Mother Mystic's Musings

With the holiday season in full swing, it’s natural that many of us are invited to family gatherings.  These events are not always pleasant occasions for some of us.  It’s normal for not every family member to get along.  Here’s what I do to make the best of difficult situations.  Find the oldest person in the room and ask them how things were done in their “time.”

Usually, it doesn’t take much to get an older person talking about “the good old days”.  Although some folks may go on and on about some uninteresting topic, if you are skillful, you can probably coax them into sharing folk magic tidbits.  Ask Aunt Tilda why she doesn’t put her purse on the floor and you may get a treasury of magical folklore that you had no idea existed!  Of course you don’t want to come right out and state that you’re digging for magickal tips, you have to be subtle about it.  Figure out the best way to phrase your question so that it is open ended and relates to the person’s past.

If there aren’t any elders at your family gathering, then focus on the in-laws.  Every family has their own quirks and what better way to get to know your in-laws than by asking them about their own family traditions?  It’s an easy topic segue from Xmas to New Year’s and many families have New Year’s traditions to bring in prosperity.  If your family members are sensitive to the “magick” word, then find another euphemism.  Your goal is collect folklore and survive the gathering.  Even if Cousin Jane rants on and on about how evil Aunt Gertrude used to make them eat grapes on New Year’s because she was superstitious, you don’t have to disagree to get her to keep talking.  A simple “oh my and what else did she do?” should bring forth a plethora of old family traditions.

Keep in mind not all of what you hear will be new or usable but you’ll get through your gathering with your sanity intact and hopefully more than a few magickal gems of knowledge.  And your family will be none the wiser!