The Mythology of America's Seasonal Holidays : The Dance of the Horae

Every year we celebrate a cycle of seasonal holidays. The ancient Greeks called this cycle “The Dance of the Horae,” after the mythical divinities who represented the seasons. What myths sit at the foundation of our own holiday celebrations? This interdisciplinary book explores the myths and symbols that underlie our major seasonal holidays and give them their meaning. Arthur George also shows how America’s own mythmaking has shaped some holidays. This mythological approach reveals how and why holidays arose in the first place, how and why they have changed over the centuries, why they have remained important, and finally how we can celebrate them today in a more meaningful manner that can enrich our lives and better our society. George devotes particular attention to the depth psychological aspects of holidays and their corresponding myths, as well as to the insights of modern biblical scholarship for key holidays such as Easter and Christmas. Front Matter ....Pages i-xx Introduction: Why We Have Holidays (Arthur George)....Pages 1-12 New Year’s Day: Creation Renewed and Re-lived (Arthur George)....Pages 13-39 Groundhog Day: Prophecy, Rebirth, and Renewal (Arthur George)....Pages 41-49 Valentine’s Day: How a Saint Became Eros (Arthur George)....Pages 51-57 Unmasking Carnival (Arthur George)....Pages 59-67 Easter and Our Resurrection (Arthur George)....Pages 69-120 May Day: Beltane Fires and the May Queen-Goddess (Arthur George)....Pages 121-133 National Myth: The Goddess Behind America’s Independence Day (Arthur George)....Pages 135-148 Halloween: Eve of Transformation (Arthur George)....Pages 149-173 Thanksgiving: Our American Mythmaking in Action (Arthur George)....Pages 175-191 Christmas: New Beginnings and the Birth of the Divine Child-Hero (Arthur George)....Pages 193-248 Back Matter ....Pages 249-316 1. Introduction: Why We Have Holidays -- 2. New Year's Day: Creation Renewed and Re-lived -- 3. Groundhog Day: Prophecy, Rebirth, and Renewal -- 4. Valentine's Day: How a Saint Became Eros 5. Unmasking Carnival -- 6. Easter and Our Resurrection -- 7. May Day: Beltane Fires and the May Queen-Goddess -- 8. National Myth: The Goddess Behind America's Independence Day -- 9. Halloween: Eve of Transformation -- 10. Thanksgiving: Our American Mythmaking in Action -- 11. Christmas: New Beginnings and the Birth of the Divine Child-Hero