Winter Solstice: Let the Light Shine [POLL]
Bummed that the day is short and the night is long on the winter solstice? Remember the warmth of the sun.
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It seems a bit cruel that smack dab in the middle of the week leading up to one of the busiest holidays in the year for a lot of folks, there lies the shortest day of the year.
- Less time to bake.
- Less time to shop.
- Darker earlier.
- Commence winter blues.
But wait — there's some good news here. Don't go all "Bah, humbug" yet!
The winter solstice, beginning at 12:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 22, may mark the darkest day of the year, but it's also a celebration of light and the rebirth of the sun.
Ways to Celebrate the Solstice
- Decorate the home with sacred herbs and the Druidic holiday colors of red, green and white.
Evergreens symbolize continuity of life, protection and prosperity. Holly represents good luck and mistletoe symbolizes peace, prosperity and wellness. The mistletoe is a charm for good luck throughout the year, when left up until the next winter solstice.
- Convey love to your family and friends.
Remember those folks you are grateful for and tell them why they mean so much to you.
- Honor the new solar year with light (and boost your mood too).
Sure, you can light candles or light a fire in the fireplace. But candlelight and artificial light can only go so far. It's hard to feel the happy effects of the sun when you know it's really coming from a 60-watt light bulb.
I say, throw some blankets in the dryer until they're toasty warm, make a sun-friendly cocktail like the Summer Solstice, settle down on the couch and watch movies about that sunny summer season.
"The Sandlot"
"Back to the Beach"
"Summer School"
"What About Bob?"
"One Crazy Summer"
"The Great Outdoors"
Got a favorite sunny, summertime flick? Tell us in the comments at the bottom of the article.
- Add to the wellness of the world.
Donate food or clothing to local organizations. Volunteer your time to an organization in need.
- Participate in a random act of kindness.
Pay for the person behind you in the drive-through lane at a coffee shop.
- Dance!
Here's some sunny tunes to keep the warmth in your heart during wintertime.
"Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves
"Under The Boardwalk" by The Drifters
"Ray of Light" by Madonna
"Summertime Rolls" by Jane's Addiction
What's your favorite toe-tapping tune?
All of these tips will go a long way toward boosting your mood when the day is short and the night is long.
How do you beat the winter blues? Tell us in the comments.
Woodbury Connecticut
9:39 am on Thursday, December 22, 2011
And so the Shortest Day came and the year died
And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world
Came people singing, dancing,
To drive the dark away.
They lighted candles in the winter trees;
They hung their homes with evergreen;
They burned beseeching fires all night long
To keep the year alive.
And when the new year's sunshine blazed awake
They shouted, revelling.
Through all the frosty ages you can hear them
Echoing behind us - listen!
All the long echoes, sing the same delight,
This Shortest Day,
As promise wakens in the sleeping land:
They carol, feast, give thanks,
And dearly love their friends,
And hope for peace.
And now so do we, here, now,
This year and every year.
© Susan Cooper
mike murphy
6:18 pm on Thursday, December 22, 2011
great, tomorrow i get to work outside a minute longer than today