Wish Upon a Star (Tanabata)

Today is the 7th day of the 7th month, otherwise known as Tanabata. This is often called the star festival, and it relates to wishes. According to Barrish-sensei, here is the back story to the festival:

Two stars, Weaver Princess Star and Herd Boy Star were in love. The Weaver Princess Star was very good at weaving, and her father was a heavenly king. Although the Herd Boy Star was a boy of lowly birth, the king, kind-hearted, let them marry. But because they were in love so much, they forgot to do their work. The Weaver Princess Star did not weave the cloth and the Herd Boy Star did not take care of the herds of sheep. The king became so angry that he decided they must be separated. They were told to live at the opposite sides of the Milky Way, the Sparkling River of the Heavens. They were only to meet on the night of July 7th, when they cross the sky.

There are multiple versions out there. As always, wikipedia has something to say on the matter. No matter which story version you follow, today is the day for making wishes. This is usually done by writing your wish on a piece of paper, a tanzaku. You then tie this wish to a bamboo plant or pole. Little Tokyo has a couple of bamboo plants that always have wishes on them. To the point that the bamboo looks like it is stunted from it.

Me and SO decided we would participate this year at home (we participated last year in Little Tokyo). We took out some of our special origami paper and cut a nice piece for ourselves. We focused on what we wanted as we wrote. We then took our papers outside to hang on our wisteria plant (I know, it’s not quite the same). I also left some offerings out for the local fauna, so hopefully they will like it.

Tanzaku on our wisteria.

The offerings are tea and water- the only two beverages on tap in our house anymore, and cookies. Back when I offered to the fae regularly, they seemed to like sweet baked goods- sugar cookies and mini-cupcakes were the most common. Since I had some lying around, I decided to offer them up. If I would have had any, I would have offered daifuku as well.

Offerings

If you could wish for anything right now, what would you wish for?

Relevant Posts:

• A Big Pudding
• My Tanabata Wish
• The time is Now for the Tanabata Festival!
• Happy Tanabata 2012!
• Star Festival
• Tanabata Festival: Stars, Wishes and Street Food

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The Great Netjer Soda Guide

Ever needed something fast to offer the gods, but only had a fridge full of soda and wasn’t sure what to offer? Ever get in a pickle trying to figure out if Nebhet likes Pepsi or Coke? Well never fear, for I have created The Great Netjer Soda Guide that will allow you select which soda to give to which god with ease! Each of the sodas below has been hand selected for each Netjer ensuring a perfect fit and an awesome sensation as you leave this on the offering plate. Read on to find out which soda to offer your god and get to offering because who needs water anyways!

Crush – Shesmu
Dr. Pepper – Sekhmet, Imhotep
Mountain Dew – Meretseger or Geb
Big Red – Set, but beware not to give this to Osiris or Heru!
7 Up – Bast or HetHrw
Lift – Shu
Squirt – Min
Cream Soda – Min
Sierra Mist – Tefnut
Sunkist – Ra
Pepsi One – Aten
50/50 – Bawy
Barq’s Root Beer – Wepwawet
RC Cola – Any pharaohnic god/dess (Osiris, Ra, Geb, Heru, Aset, Hethrw, Nut)
Coke Zero – Nun, Amun
Jarritos – Khnum, Duamutef, Hapi, Imseti, Qebehsenuef
Sprite – Bes
Mello Yellow – Khepri
Brisk – Wenut
Vault – Heqet
Minute Maid – Seshat
Slice – Maahes
Love Body – Hethrw
Kuat – Osiris
Tab – Djehuty
Real Gold – Aset
Blue Sky – Nut

Have more soda suggestions? Place them in the comments section!
To view my more traditional offering guide, click here.