The Feast Of Saint Emo

[bloodyrosemccoy]

Well, I only have a job for two more weeks, the holidays are over, my brother’s leaving us to go back to school in a couple of days, I have no fingernail, and it’s still winter. Life is something of a bummer right now.

 

So over dinner tonight, we discussed this and decided that we need another damn holiday to give us something to look forward to. Valentine’s Day doesn’t count, since after elementary school it’s all shmarmy couples, stressed out boyfriends, wad o’ diamonds commercials, and pissed-off singles. We need something all-inclusive.  And something that isn't commemorative, like MLK Jr. Day, which is important but not exactly a fun-filled holiday you look forward to; it's more somber.

 

So I have decided. Given that the third Monday of January is supposedly the most depressing day of the year, I hereby declare it the Feast of Saint Emo. We will decorate with black and blue streamers, tear drops, and frowny faces. We will light black candles, listen to whiny indy music and sad love songs, maybe watch March of the Penguins or Hamlet. Maybe we can strew fake ferns and willows around.

 

We’re still trying to think of traditional time-honored foods. So far we’ve got pomegranates (actually traditionally and time-honoredly emo) and ice cream right out of the bucket, as well as lots of cups of tea.

 

Clearly, this is a prototype holiday right now, but I believe this could catch on. So I say to you: who is with me? Who thinks we need another holiday to get us though this? And what suggestions do you have for ways to celebrate our Pity Party on the Feast of Saint Emo? Sure, traditions are organic, but they have to start somewhere, and I’m starting this one now!

ETA: After some thought, my sister and I are going with our original plan of having it January 24, to avoid MLK Day.  So it's moved back to then!

Comments

[mathsnerd]

Emo poetry writing contests!

I vote for Red Velvet cupcakes (red like blood) and gifts of black eyeliner at the breakfast table.

[estrelladesax.livejournal.com]

I completely and totally agree. I want to throw one of these parties. But my friends would accuse me of being emo. ...We'll probably just drink heavily and watch Shakespeare (not necc. Halet) instead.

And definitely on the ice cream. Chocolate ice cream. buckets of it. ...Although I'm more partial to fruit sorbet swirl, actually... Hmn.

[(Anonymous)]

Oh. I'm game. Tofu or some sort of meat substitute is pretty emo. Good luck eating that.

Take pictures! I wanna see :)

-Lychee

[bean-bunny.livejournal.com]

Keep reminding me, and yes! I'll celebrate the Feast of Saint Emo.

[padparadscha.livejournal.com]

Dang, we should do Emo Doll Photostories! Let's see if I can find anything depressing for the girls to wear, because the twins would be totally into it.

[cwoolard.livejournal.com]

Coincidentally, this year, the third Monday in January is George W's last day in office.

[padparadscha.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. That may damage the spirit of the Feast.

Not that this is a bad thing ...

[katerinfg.livejournal.com]

Got here via a link from pixel39...

Love the concept, absolutely, not to mention your description of Valentine's Day. But isn't that also MLK Day?

What about February 15th?

[meghan1313.livejournal.com]

A friend and I instituted Anti-Valentine's Day a couple years ago, to be celebrated anytime from 2/15 to the following Sunday (to give as many as will the chance to play too). You get together with a bunch of buddies and be as unromantic as possible, like going out and seeing a movie where many things get blown up, or something else as non-chickflicky as possible.

[padparadscha.livejournal.com]

Ooh, thanks for reminding me. My sister and I are changing it back to January 24, which was my original idea.

Granted, not sure how emo I'll be THIS year, but who am I to let that ruin a good holiday?

[dormouse-in-tea.livejournal.com]

This is BRILLIANT.

I'm more than half tempted to decorate my cubical at work for this.

[westrider.livejournal.com]

I'm down with that. You're forgetting/unaware of Wintereenmas (http://www.wintereenmas.com/), the Gamer's Holiday though ;)

[redbird57.livejournal.com]

The Feast of St Emo should most definatly be celebrated with chocolate. Lots and lots of chocolate.

[beccastareyes]

Schadenfreude Pie?

(Funny, in my family, Valentines Day was an all inclusive 'celebrate people you love' holiday, to the point where Mom will still mail me a box of chocolate, a card, and something she thinks I need that she noticed was wearing out when I was home for Christmas, even though I am in grad school. Which means I'm one of the few single people who doesn't loathe the holiday, which worked out well for me.)

[padparadscha.livejournal.com]

That pie is PERFECT.

