Winter Solstice
I am one of those people who begin to groan and moan on June 21st, knowing that winter is coming, the days are beginning to shorten & oh dear...the cold & dark days are coming. Crazy, right? But there are a lot of us. I didn't know that for a long time & my family considered me more than weird...more like a pain in the pinfeathers. The other side of the coin is that I look forward December 21/22, Winter Solstice, because now SUMMER is just around the corner!! right. For some reason ... too busy with other things perhaps ... this winter solstice has snuck (shut up, Jack...it's a word) up on me & I didn't get to fret but now I get to rejoice. SUMMER'S COMING!! For more on the subject read the following:
Winter Solstice
Christmas ... and Yule
by Rebecca Brents
The Winter Solstice in the northern hemisphere is the shortest day of the year, the official beginning of winter, the day the Sun moves into the cardinal sign of Capricorn. It varies on the calendar from the 20th to the 22nd of December, depending on when the Capricorn ingress occurs.
The word solstice itself literally means "when the sun stands still." The sun is at its lowest arc in the sky and because of the earth's tilt, the northern hemisphere is at its farthest point away from the sun. Earth based religions mark it as the time when the light returns, when the days start growing longer until they reach the apex of the opposite polarity ... the Summer Solstice when the Sun enters the cardinal sign of Cancer.
The ancient tradition of the Yule Log is celebrated on the Winter Solstice. A special oak log is placed on the fire and kept burning for the twelve days and nights of the holiday season. After that, it stays in the house all year to protect the home and occupants from misfortune, illness, adversity, and sorrow. Pieces of it are used to kindle the next year's Yule Log fire.
It is also part of the custom to place mistletoe around the Yule Log fire. Mistletoe is a parasite plant that grew on oak trees, a symbol sacred to the Druids, the members of the ancient Celtic priesthood. Mistletoe was also considered part of a fertility ritual, a catalyst to help women conceive. The Christmas tree also has its origins in ancient European and pagan rituals.
Winter Solstice is a time to celebrate the return of the light, the renewal of the earth. Green was a natural color to adorn the symbols of this time. Branches of evergreens such as cedar, pine, and juniper are still used in the holiday decorations of today, bringing their unmistakable and delicious fragrance from the outdoors ... indoors. Red candles were also used to symbolize the fire and heat of the returning sun ... and the days begin to lengthen again.
And so, unwittingly or very consciously, we carry on these colors, ideas, and traditions in our Christian rituals, Yule-time rituals, and other celebrations as the calendar year draws to a close -- and we meet again this special time of year with its ancient celebration of the returning light and its symbolic honoring of the Divine Child in us all.
If you would like to honor the ancient origins of this special occasion, here are some possible things to consider:
Meditate in darkness, and welcome the return of the sun by lighting a red, golden or yellow candle.
Greet the Sun at dawn on Solstice morning with a prayer or meditation for world peace.
Place seeds out for the wild birds.
Give a gift of food or clothing to a social agency that will distribute them to the needy.
Exchange celebration gifts with family and friends.
Make gestures of special remembrance to those who are important in your life.
Decorate your home with lights, evergreen sprays, wreaths, mistletoe, holly, ivy, and lights. (Remember mistletoe is poisonous. Keep it away from children and pets.)
Burn an oak log in your fireplace or woodstove ... but save kindling from it to start next year's fire.
Remember, feasts, drinks, treats, cakes, and cookies are part of any celebration worth its name!!
Winter Solstice
Christmas ... and Yule
by Rebecca Brents
The Winter Solstice in the northern hemisphere is the shortest day of the year, the official beginning of winter, the day the Sun moves into the cardinal sign of Capricorn. It varies on the calendar from the 20th to the 22nd of December, depending on when the Capricorn ingress occurs.
The word solstice itself literally means "when the sun stands still." The sun is at its lowest arc in the sky and because of the earth's tilt, the northern hemisphere is at its farthest point away from the sun. Earth based religions mark it as the time when the light returns, when the days start growing longer until they reach the apex of the opposite polarity ... the Summer Solstice when the Sun enters the cardinal sign of Cancer.
The ancient tradition of the Yule Log is celebrated on the Winter Solstice. A special oak log is placed on the fire and kept burning for the twelve days and nights of the holiday season. After that, it stays in the house all year to protect the home and occupants from misfortune, illness, adversity, and sorrow. Pieces of it are used to kindle the next year's Yule Log fire.
It is also part of the custom to place mistletoe around the Yule Log fire. Mistletoe is a parasite plant that grew on oak trees, a symbol sacred to the Druids, the members of the ancient Celtic priesthood. Mistletoe was also considered part of a fertility ritual, a catalyst to help women conceive. The Christmas tree also has its origins in ancient European and pagan rituals.
Winter Solstice is a time to celebrate the return of the light, the renewal of the earth. Green was a natural color to adorn the symbols of this time. Branches of evergreens such as cedar, pine, and juniper are still used in the holiday decorations of today, bringing their unmistakable and delicious fragrance from the outdoors ... indoors. Red candles were also used to symbolize the fire and heat of the returning sun ... and the days begin to lengthen again.
And so, unwittingly or very consciously, we carry on these colors, ideas, and traditions in our Christian rituals, Yule-time rituals, and other celebrations as the calendar year draws to a close -- and we meet again this special time of year with its ancient celebration of the returning light and its symbolic honoring of the Divine Child in us all.
If you would like to honor the ancient origins of this special occasion, here are some possible things to consider:
Meditate in darkness, and welcome the return of the sun by lighting a red, golden or yellow candle.
Greet the Sun at dawn on Solstice morning with a prayer or meditation for world peace.
Place seeds out for the wild birds.
Give a gift of food or clothing to a social agency that will distribute them to the needy.
Exchange celebration gifts with family and friends.
Make gestures of special remembrance to those who are important in your life.
Decorate your home with lights, evergreen sprays, wreaths, mistletoe, holly, ivy, and lights. (Remember mistletoe is poisonous. Keep it away from children and pets.)
Burn an oak log in your fireplace or woodstove ... but save kindling from it to start next year's fire.
Remember, feasts, drinks, treats, cakes, and cookies are part of any celebration worth its name!!