Winter solstice-
“In 2021 in the northern hemisphere, the winter solstice is December 21. Remember, the days just get longer from here! Read on to learn how the winter solstice is celebrated across the globe.“
The following written content by Tina Donvito
In 2021 in the northern hemisphere, the winter solstice is December 21. Remember, the days just get longer from here! Read on to learn how the winter solstice is celebrated across the globe.
Winter solstice traditions from around the globe
Just when you think December has enough to celebrate between Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and the impending New Year, there’s yet another reason to gather with your loved ones and celebrate: the winter solstice. You might be more familiar with the winter solstice as the day with the shortest amount of sunlight. But around the world, many cultures still celebrate the longest night of the year with unique winter solstice traditions. Read on to find out what they are. Then learn when the winter solstice is this year and what the 2021 winter solstice means for your zodiac.
Winter solstice traditions: Winter Solstice Lantern Festival, Vancouver
To honor the many cultural traditions that celebrate the winter solstice, Vancouver’s Secret Lantern Society created the city’s Solstice Lantern Festival. Participants can attend workshops to create their lanterns. On the night of the solstice, processions march throughout the city, culminating in fire performances. Attendees can also try to find their way through the Labyrinth of Light, a maze of 600 candles that invites visitors to let go of old thoughts and find new possibilities for the coming year. Don’t miss these New Years quotes, which will inspire a fresh start to the year.
Winter solstice traditions: Newgrange gathering, Ireland
The 5,200-year-old Newgrange passage tomb and ancient temple are aligned to the winter solstice: A small opening above the entrance fills with light on several sunrises surrounding the solstice, gradually extending throughout the chamber to illuminate it. The dramatic effect lasts for 17 minutes. Although the exact reason why the tomb was created this way isn’t known, it’s speculated that it marks the beginning of a new year and the triumph of light over darkness. Today, visitors can apply for a lottery drawing to be inside the temple at the moment of the sunrise; others will gather outside the monument. Did you know ancient Celtic traditions are one of the reasons our Christmas colors include red and green?
Winter solstice traditions: Toji, Japan
The winter solstice in Japan, called Toji, has a few interesting customs associated with it. Traditionally, a winter squash called kabocha is eaten, one of only a few crops that would have been available in days of old. A hot bath with yuzu citrus fruits is believed to refresh body and spirit, ward off illness, and soothe dry winter skin. Apparently rodents called capybaras love yuzu baths as well, and in a modern twist on the age-old tradition, some Japanese zoos will throw the fruit into the warm waters the animals soak in on the winter solstice. Get into the wintry spirit with these stunning pictures of America during winter. Read more from R.D.
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