Tomorrow, Harry Potter fans all over the country will be celebrating their most joyous holiday: Voldemort Defeat Day.
Okay, I admit it. I’m one of them. Not the kind who wears a witch’s hat to work and pretends my writing course is actually a potions class, but a fan nonetheless. And since this is a blog on writing and spirituality, I should add that I think Harry Potter is a deeply spiritual work. All that Christian symbolism and Pagan imagery? Good defeating evil? People dying and coming back to life? In fact, I think that the spirituality is one of the reasons for the popularity of the books. (That, plus the fact that they’re exciting and charming and beautifully written).
More importantly, Voldemort Defeat Day is a holiday, and any excuse for a celebration is fine with me. My university is celebrating with special food and a few events, but if you have no events near you—or if you prefer to celebrate in the privacy of your own head—here are some ideas:
1. Drink pumpkin juice. Okay, don’t. It sounds awful. But try some of these pumpkin delicacies instead: Pumpkin Bars, Pumpkin Pancakes, Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies. And, if you insist on the real deal, here it is: Five Best Pumpkin Juice Recipes
2. Make cupcakes. No occasion is complete without sweets. Have a feast with these really cute HP cupcakes.
3. Make up your own Harry Potter foods. You think all Harry and friends was pumpkin juice, treacle fudge, and Molly Weasley’s chicken-and-ham pie? What other magical foods might they serve at Hogwarts—or in your own magical universe? Wave that magic wand around the kitchen and see what you come up with.
5. Watch a Harry Potter Marathon. Yes, you can spend 20 hours in a row watching movies.
6. Write some fan fiction. I’m personally not a fan of fan fiction–write your own fiction is my motto–but a lot of people have fun with it, and it you’re one of them, go for it. Check out one of the fan fiction websites, such as: www.fanfiction.net/book/Harry_Potter
7. Embrace your inner wizard. Let’s face it: none of us are muggles. We’ve all got a little magic somewhere in there. Just have to find it. Spend Voldemort Defeat Day figuring out where you left yours.
8. Defeat Evil.Voldemort is dead, but evil is very much alive. Ask yourself this: WWHPD? Even when he wasn’t busy battling evil, our hero was consistently kind, humble, giving, and thoughtful. Donate some money. Donate some time. Help a suffering animal. Give a sincere compliment. Smile at a friend. Tell someone you love them. The best way to celebrate Voldemort Defeat Day is to go out and defeat some evil, one kind word at a time.
I LOVE this!!! I have to send it to my daughter and call her to make sure she reads her email. This post has me smiling. All the recipes! Yum! And I need to make you jealous because here in France there’s a frozen food supermarket that has the best frozen pumpkin puree that puts Libby’s to shame. Now, when you tell readers to ask themselves: WWHPD? – the best advice ever! And I like your responses to that question.
Oh, thank you so much, Karen! And I’m already totally jealous of you getting to live in France, even if they didn’t have fabulous pumpkin puree.