The holidays, in the aftermath of a global pandemic, have changed many traditions about the year end including a heightened desire to feel rooted to one another. The discomforts of not being able to celebrate with family as often, and share experiences and ugly sweaters with friends may have altered how we celebrate but has only heightened our holiday gift giving traditions which now include an exciting catalog of cannabis inspired holiday gift ideas.
Giving gifts is a way to express gratitude and appreciation for those we love, and it just feels pretty amazing to see the look (even virtual) on someone’s face when you give them something that reflects your connection. For the religious, exchanging presents is an opportunity to strengthen their faith and bond with the community. For the family, exchanging gifts is an opportunity to shut off from daily life and create more lasting memories.
Evidence was established in 1936 by an etymologist named Sula Benet, from the Institute of Anthropological Sciences in Warsaw. Benet discovered that the word for cannabis (once originally thought to be of Scythian origin), appears to have been first noted in the Semitic languages, such as Hebrew.
In traditional Hebrew, Cannabis is known as kaneh or kannabus.
Benet demonstrated that the ancient word for cannabis is Kaneh-Bosm and that it is mentioned 5 times in the Old Testament! It is said to be a ‘fragrant kane’ designated as kaneh-bosm. As well, it was written as part of the holy anointing oil – as evident from Exodus 30:22 -33 when prophet-shaman Moses goes to speak to the Lord he goes into an enclosure called ‘the tent of the meeting’ where he covers himself in (hemp) oil and places some of it in the incense altar- he then burns it and speaks to the Lord through a pillar of smoke over the incense altar.
Then God Said, I Give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth, and every tree that has fruit in it.
Genesis 1:29-30
The whole story of ‘Santa Claus’, that Old English take on the Old Dutch tradition of ‘SinterKlaas’, then morphed into American literature with jolly ‘St. Nick’, dates back to the 1100s. The only connection with cannabis here is that the story of Sinterklaas has its roots in the Netherlands, the country that has welcomed legal recreational and decriminalized use of marijuana since 1976.
I suppose there are coffee shops that sell some pretty indulgent holiday edibles that could make Sinterklaas/Santa Claus and St. Nick even jollier characters than the folklore imagined! I’ll take it!
Dating back to 1876, the Sultan of Turkey gave to the U.S. marijuana as a gift! There have been many highs and lows for cannabis since its known beginnings in the year 2727, that what is old is new again, just don’t call it a comeback. Cannabis has been here as long as the ages and there’s no better way to return to our roots and uplift our spirits this holiday season then celebrating the rebirth of cannabis and cannabis gifts!
If the weather outside is frightening and you're looking for something delightful tune into our streaming CannaYule Log! The idea of a burning cannabis themed yule log started with Green Bee Life founder, Maria Calabrese who was inspired by her love of the holidays and her home's idyllic fireplace setting that has appeared on the Hallmark Channel.
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As we prepare to celebrate Yom Kippur during this year’s High Holidays, we’ve decided to explore Cannabis and Judaism. Of course, there’s the decorating, the candles, the music, the planning, the feasting and fasting, the family, the friends, the self-reflection, the resolutions. It is a time of renewal, spiritual awakening, community and giving, beginning with […]
