Welcome to the premiere issue of PaganMoon Magazine, the voice of the Alternative Faith Awareness. With this and all future issues, we wish to explore interfaith issues and examine the culture around us.

You may have noticed that the title of this column is "Our Two Cents". Why our? And why two cents? Well. You may have noticed that we do not have a single editor. The editor position of the magazine is shared by Morte and myself. I think of it as good editor and bad editor. Or perhaps bad editor, and stranger editor? I'm not sure which. I have found over the years that I'm truly horrible at editing my own work. But not too bad at someone else's work. So we need each other to catch our mistakes. We felt that a strong sense of quality in our work and the community has been missing and we hope to correct that. Together we share the role of editor, and together, with others, we hope to help to change the culture around us into something more tolerant.

PaganMoon is not aimed solely at Pagans. It is not about a polytheistic religion, or about a monotheistic one. There has been concern lately in the Community, that Paganism does not cover all groups, Wiccans have taken it as meaning Wiccan, and anyone not following the Rede isn't following the right, the white path. We aim to share with the community a sense of interfaith and tolerance of all religions which most modern religions do not directly share, since they have not explored why people follow other religions. We hope to share a sense of pride, and a sense of humility. Pride in the religion you follow, pride in your culture, but personal humility.

So put down the picket signs, and stop the witchy wars. Let go of your hatred and find peace and understanding. We aren't here to take your children, your faith, your culture, or your soul. We are here to open your mind... to possibilities.

Neal Levin
CO-Editor-In-Chief

I remember the holiday season when I was young. It was always "Merry Christmas," and the closest I came to a different celebration was a classmate who was a Jehovah's Witness. As I grew older (and as my family moved several times) I became aware of Chanukah, then Epiphany, Saint Lucia's Day, Solstice, Kwanzaa and many more. Now as a grown woman, the world has changed, what I laughingly refer to as the "hollydaze" are more complex, my own celebrations more diverse.

My husband is Jewish, I'm Pagan and I was raised Christian. We keep the traditions of our families alive, even as we forge our own way. My husband tells me about how Santa Claus would leave presents in the screen door for him and his sister, because, well, that's where Santa leaves the Jewish kids' presents. Some of my best memories are of Christmas with my family, and although gifts are nice, the memories revolve around the people. They're memories of us spending time together and having fun.

Since my parents are from two very different sects of Christianity, they forged their own way. We have some quirky traditions, some religious, some not. The tree-topper at home is always religious, never secular, we always go all out on decorations and baking, and we always hide Mom's Elvis Christmas tape after it's been played back to back too many times. And every year on Christmas Eve we stay home, order Chinese food and spend that time together as a family. I never realized until I left home how rich my family's traditions are and how much they bind us together making us a family unit. Every Christmas we knew that we were loved. There were bad years and good, financially, but all of them were good years.

Now, even though Christianity is no longer the path I follow, I embrace the celebration in the spirit of the love my parents brought to it. Whether I'm celebrating the turn of the season, a miracle in Jerusalem, the birth of Christ or the rebirth of the God, I celebrate with joy and love. No matter what holiday you celebrate, no matter what religious path you follow, when love is the center of your celebration it truly is to borrow from an old song "the most wonderful time of the year." So many celebrations of hope are held in the darkest month of the year, and even the non-religious holidays like Kwanzaa are about the very best that human nature has to offer.

I hope you enjoy reading about the different holidays and their meanings, as well as the other offerings we have this issue. Everything from respect of unfamiliar cultures to the roots of modern celebrations, to learning about yourself through your own views is presented here, for you, in our premier edition. Whatever your path, whatever your celebration, may the season shine for you.

Best Wishes,
Morte Portney
CO-Editor-In-Chief