Discardia is a new holiday.
Why do we need a new holiday?
Well, not exactly need, not as such, but this is a very good holiday. It doesn’t involve obligations or expense or overblown expectations of specialness. It does not require you to interact with people whom you do not wish to interact with. In fact, it doesn’t require you to do anything.
Okay, that doesn’t sound too bad. When is it?
The exact days vary. It takes place in the time between the Solstices & Equinoxes and their following new moons. Sometimes it’s short and sometimes it’s long.
Odd. So what is it a celebration of?
Nothing.
What?
Discardia is celebrated by getting rid of stuff and ideas you no longer need. It’s about letting go, abdicating from obligation and guilt, being true to the self you are now. Discardia is the time to get rid of things that no longer add value to your life, shed bad habits, let go of emotional baggage and generally lighten your load.
I’m beginning to like the sound of this. What else do you do during Discardia?
Well, bear in mind that obligation is anti-discardian, so you can do whatever suits you – including celebrating Discardia when it isn’t Discardia. However, one thing you might like to consider is the idea of culminating the Discardian season with a particular act of letting go. For example, on the Discardian new moon you might decide that you won’t buy anything or bring anything into your home and that you will instead just enjoy the fact that you have enough. Or you might make that your night to be completely selfish, avoid all social commitments and do something you really enjoy, regardless of what anyone else thinks or expects of you.
Where did Discardia originate?
In the strange mind of Ms. Dinah Sanders on, appropriately enough, another more obligation-ridden holiday: December 25th, 2002.
Well, that explains a lot.
Quite.
Exciting update as of summer 2009: I’m writing a book about Discardia! Want to keep in touch and hear when it will be available to order? Follow Discardia on Twitter. (What could be more discardian than a 140 character limit, right?)
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