Merry Everything, Happy Always! Seasons Best From MAAF
“Merry Everything, Happy Always!”
This was the quote shared by MASH Fort Campbell on their parade float for the Clarksville, Tennessee annual holiday parade. The group constructed a parade float that informed the viewers of the “Evolution of Christmas,” showing how the holiday evolved from a winter solstice celebration, to Saturnalia, Yule, and finally Christmas. Members who participated in the parade handed out candy and waved to the crowd along the route. Response was positive, and the group was able to educate the community a bit more about the seasons holidays and traditions.
The MASH Fort Bragg group ended their Winter Solstice Food Drive on December 19th, when Brenda and Paul Germain dropped off the accumulated donations to the Southern Pines branch of the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. They donated 124 pounds of food and a cash donation of $150. This group also held their annual Solstice celebration gathering, with 17 heathens coming together for a pastafarian dinner, ornament making, and to decorate their Tree of Knowledge and hang stockings around their Star Trek display.
Aviano MAAF in Italy held another tabling event at the local BX, with information about their group and MAAF to create awareness and build their local membership. They had a “Choose Your Own Holiday Greeting” event. On the table were several papers, each with a different seasonal greeting written on it, along with pieces of candy. When a passerby selected a candy off a particular page, MAAF members would warmly state the greeting written on the page under the candy. It was a very positive event, and embraced the diversity of all, and helped everyone see a positive message during the event. The group was also able to speak with some supervisors, who collected information to share with their subordinates in their various units who might be interested.
The Fort Irwin Freethinkers hosted their event, the Festivus for the Rest of Us, on the Solstice, bringing together local members for a gathering of family, friends, free thought, and fun. CENTEX MAAF and MASH Fort Campbell held a Solstice Brunches at local restaurants to share discussion and companionship over a meal. MAAF Little Rock members attended a Winter Solstice Celebration hosted by a local Freethought group in Arkansas. MAAF-JBLM in Washington held their first gathering in December at a local coffee house to discuss future gatherings and events.
Upcoming events include MAAF Redstone in Huntsville, Alabama, who will be coming together on the 25th for their seasonal get together, and CENTEX will host a White Elephant gift Exchange and Potluck. KMC-MAAF members in Germany will be making their way to Weisbaden for a HumanLight Gathering and potluck meal.
At MAAF National, we organized a Toys for Tots collection, and were able to fill two of the collection boxes with donated toys for underprivileged children. The toys will be distributed throughout the Northern Virginia area. The mission of Toys for Tots is to send a message of hope to underprivileged children to help them become productive and patriotic citizens.
So, as December comes to an end, and as you have your own gatherings, MAAF and all of the affiliate groups wish you Merry Everything, and may you be happy always!