It is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
The South Pole is leaning as far towards the sun as it will until this time next year.
I have been looking forward to the end of the shorter-and-shorter days cycle and beginning of the longer-and-longer days – I have a warm relationship with our sun. 😉
Our Winter Solstice is also considered officially as the first day of northern winter. Even though the days will now start getting longer, the cooling of our portion of the Earth’s surface has just begun.
Typically the snowfalls increase for the next couple of months. I am a bit less enthusiastic about that as I have already plowed, scraped and moved enough to keep me satisfied for another entire year. Thankfully I have power tools. Otherwise I would learn to live walking on snow and ice until Spring.
Take a look at sunrise and sunset for the next few days. Note where they strike your house, where they shine in the windows, what areas of your yard get the most southern warming exposure. From now to June, those points will gradually move north before the Summer Solstice marks the next turnaround.
As long as people have paid attention to their physical world in an organized fashion, there have been a multitude of Winter Solstice celebrations in all cultures. It is noteworthy in many ways and helps tie the seasons together.
I think I’ll celebrate with a fire in the fireplace, though I had planned that for our 20th wedding anniversary December 24th. Both are attractive.
*THAT’S IT* DO BOTH! Heck, throw in a Christmas Day one as well. Central heat is wonderful and all, but a fire in the fireplace warms the soul.
This is one day of the year that no political or religious calendar can change.
It simply and irrefutably just IS.
It’s kind of nice to have something that solid come along every now and then.