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Winter Solstice: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know
(Google)
Here’s what you need to know.
Winter Solstice 2014: All the Memes You Need to See
Today
is the winter solstice, where we observe the shortest day of the year
and the longest night. It is an important day in many religions and
cultures.
Click here to read more1. It’s the Shortest Day & the Longest Night of the Year
The winter solstice marks the shortest day of the year and the
longest night of year. It is an astronomical phenomenon that occurs
twice a year. For the Northern Hemisphere, it occurs around December 25,
while for the Southern Hemisphere, it occurs around June 25. This is
because the Southern and Northern Hemispheres face different directions
along the planetary pole. As one of polar hemispheres has winter, the
other has summer. Right now inhabitants of the Southern Hemisphere are
experiencing their summer solstice. Collectively these solstices are
known as the “December solstices.”For inhabitants of the Northern Hemisphere, the winter solstice process becomes most noticeable around December 1 when the sun appears to “move” south and get smaller. By the day of the actual winter solstice, the sun has reached its lowest point in the sky at -25.5°. Once it has reached this lowest point, an interesting thing happens: the sun appears to stop moving south for three days. After this, the sun moves 1° north, announcing the coming of spring. It will continue to move northward until the summer solstice, when it reaches its highest point.
This information was pulled from the video above, which gives a one-minute, layman’s explanation of the winter solstice along with some of the mysticism involved.
2. It was a Time of Celebration in the Ancient World
Stonehenge (Getty)
For example, Stonehenge, located in Wiltshire, England, is a neolithic monument many agree was built to track the movements of the sun.
The people that built Stonehenge, like other cultures of their day, were dependent on the solstices because it allowed them to know when the cold months would come, where food production would slow or even halt depending upon their location.
In more temperate climates like Mediterranean Europe, the solstice would begin a month of parties. The wine and beer made in the summer would have just completed fermentation, and since vegetables and grains would become scarce, animals would be slaughtered, whereas in the summer months, meat was rarely on the menu.
3. Many Ancient Religions Also Saw it as a Symbol of Their ‘Sun God’
Wicker Man (Getty)
The death and resurrection of a god is a common motif. The video above points out the obvious symbolism reflected in the “sun” dying on the cross and resurrecting three days later like the New Testament states Jesus does.
Other gods and goddesses said to do this include Baal, Melqart, Adonis, Tammuz, Dionysus, Ishtar, Persephone, and Bari.
Besides the death and resurrection of gods, another common theme of the winter solstice is “starting new”, which can be reflected in modern times as New Year’s resolutions.
In older times, vestiges were sometimes burned, like the above Wicker Man, to symbolize the rebirth of a new self and the destruction of sins.
4. It’s a Time of Modern Holidays
A
boy participates in winter solstice celebrations to complete the
Christmas ‘Blukis’ (stump) burning ceremony at Lukiskes Square in
Vilnius on December 21, 2012. In pagan traditions in Lithuania exists a
popular myth of stealing and conquering the Sun.To free the Sun, the
Blukis is dragged around a town, beat and later burned. (PETRAS
MALUKAS/AFP/Getty Images)
Besides Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa, there are a multitude of others including Lohri, celebrated in the Punjab region of Asia, Yaldā, celebrated in Iran, Pongal, celebrated in Thailand, and many, many more.
All of these festivals have the same theme of rebirth.
5. Christmas Lands on the Day the Sun Rises
(Getty)
Many also believe it is Jesus’ literal birthday.
covers social media trends and breaking
news for Heavy. He also writes for the South China Morning Post. He is a
New York City-based actor and singer who tours internationally with a
Four Seasons tribute band and has appeared on various television shows
and Broadway. Email him at sam@heavy.com and find him on Twitter @thesamprince.
December 21, 2014 8:59 am
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