I have an aunt who does that sort of Valentine celebration. I'm very glad for it because I rather like the pink-and-red hearts and candy and whatnot. I just wish other people got into the spirit more.

[beccastareyes]

I've always wanted to try the recipe, and this January gives me an excuse. I'd have to bring it into work, though, to get rid of all of it.

[narnian-dreamer.livejournal.com]

First, a comfort-food feast in which everything involves little to no preparation because who wants to cook when they're depressed? The main dish will be macaroni and cheese, the kind with the powdered cheese and noodles shaped like cartoon characters.

Afterwards, everyone will pull a piece of paper in a hollowed-out skull (or rubber novelty thereof) and the person who receives the dreaded Black Spot will be dubbed the anti-festive emo-tree. Everyone else will decorate him with glow-in-the dark paint and stars, then turn on the blacklight. He must stand in total silence (assumption of the yoga tree pose optional) while everyone else gathers around his eerie glow and unwraps terrible, depressingly practical presents like socks and paperclips.

After this ritual, the tree is allowed to resume personhood, and everyone gets very drunk while watching an emo-film (suggestions: The Nightmare Before Christmas or Labyrinth.)

At midnight, everyone moves into the backyard to stare at the unforgiving vastness of space and ponder mankind's insignificance in an infinite, apathetic universe. BONUS POINTS IF IT IS RAINING!

Then all partygoers pass out on the living room floor and wake up with traditional Feast of St. Emo hangovers.

[padparadscha.livejournal.com]

Wahoo! These are awesome ideas.

Afterwards, everyone will pull a piece of paper in a hollowed-out skull

Funny you should come up with that. My friend happens to have a fancy plastic medical skull with a detachable cranium ...

I'd dub the spot recipient the Debbie Downer.

[viizou.livejournal.com]

Finally, a holiday that is neither cheerful nor solemn!

I suggest addding guacamole and anything with melted cheese to the menu. And also leftover Christmas chocolate.

What about a dress code? Should people make an effort to look particularly emo, or should sweatpants be the norm? Actually, this question applies to the entire holiday: should people just be naturally depressed, or should they make a special effort, thereby turning it into a performance? I'd opt for the second interpretation.

[padparadscha.livejournal.com]

I suppose either dress theme is fine--bonus points for emo effort, but sweatpants are allowed if you're just too damn depressed to even bother. ;)

should people just be naturally depressed, or should they make a special effort, thereby turning it into a performance? I'd opt for the second interpretation.

Yeah, I was thinking totally hyperbolic theatrical depression, myself. The idea was to laugh in the face of depression by caricaturing it.

[lady-of-mists.livejournal.com]

I was looking at this via a friend's link... and just had to say that this made me smile. Huzzah for the feast of St. Emo. :)

I think that you should have hot chocolate, but you can't have the marshmallows because they aren't dark enough. (Unless you get chocolate marshmallows...)

You should also stay in bed late and whinge for a little while as you get up, just to put yourself in the proper mood. Perhaps not turn any lights on in your house, except for candles... which should be black. ;)

[queenlyzard.livejournal.com]

Who the heck was Saint Elmo anyways? Did he have anything to do with Elmo the Muppet? And if not, can we still include that Elmo in the holiday?

Also, remind me to chat with you about ideas for Gothmass...

er....

[queenlyzard.livejournal.com]

*laughs* Just reread the entry a bit more carefully. St. Emo indeed. Funny how the brain fills in those expected letters.

Ok, this definitely has to be linked to Gothmass.

[padparadscha.livejournal.com]

*grin* Actually, you're right--there was a Saint Elmo, which I know because of my learnings only because there's a lightning-related plasma phenomenon, commonly associated with storms at sea, known as St. Elmo's Fire. That's actually why "Saint Emo" sounded so right to me, and probably why you misread.

Also, I looked up St. Elmo. As far as I can tell, his whole story is that he got beat up a lot and was thus made a patron saint of sailors. St. Elmo's Fire is actually a lot more interesting.

I will refer you to my friend gondolinchick01 for Gothmas ideas. Alas, I had to miss it this year, and have never actually been, but she could give you some tips!

[queenlyzard.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'd heard about the St. Elmo's fire thing before. There was also a movie named after it, for no reason I could understand, although the movie was kinda fun.

[chorus-of-chaos.livejournal.com]

somehow made my way here via something or another i was reading, hope you don't mind but linked a post to this for my flist only because this definitely needs to become a national holiday :)

[padparadscha.livejournal.com]

*grin* Don't mind at all. Go for it!