Humanist Holiday - Pyrmera!

Every year, near to the southern solstice, Aretéans gather in their communities to celebrate all of the things we symbolically associate with the classical element of fire, on our holiday of "Pyrmera"! (pronounced: peer-mehr-ah)

Join our community on this day for food, song, and gifts! It's always a great time, especially for newcomers! Let's have a Powerful Pyrmera, and live up to our mantra to Be Excellent to Each Other, and Party On!

Holiday Schedule and Details:

The main events of the day will be held at Ken's home, known as "Harmony Place"

898 Sawtelle Ave, San Diego, CA 92114

https://maps.app.goo.gl/LYVF5ZSrVp9GLvUt5

1130h - "Avatar: Fire & Ash" showing

The third movie in the Avatar trilogy will be out, with perfect timing and great theming for Pyrmera! We’ll watch it at AMC Plaza Bonita 14 in Chula Vista (near the 805 and 54). Make sure to eat some food beforehand as it’s a long movie, and to hold your appetite over until cocktail hour and the feast later on in the day! Get your tickets below- we'll be centered on seat H10.

https://www.amctheatres.com/showtimes/138187661/seats

1530h - Cocktail Hour at Harmony Place

If you arrive by 1530h your drive will be during daylight still, as will finding a parking spot! Once you're here, we'd love to cheers with either a fancy mocktail or cocktail according to your preference. Spicy Bloody Marias, Fire Orange Cervezas, and Spiked Mexican Hot Chocolate are traditional on Pyrmera! This is also a great time to prepare any food you’re bringing for the feast!

1700h - Potluck Feast

We'll sit down together as a community to share a delicious meal with each other. Great company begets great conversation, and this will be a meal to remember! Please sign up to bring something using our Perfect Potluck link:

https://www.perfectpotluck.com/HEVN6653

1900h - Holiday Convocation!

The main event of the day! We'll sing some powerful music and listen to some inspiring messages, and then pledge ourselves to the new season with our annual ritual: "The Gift of Fire". Come commit yourself to facing your fears and taking some risks! If you only attend one thing this day, make it this one!

2000h - Promethean Gift Exchange

The ancient Greeks, from whom many of the Aretéan ideas originate, believed that the titan Prometheus gave fire as a gift to humans, which ignited the spark of innovation in our species until this day- we also give gifts on this day, hoping that what we give might do the same! Specifically, we try to give gifts which will educate, inspire, or be of some practical use; rather than contributing to mindless consumerism.

We ask that each attendee please bring one wrapped gift, with a target value of about $40, either unlabeled or labeled as being "From Prometheus". If a great gift costs less or more than $40, get that excellent gift, rather than worrying about the price tag! Use your human capacity for reason to get a gift that will offer real value to its recipient, rather than being cheap trash that will clutter their life.

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Pyrmera Traditions & Celebrations

On Pyrmera we celebrate the symbolic element of fire, seeking an enlightened world, facing our fears and taking risks, and the incredible power of human consciousness. We traditionally give gifts to others in the community on this day, using the symbology of the mythological Greek Titan, Prometheus. Pyrmera is also a day to remember the dead, both to think about the human fear of death, and also the charge our ancestors would give us to keep moving forward!

Flavor Profile

Traditionally we eat spicy, firey food on Pyrmera! Roasted and grilled food is also encouraged, as are foods with bright red and orange colors.

Traditional Attire

Pyrmera is the holiday where we traditionally dress up a bit, with semi-formal attire. This can mean a shirt and tie, a dress, or otherwise wearing your “Sunday best”. Think about accenting your clothes with the holiday’s color scheme (red, gold, black, and white) or symbols appropriate to Pyrmera!

Pyrmera is always an awesome time, and usually one of our best attended holidays! We hope you'll celebrate with us for as much of it as you can!