Sing out for the winter solstice, the shortest day, the holly and the ivy, the yule log too. Listen to a wonderful instrumental penned for the 21st/22nd - Winter Solstice.
December may be magic again and you can dream of a White Christmas walking in a Winter Wonderland... but there's time for a last minute shop at the Christmas Markets- Manchester's close tomorrow.
You can read more on Yule at Brighter Blessings:
"The Solstice is the complete antithesis of what has now become Christmas in contemporary society. Also known as ‘Yule’, the Solstice is generally celebrated on the 21st of December, Yule celebrates the birth of the Sun God - child of the Goddess in the Pagan belief system. Yule is primarily the celebration of the rebirth of the Sun. Many people associate the Winter Solstice, or winter itself with death, as it is the season in which nature is dormant, and in which many plants die off and crops are scarce. Conversely, the Winter Solstice, although it is the longest night, (boasting more than 12 hours of darkness), it is also the turning point of the year, as following this night the sun grows stronger in the sky, and the days become gradually longer once more. Thus the Winter Solstice is also a celebration of rebirth, and there are many traditions that stem from this perspective."
On a system based on the circular(ish) movement of planets every day is a turning point.
ReplyDeleteAs for a Sun God being born at our winter solstice, that is a curiously parochial point of view.
The same sun shines on the whole world, including parts where it starts to get darker at our winter solstice.
Or do UK and Australian Pagans worship different Sun Gods, one born in December and the Aussie one born in June??
A pretty window. I see our resident grouch has come out of his cave earlier than usual.
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