Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: Winter Solstice 2022
The Winter Solstice occurs at 3:48 this afternoon central time! While it marks the shortest day of the year, it also means that the days will start getting longer! YAY. I look forward to longer days, as I know LOTS of people do.
Why does this even happen? Because Earth is tilted. But we’re not alone, all the other planets are tilted with Mercury and Jupiter the straightest.
Western culture owes many of the traditional midwinter celebrations—including those of Christmas—to Saturnalia, an ancient Roman solstice celebration dedicated to Saturn, the god of agriculture and time.
Though it started out as a one-day celebration earlier in December, this pagan festival later expanded into a riotous weeklong party stretching from December 17 to 24. Social norms fell away as everyone indulged in gambling, drinking, feasting and giving gifts; including the slaves who were served by their masters.
In Scandinavia, St. Lucia Day takes place. This traditional festival of lights honors the Saint, one of the earliest Christian martyrs, but was incorporated with earlier Norse solstice traditions after many Norsemen converted to Christianity around 1000 A.D. According to the old Julian Calendar, December 13 (the date that is traditionally given as the day in 304 A.D. when the Romans killed Lucia for bringing food to persecuted Christians hiding in Rome) was also the shortest day of the year. As a symbol of light, Lucia and her feast day blended naturally with solstice traditions such as lighting fires to scare away spirits during the longest, darkest night of the year. St. Lucia Day.
Stories of Winter Solstice celebrations from History.com.