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Hello there, treasured reader!
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Welcome to the September newsletter!
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This month, I'm excited to take you behind the scenes and share a work-in-progress project. I'd love your help on how to bring it to life!
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I've been working on a new book for secular families who want to create their own Christmas traditions.
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When I started my family and it was time to celebrate the wintertime holidays, I had to rethink everything. What would these celebrations mean for us?
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I wanted to understand the genesis and evolution of winter holiday customs. How did Santa, gifts, Jesus' birth, and Christmas trees all come to be? I knew that many elements of Christmas are rooted in pagan rituals and festivities. But which ones? And how?
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One key theme emerged across nearly every end-of-year celebration: light. Winter solstice marks the longest night of the year, and celebrations focus on the return of light as spring approaches.
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Through a secular lens, light takes on rich meaning. It can refer to Human Light—the Humanist holiday celebrated around December 23 that celebrates the light in all of us. It can also be explored scientifically, revealing how our understanding evolved over centuries.
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Did you know that early Greeks believed rays came from our eyes to perceive objects?
Ibn al-Haytham revolutionized this in 1021, hypothesizing that objects emit light that travels in straight lines to our eyes.
Christiaan Huygens developed wave theory in 1678 to explain refraction. Isaac Newton proposed light as particles in 1704, explaining reflection and demonstrating the spectrum of colors with a prism.
Finally, Einstein's 1905 photon concept gave us our modern understanding of the wave particle duality, light behaves as both wave and particle.
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Just as scientists built our understanding through collaboration, we can create meaningful traditions by building on the wisdom of those before us. As Newton said,
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"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants."
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This exploration inspired me to create a decoration that tells light's story, plus a gift box of secular holiday activities to accompany the book - I'll tell you more about that next month!
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Here's where I need your help: I've narrowed down the cover art options but can't decide which best captures this book's spirit. Would you take 2 minutes to share your thoughts in this survey?
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Your input will directly shape how this book comes to life. Thank you for being part of this journey!
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Make sure you don't miss an email. Please add betsy@betsydeville.com to your Contacts, and mark this email as Important, it will keep it from floating off into cyberspace!
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A phylogenetic tree diagram depicts evolutionary relationships as they evolve from common ancestry.
Worthy of awe in its own right, it has been reimagined using resin in a stained-glass style to celebrate the wonder of evolution and the interconnectedness of all living things. Hanging ribbon included.
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Includes an illustrated guide and descriptions of some of the special creatures featured in the diagram!
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$30.00
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We have it in our power to begin the world over again.
This Thomas Paine quote has been a daily motivation for me. Thomas Paine inspired the American people, shaped public opinion, and garnering support for a revolution with his pamphlet, Common Sense. Let this fuel you to action during these fraught times.
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$14.99
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Do you know someone who would enjoy this newsletter? Sharing is caring!
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