Tag Archives: ritual

valhalla.

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scottish children gave their goldfish a viking funeral

most people could only be so lucky as to receive the kind of funeral that two goldfish in the scottish isle of orkney were given by some children who were learning about vikings.

the pair of classroom mascots, bubbles and freddy, belonged to the 3rd and 4th grade classes of the papdale school in the town of kirkwall, according to the BBC. the fish had been with the students for a few months, but died about a week before the kids were due to learn about the vikings, so it was decided that they would send the pets to valhalla with a viking funeral.
the students created a small fleet of miniature coffin boats to send off the deceased, fashioned out of cereal boxes and egg crates. they also wrote and recited their favorite memories about bubbles and freddy. finally, they led a funeral procession to a nearby stream where the boats were put in the water, and the lead vessel was set on fire.

may bubbles and freddy forever swim in the halls of their warrior heaven, valhalla.

“to live in the hearts we leave behind is to live forever.”

― carl sagan

credits: bbc scotland news, e. grundhauser

why?

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     now you might reasonably say to me: “why put yourself through all this? why go up to the loft when you know the decorations won’t be there? why untangle the lights when you know they haven’t a chance of working?” and my answer to you is that this is part of the ritual. christmas wouldn’t be christmas without it.’  bill bryson – ‘notes from a big country’

What...im-busy-for-Christmas-eve