Why we celebrate the winter solstice:

[howard112211]

In short, because it reminds us that even in the darkest hour there is always hope that things will turn for the better.

It may not be as obvious to us today as it was to people in the past, but all living beings struggle hard during the winter.

Merry solstice to all of DU :)

Let's hope that we will all face brighter and longer days.

[clear eye]

1. Back at cha. n/t

[Ernesto]

2. works for me

[H2O Man]

3. Recommended.

Very good. Thanks.

[bfarq]

4. Deep in our being

The solstice has been celebrated for thousands of years. At this time of year, those from the northern hemisphere were spending most of their time inside, with no crops growing during this season. Solstice comes after harvest time, after people have put in their stores to face the long winter. It is a natural time to reflect on the past year and to look forward to the next year.

The next time you hear morons like O'Reilly crying about how people are trying to "take Christmas away", remember that thousands of years before Jesus, long before Abraham, civilizations all over earth were annually celebrating the winter solstice. Indeed, "Christmas" is an invention of the early Catholic church that has no relationship to the actual birth of Jesus, other than metaphorically. Most scholars believe that Jesus was actually born in the springtime if the texts are to be taken literally. The selection of the solstice time was a marketing decision, not a scriptural one. Basically it was an effort by the church to kill two birds with one stone, by declaring the biggest pagan celebration of the year to actually be a key religious event.

It was the greatest marketing campaign ever told.

Nobody "owns" this time and there is plenty of solstice for everybody, religious or otherwise.

[Hekate]

5. ~*~

Happiness from Solstice to Solstice. KnR

Hekate

[Fly by night]

6. Blessed be

[Melissa G]

7. Blessed Be.

[unc70]

8. My local Methodist church had longest night service this year

It was described as being particularly for those who were having difficulties celebrating the joy of the season, for whatever reason.

[marshall]

9. Merry meet!

And blessed be!

[david13]

10. We performed all the required rituals. dc

[Odin2005]

11. I just recently realized what was behind Xmas decorations.

It's the "Festival of Lights" at the darkest time of the year. It makes so much sense, LOL.

[bfarq]

12. Yes, it has been going on for thousands of years that way.

Interesting that while people have lighted trees around the solstice for thousands of years, the idea of a "Christmas tree" has only developed in the past several hundred years.

http://www.religioustolerance.org/xmas_tree.htm

[glinda]

13. Exactly. That is why I got married exactly on the Solstice.

[bvar22]

14. !

Each Day will be a little longer.
Each Night a little shorter.
The World keeps turning,
And soon we will be back to this.

The Seed Catalogs have begun arriving,
and we are planning the New Garden.

[cilla4progress]

16. Lovely!

Garden and photos - appreciated .. thank you!

[Daemonaquila]

15. Happy solstice to you and to all!

Now pass the mead!
:toast:

[Stargazer09]

17. When I can stay inside

This is my favorite time of the year. I get so much done during those long winter nights (I'm a professional quilter), and I just enjoy the peace and quiet.

[dlfuller]

18. hope is all we have

[Desertrose]

19. The wheel keeps turnin'

Yay! Seed catalogs!!

Blessed Be!

[northernlights]

20. blessed be ! nt

[invictus]

21. K&R

[WhiteTara]

22. welcome to DU

:hi:

[frog92969]

23. Love is the Law

:toast:

[RedCloud]

24. Let us quietly await the days of solar thermal luminescence.

[winyanstaz]

25. Blessed Be ..and ty for the post..k & R

My family and friends had a lovely Winter Solstice that ran from the 21st until today...because we also include a "Christmas celebration as well because some of our family and friends are Christians..and it all seems to work nice together.

Here is a Winter Solstice Chant:

One planet is turning
Circling a path around the sun,
Earth Mother is calling
her children home.
Let's keep it burning.
even though this is the darkest hour
no one can hold back the dawn.

One planet is turning.
Circling a path around the sun,
Earth Mother is calling
her children home.
Let's keep it burning..
let's keep the hope of life alive
no one can hold back the dawn.



Welcome Back the Light. :)

[conscious evolution]

26. It's all right

here comes the sun
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDch761krEw

[JackInGreen]

27. Merry Solstice, brother, Merry Solstice indeed

Here's to hoping things look up in the coming year.

[BbeltAtheist]

28. The shortest day...

is a good time for everyone to have their spirits lifted. Simple as that.

Happpy whatever to whatever you celebrate. :)

[Synicus Maximus]

29. Not to be picky but the Solstice was on Dec. 21 this year.

[Mendocino]

30. Winter is when the land sleeps

and snow is the blanket.