Book excerpt: As the twentieth century drew to a close, a pioneering book brought rituals and ceremonies down to earth and closer to home. Celebrating the Southern Seasons showed how the traditional European festivals we inherited can be a more profound experience if they are in tune with the seasons, how they can be adapted for Aotearoa, and how rewarding an appreciation of longstanding Maori festivals can be. In 2005, ten years after the book's first publication, New Zealanders are much more inclined than previously to consider how various traditions can enrich our celebrations here and now. Matariki, the New Year celebration at Winter Solstice, has undergone a massive resurgence - and other seasonal festivities are springing up all over the country. The time is ripe for an updated and expanded edition of Celebrating the Southern Seasons. In the tenth anniversary edition of this unique work, author Juliet Batten sheds more light on customs, symbols and meanings attached to seasonal changes. She reports not only on forms of celebration that New Zealanders have inherited and found but also on those we have devised and adapted. And she suggests readings, myths and stories to enrich our high days and holidays, strengthening the book's role as a valuable resource.