There are a lot of holidays this time of year, and most people I know celebrate at least a couple of them. But one that tends to get lost in the holiday chaos in Winter Solstice. For me, this is an important one. Here’s why.
Thanksgiving
I love Thanksgiving, but I don’t perceive it’s meaning the way most people seem to. For me, it’s not about the pilgrims and the native tribes, which is a story that’s rife with violent conflict. I choose to focus on the celebration of the end of the growing season. Going back a very long way, those who lived in cold climates had to grow as much food as possible while the weather was good, then harvest it, then preserve it for consumption over the winter. Of course people wanted to celebrate the completion of all that hard work.
In my mind, Thanksgiving also marks the beginning of the winter season. I’m not a fan of winter, with the cold and the dark. So, I appreciate having an excuse to celebrate something, to distract from the impending dreary days. The uplift that goes with feasting with family helps to stabilize my mood for the coming month.
Christmas and New Years
I don’t celebrate the religious holidays, but I appreciate them as an excuse to brighten up the world with colorful decorations, spend time with loved ones, and eat to excess. Once again, this is about bolstering my spirits to help me get through the long months ahead.
New Years is a holiday that holds some meaning for me, with its invitation to reflect on the past year.
Ferris Bueller said it well:
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
That’s what New Year’s is all about for me. It causes me to stop and look back to appreciate all that happened in the past year, and also put a frame around the coming year.
Solstice
For me, all of these holidays are eclipsed in meaning by the Winter Solstice. This is the one that really lights me up, giving me the internal fortitude to stay afloat in the sea of winter unpleasantness. Why? Because from this day forward, we start gaining light. Winter solstice is the darkest day of the year. After this, it only gets better.
It’s not a huge difference.
Today, December 21, 2022, the sun will set at 4:14 pm.
Tomorrow it’ll set at 4:15.
By the end of the month, it’ll be 4:21.
But it’s a huge mental difference for me.
Tomorrow, the earth starts rotating toward Spring. There’s still a lot of winter to go, but Winter Solstice is the day that I can see the light at the end of this tunnel.
I’m not sure how to celebrate this occasion. In past years, I’ve only given it a glancing thought, but it’s grown in significance over time, and now I’m ready to give it the starring role in my life during the holiday season. There are Winter Solstice traditions around the world, but I’m not familiar with any of them. Today, though, I start creating my own Winter Solstice traditions, with the help of Pinterest and Google. There are 10 days between Winter Solstice and New Year’s, and it seems right to meld them into one celebration of reflection and renewal. I’m thinking of building one activity for each of the 10 days, kinda like the 8 nights of Hanukkah. The cool thing about starting without any traditions is that I can mold this celebration into one that is uniquely meaningful to me.
I hope you’ll join me in appreciating this milestone amidst the holiday rush, even if its just for a moment. We’ve all got busy lives, especially in December. But for just a moment, appreciate the darkness of this day, and the knowledge that we’re now moving into the light.
Whatever you celebrate, I hope its merry and bright!
Kimba
© Kimberlee Martin, 2022. All rights reserved.
You have quite a bit to reflect on this year ! love your perspective.