Wonderful first Nemoralia

[u/Ketachloride]

New to all this, and taking things slow, so we opted for the 15th for Diana's day, instead of the full 3 days.
I've finally got a grasp on the varying competing ritual structures, long and short, picked a combo of what works, and more importantly learned how to personalize, i.e expanding on the requests for 'propitiousness.'
It's like writing poetry, you really can go deep.
We started the day with a proper ritual, including our Lares, Genia, Manes, and Penates, with an additional call to Diana to watch our activities during the day after we finished her prayers.
We wrote wishes on ribbons and tied them to trees.
We cut a few ends of our hair to burn later.
At nightfall we lit a torch and went into the woods to a pond, and did a proper evening rite, incorporating an old hymn to Diana.
My youngest daughter is normally scared of the dark but was fearless tonight.
Afterwards, my wife waited with our dog by the water, while my daughters accompanied me deeper into the black woods to a giant 200+ year old oak we've wondered about for years.
I poured out most of the remains of the patera, swirled the rest and drank. We marveled at the shapes and faces hidden in the bark.
Then the torch hike back home.
We bathed in our pool, laughing and reflecting, and brought our dog in too.
They love the idea of Diana being a patron to them as little girls, alone. It was their day as much as ours.
Warmed up inside, let the girls be wild for a bit, talked about our household and family, and everything that happened this night. Read some more of the Hobbit, then bedtime.

[u/IAmFrenzii]

That sounds like a lovely celebration! Very happy for you and being able to share with your entire family. May Diana watch over your girls

[u/bizoticallyyours83]

Sounds like a beautiful celebration