't be until January 7, 2019 that the first Moon of 2019 will be.  And if you want to get ready for January 2020, there will be 23 extra nights of 2019.  That means, we have to wait until January 25th 2020, for the first cosmic night of 2020, because that is when the first Moon of 2020 arrives. 

Thus the last echo of 2018 burns out at high noon GMT/UTC January 7, 2019.  The curated 2018 Lunar Twilight Goodbye Song that captures the feels of this holiday is an INXS song, Afterglow 2006