Winter Solstice

Today, December 21, is the Winter Solstice.

The Winter Solstice marks the day with the shortest period of daylight and the longest night of the year (in the Northern Hemisphere), all thanks to the tilt of the earth. On the calendar, it is officially the start of winter (even if the cold weather makes it already feel like winter!). The winter solstice is marked by the point at which the North Pole is at its farthest from the sun during its yearly orbit around the sun. It will be approximately 23 degrees away from the sun. Despite the temperature outside, the winter solstice is considered the astronomical beginning of winter.

In many cultures, the day is a day of feasting and celebration, but even if you’re totally agnostic, you can still find a reason to rejoice, because after today, you’ll see gradually shorter nights and longer days, which means you can look forward to the emergence of spring.

New England winters can be long and dark, and instead of focusing on counting down until spring, the Winter Solstice is an opportunity to celebrate the current moment. Even if it is dark and cold, the Winter Solstice reminds us that we can create light, and that brighter days are coming. For, after all, this is the shortest day of the year, and from here on out the days are going to gradually get longer. Whether or not you happen to be sensitive to long hours of darkness, it’s impossible not to interpret this day as an optimistic turning towards brighter moments. Across the world, various holidays have been celebrated on this day in various spiritual and religious traditions, but they all have an element of rebirth and renewal involved. The most famous Winter Solstice celebration is Stonehenge in England. Every year when the sun sets on the winter solstice, the sun’s rays align with two of the giant stones known as the central Altar and the Slaughter stone.

As always, Private Home Health Care encourages you to make the most of every day and celebrate in any way you can! Some good ideas for celebrating the Winter Solstice include lighting a cozy fire, burning scented candles, connecting with friends and family, and keeping an eye out for the sky when Jupiter and Saturn cross paths for the first time in 800 years!