Winter Solstice

[jalapeno_pretzel]

Since I'm largely on autopilot for Thanksgiving prep at this point ...

I'm getting excited about Winter Solstice and the 12 nights of Yuletide this year, especially with having Solstice Eve on a Saturday!

If you celebrate, what kinds of traditions do you have? I'm planning a big meal for Solstice Eve, with mushroom stroganoff over egg noodles, braised short ribs over potato-parsnip mash, roasted carrots and green beans. We won't celebrate too late though, I want to be up bright and early to experience sunrise on the 21st. The actual day of, we'll probably spend some time outdoors, a hike or nature walk, maybe a backyard fire in our fire pit, and some quiet reflection. Sometime near the 12th night I'd like to have a small oyster roast with friends.

 

[ronandannette]

We don’t recognize or celebrate it like that but I certainly do welcome it, as it marks the gradual return of longer daylight hours.

 

[slo]

I don’t celebrate this holiday, but I still want to wish you a happy and enjoyable holiday

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

The Winter Solstice is a big thing in Ireland. We have a 5,000 year old Passage Tomb built by the ancient Irish people to mark the Winter Solstice. It has a 19m (62ft) long passage leading to a central chamber. For most of the year this corridor and central chamber are in darkness but during the sunrise on the mornings around the winter solstice, something amazing happens. As the sun rises during a 2 or 3 day period around December 21st , it aligns directly with an opening above the entrance corridor. During sunrise for approx 17 minutes, the sunlight goes down the corridor and lights up the inner chamber. Those 17 minutes are the only time in the year that natural light reaches the inner chamber. The weather conditions have to be clear, any cloud or rain and the chamber will stay in darkness.

Huge amounts of people want to be there to experience it but as its such a small chamber, they hold a free entry lottery each year for tickets. They stream it online on YouTube so that those who cant be there can still see it.

https://www.newgrange.com/winter_solstice.htm

 

[citruscurtis]

I told my writing students that the most important thing in life was that the earth rotated on its axis..... but then I discovered lymph nodes are the most important thing in life

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

Huge amounts of people want to be there to experience it but as its such a small chamber, they hold a free entry lottery each year for tickets. They stream it online on YouTube so that those who cant be there can still see it.

https://www.newgrange.com/winter_solstice.htm

Oh I love this, I've got it bookmarked now! That must be so profound and moving to witness in person.

 

[MamaMermaid]

I enjoy the Wheel of the Year!! Your plans sound absolutely lovely.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Oh I love this, I've got it bookmarked now! That must be so profound and moving to witness in person.

Ive been to Newgrange on a normal day, its open as a normal tourist heritage centre. Its mindblowing to just be there and walk in footsteps of the ancients. They have modern day lights now for the tours, but part of it, they switch off the lights and recreate the Winter Solstice lighting up. Its just magical to stand in the dark and then see the lights coming back on towards you from the entrance.

Sunrise in Ireland is around 8am which is midnight California time and 3am Orlando time, so if you want to see it live in a few weeks you can work out your time zone. My mum watches it every year online.

 

[_19disnA]

No idea Winter Solstice was any sort of holiday to celebrate. Seems like just another phase of the planets. However, we don't celebrate when there is a full Moon either.................LOL.

 

[LilyWDW]

I observe it, but am not really doing anything big for it this year. I went all out for Samhain as a part of my practice. So I will likely take a long walk (depending on weather conditions), do some meditation and small ritual/prayer, and maybe some divination.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

No idea Winter Solstice was any sort of holiday to celebrate. Seems like just another phase of the planets. However, we don't celebrate when there is a full Moon either.................LOL.

Celebrating the Solstice, both winter and summer is a very old tradition, practiced by Celtic Irish Pagans and other ancient people. Halloween is another Celtic Irish Pagan celebration. Halloween and the Solstice traditions would have been brought to America mainly by the Irish immigrants escaping The Famine in the 1840's.

 

[LilyWDW]

No idea Winter Solstice was any sort of holiday to celebrate. Seems like just another phase of the planets. However, we don't celebrate when there is a full Moon either.................LOL.

That comes off as quite rude to those who do celebrate it...

 

[Minnie1222]

I don't celebrate Winter Solstice...yet, but I do use Total Solar Eclipses as an excuse to go to different places. If anyone is interested, please join us in the water body between Iceland and Greenland this August 2026, and also in Thebes (modern day Luxor) for the big one in August 2027.

 

[citruscurtis]

No idea Winter Solstice was any sort of holiday to celebrate. Seems like just another phase of the planets. However, we don't celebrate when there is a full Moon either.................LOL.

In Yuma Arizona the celebration of the full moon is a fund raiser for a n orphanage in Mexico

 

[citruscurtis]

The quechan tribe have a Cliff platform on the Arizona California where they gather to recognize the season....my property has an excellent view of the many peaks as the rotate to the south and can mark December 21...no celebration....old folks still in bed

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

However, we don't celebrate when there is a full Moon either.................LOL.

In Yuma Arizona the celebration of the full moon is a fund raiser for a n orphanage in Mexico

Theres lots of old Irish traditions and sayings about the Moon and the Full Moon, which relate mainly to agriculture and farming.
https://irishpagan.school/moon-folklore-ireland/
The new moon is for new projects, planting seeds, setting ideas or plans in motion
The waxing moon will increase or swell whatever is started with the new.
The waning moon will decrease or shrink anything, and is a good time to shed the old or unwanted.

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

No idea Winter Solstice was any sort of holiday to celebrate. Seems like just another phase of the planets. However, we don't celebrate when there is a full Moon either.................LOL.

It doesn't get a bunch of mention as a holiday in the states, but it seems like it's getting more and more attention over the last decade or so! I just love exploring and celebrating the ancient roots of many more modern traditions that have evolved out of those, and incorporating that in my life has been really beneficial and enjoyable. This is my first year planning a special meal for it. Usually I'm just taking time out of the day to be a little more intentional, celebrate the sunrise, connect with nature, meditate, etc.

 

[easyas123]

Ive been to Newgrange on a normal day, its open as a normal tourist heritage centre. Its mindblowing to just be there and walk in footsteps of the ancients.

That sounds beautiful!
I've got a few days in Dublin in March for a BOD meeting for work, and I'm taking my Mom. I think we will make a effort to go to Newgrange since it's close. Thanks for sharing.