Who else celebrates Solstice?

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

And what traditions do you have that are specific to the holiday?

 

[gritsar]

I decorate a yule log and tuck a piece of paper listing my wishes for the new year in it. It's burned the night of the winter solstice, always saving a piece for next year.
It's the day we put our tree up and exchange a gift.

 

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

Are we really the only ones!?!?!

Yeah, we do a Yule log too. Then we do the Solstice bread. We do sun cookies too.

 

[key west chick]

Not trying to be stupid, well maybe I am a little, can someone explain solstice to me? ( don't get to technical, just basic)

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

Winter solstice is the shortest day of the year. Many cultures celebrate this day with different traditions, and many of those traditions later became integrated with the holiday we now know as "Christmas".

 

[key west chick]

Yea, I've heard of summer and winter solstice, never knew people did anything to celebrate them. Cool.

 

[banter]

We went to the Revels many times when we lived in Boston. Almost all cultures have customs related to it. For those who are not familiar. the winter solstice is the shortest day of the year, and was celebrated first by Pre-Christians, and later by early Christians with bonfires and feasts, music and dancing. It was the last chance for many early people to see each other and have a good meal before the hard weather set in. They probably sacrificed a few chickens!

 

[tomcio]

Quote:
Instead of pasting the text, check out the Wikipedia entry Solstice. Basically it's the observable 'stoping' of suns' movement across the horizon over a period of 3 days at either pole (happens in the summer and winter).

Also, to the original poster, a lot of religions, including Christianity have ties to the worship of Solstice. I don't want to make this into a religion thread, but the Zeigheist movie, in it's first chapter describes the origins and beliefs related to the Sun and it's passage on the horizon Movie. The latter part deals with geo-political and religious topics, and is not relevant to this discussion. Watch that part at your own discretion.

 

[mirime]

We do by joining friends at a pot luck, and having a bonfire wherein we write out our thanks and/or wishes for the next year and put them in the fire, like gritsar does. We exchange gifts within our family on this day (and then some smaller ones on Christmas)

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

Most years we burn a Yule log and light the candles. I bake a Yule pastry. The recipe has been handed down through the family and this is the only time of the year we make it.