Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice

Snowy winter scene

Winter solstice falls on the shortest day and longest night of the year. The event officially marks the astrological beginning of the winter season in the Northern Hemisphere. During the winter solstice, the sun is at its lowest arc in the sky.

Fast Facts

Marks the first traditional day of winter
Festivals of light and rebirth are common among many cultures to mark the winter solstice
Northern Hemisphere: December 21 or 22
Winter solstice 2008: December 21¹
2008 winter solstice begins at exactly 7:04 a.m. EST¹
Southern Hemisphere: June 20 or 21
Solstice means "sun stands still"²
Stonehenge is considered a marker to both winter solstice & summer solstice
Many major holidays are celebrated around the time of the winter solstice, including Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa

Solstice Traditions

Winter solstice has been celebrated with cultural and religious ceremonies to mark the gradual return of the sun for thousands of years. The Ancient Romans held their week-long festival Saturnalia, honoring the God Saturn, around the time of the winter solstice. Iranians celebrate the winter solstice with the Shabe-Yalda festival, which means "birthday" or "rebirth" of the sun.³ ²

Categories

Astronomy | Science | Holidays

| View Note History

The Mahalo Top 7

Wikipedia: Winter Solstice
National Geographic: Solstice, a Cause for Celebration Since Ancient Times (December 20, 2002)
Fact Monster: Understanding the Winter Solstice
Space.com: The Winter Solstice & Seasonal Fictions
Crystalinks: Winter Solstice
ReligiousTolerance.org: Winter Solstice Celebrations
YouTube Video: Stonehenge Winter Solstice 2007 (Time: 7:31)

Winter Solstice News and Information

The Washington Post: For Solstice, Let There Be Lights (December 14, 2006)
CNN: Winter solstice heralds new sun, old rituals (December 22, 2001)
TeacherVision: The Winter Solstice
School of the Seasons: Celebrating Winter Solstice
Candlegrove: Winter Solstice
Scienceworld: Winter Solstice
Secular Seasons: Winter Solstice
About.com: Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice Activities and Crafts

eHow: How To Throw a Winter Solstice Party
Education World: Winter Solstice
Care2: Winter Solstice Projects
FamilyEducation: Winter Solstice Activities & Trivia

Winter Solstice Gifts

CafePress.com: Winter Solstice Gifts
Amazon.com: Winter Solstice Books | Music | Merchandise
eBay: Winter Solstice Merchandise

Winter Solstice Recipes

RecipeZaar: Winter Solstice Tea Mix | Winter Solstice Soup
Boulder Public Library: Winter Solstice Recipes
SaltShaker: Winter Solstice Recipes
Eat Feed: Winter Solstice Cookies

Winter Solstice e-Cards

123 Greetings: Winter Solstice e-Cards
BlueMountain: Winter Solstice e-Cards
JPC Artworks: Winter Solstice e-Cards
Beliefnet Greetings: Winter Solstice e-Cards

Winter Solstice Traditions and Celebrations

China: Dongzhi Festival
Christian: Christmas
Jewish: Hanukkah
African American: Kwanzaa
Northern Europe/Pagan: Yule
Iranian/Persian: Yalda
Roman: Saturnalia
Slavic: Karachun

Winter Solstice Blogs and Message Boards

Views Thoughts and Ponderings: Yule The Roots of Christmas (November 9, 2008)
Bad Astronomy: Winter Solstice Blog Post (December 20, 2005)
Alaska Science Forum: Winter Solstice (December 14, 1981)
Topix: Winter Solstice Blogs
Google Blog Search: Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice Photos and Videos

Google Images: Winter Solstice Photos
Yahoo! Images: Winter Solstice Photos
Flickr: Winter Solstice Photos
BBC Wiltshire: In Pix: Winter Solstice 2007
YouTube Video: Newgrange Winter Solstice (Time: 4:00)

Related Pages on Mahalo

Christmas | Christmas Eve | Kwanzaa | Hanukkah | Spring Equinox | Fall Equinox | Summer Solstice | Santa Claus | Yule Log | Astronomy | The Moon | Constellations | Stars | Christmas History | Advent | Advent Wreaths | Advent Candles

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