Yuletide / Winter Solstice - DEC 21st, 2012
The Winter Solstice / Yule moment occurs 6:12 in the early morning of Dec 21st, 2012 - The longest nights of the 2012 year are Dec 20th and 21st. http://www.archaeoastronomy.com/2012.html
After this night we will start counting for "Twelfth Night", which will mark the end of the Yuletide (Yule season) aka 12 days of Yule.
Many people reference the Yuletide SEASON as being 6 days before the new year thru 6 days after the new year,the last six days of the old year (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 December ) and the first six days of the New Year (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 January).
The Winter Solstice aka Yuletide is the longest night of the year...the night with the greatest darkness. After that moment in time, the sunlight begins to lengthen again....again warming the Earth over time and eventually creating Spring and Summer...allowing things to grow again...this cycle truly is a beautiful thing. In ancient times, pagan peoples celebrated the return of the sun and gave thanks to this precious gift.
Over time, modern societies have replaced the holiday with different symbolism. I hope everyone will pause as the ancients did at the Yuletide moment and reflect the true gifts of the season.
In ancient tradition, especially in the cold dead winter of western medieval Europe, this was indeed a time for celebration. This was the time to celebrate the return of the SUN as the days cease to shorten and more sunlight could be observed, giving hope that spring and new life was to come. Indeed a time for mumming, singing and dancing. Many strongline conservative Christians disallowed such "partying" on the 25th as it was considered a holy day and not one for celebration.
The twelve days of Yule would have been a most welcome break for the workers on the land, which in medieval times would have been the majority of the people. All work, except for looking after the animals, would stop, restarting again on Plough Monday, the first Monday after Twelfth Night (the last day of the Yuletide season). More on Plough Monday and Twelfth night later (early January).
Old traditions burned the Yule log and it, lit on the longest night of the year(solstice), remained burning until Twelfth Night in order to bring good fortune to the house for the coming year. Its charred remains were kept, both to kindle the next year's Yule log, as well as to protect the house from fire and lightning.
Generically, January 6th is marked as the observed day by most of the modern world. Marked on some calendars as 3 Kings Day...others Boxing Day or Epiphany.
Regardless of what the fine detail of your belief is, now is the time to give thanks to the returning of the sun.
The Winter Solstice aka Yuletide is the longest night of the year...the night with the greatest darkness. After that moment in time, the sunlight begins to lengthen again....again warming the Earth over time and eventually creating Spring and Summer...allowing things to grow again...this cycle truly is a beautiful thing. In ancient times, pagan peoples celebrated the return of the sun and gave thanks to this precious gift.
Over time, modern societies have replaced the holiday with different symbolism. I hope everyone will pause as the ancients did at the Yuletide moment and reflect the true gifts of the season.
In ancient tradition, especially in the cold dead winter of western medieval Europe, this was indeed a time for celebration. This was the time to celebrate the return of the SUN as the days cease to shorten and more sunlight could be observed, giving hope that spring and new life was to come. Indeed a time for mumming, singing and dancing. Many strongline conservative Christians disallowed such "partying" on the 25th as it was considered a holy day and not one for celebration.
The twelve days of Yule would have been a most welcome break for the workers on the land, which in medieval times would have been the majority of the people. All work, except for looking after the animals, would stop, restarting again on Plough Monday, the first Monday after Twelfth Night (the last day of the Yuletide season). More on Plough Monday and Twelfth night later (early January).
Old traditions burned the Yule log and it, lit on the longest night of the year(solstice), remained burning until Twelfth Night in order to bring good fortune to the house for the coming year. Its charred remains were kept, both to kindle the next year's Yule log, as well as to protect the house from fire and lightning.
Generically, January 6th is marked as the observed day by most of the modern world. Marked on some calendars as 3 Kings Day...others Boxing Day or Epiphany.
Regardless of what the fine detail of your belief is, now is the time to give thanks to the returning of the sun.
posted by Anonymous | Thursday, December 22, 2011
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