Winter Solstice Date: December 21, 2010
Winter Solstice is celebrated by many in the Northern Hemisphere.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the Winter Solstice occurs when the Sun is farthest south in the sky, marking the day of least light. It occurs either on December 21 or 22 in the Northern Hemisphere. It has been a day for celebrations throughout various cultures, from ancient times until now. It may also be referenced as Midwinter, Donzhi, Yule, Solar New Year, or Longest Night.
History of Winter Solstice
Most religions celebrate holy days in December, having to do with the fact that behind these traditions is the date of the Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. For primitive cultures that depended so much on agriculture, winter was a hard time that all wanted to end as fast as possible. Therefore the Winter Solstice seemed like a good reason to rejoice and celebrate the fact that days would be longer and warmer. It became a day related to rebirth, light, and life.
In ancient Greece the Winter Solstice festival was called Lenaia, a remembrance of the day that the god Dionysius was torn and eaten by wild women, later to be reborn. In ancient Rome the day was called Saturnalia. Dedicated to the god Saturn, Saturnalia covered a full week of celebrations. By the time that the Roman Empire turned to Christianity as their official religion, Saturnalia would be replaced by Christmas.
In Buddhism, the preceding Sunday is celebrated as the day that Buddha achieved enlightenment. For Druids it is the time of the death of the old sun. In Judaism, Jews celebrate Hanukkah, or the Feast of Lights, recalling the fight of the Maccabees against the king of Syria. In Native American spirituality, the Pueblo tribe follows both summer and winter solstices, and the Hopi tribe has a ceremony called Soyal that gives aid and direction to the sun when it is ready to come back.
Winter Solstice Traditions, Customs and Activities
From all of these cultures and religions, the practices around the day of Winter Solstice are infinite. Most of them revolve around the concept of light and birth with candles being the most commonly used symbol. These traditions, customs, and activities can be traced back thousands of years and have been changed and incorporated from one culture to another.
