Solstice celebrations?

[Levanna]

The plans are underway for our Solstice celebrations this year, is anyone else celebrating Solstice and if so, do you have any particular rituals that you like to carry out?

[jabberwocky]

Dh and I celebrate solstice then do a separate Xmas visit with the rest of the family. I made a CD last year with lots of songs about the sun (Sunshine Superman, Let the Sun Shine in, Ain't no sunshine when you're gone, etc.). It's kind of tongue in cheek in a lot of ways, but we like it and it's a lot of fun.

[Katherine]

We are planning a proper pary this year. There will be three families - 6-8 kids in all. We'll have a simple ceremony in the tipi and then a party - fancy dress with an animal theme. We plan to make a sun shrine, decorate paper suns and make some banners for each of the elements. We'll also burn a yule log. Got my ideas from Glennie Kindreds book. Really looking forward to it. Also planning to watch the sunrise.

[Levanna]

We're having a tree indoors, topped by a papier mache sun . We'll be burning it on our summer Solstice fire next year. We're going to do a few things with candles, of course! We are planning a walk with the children in a large local park and were thinking of making a kite with them on the day to fly (weather permitting!) we'd thought it might be a nice way to draw their attention to the sky. We'll be making a little ceremony out of putting the bird seed out, the seed providing a reminder of the cycles of nature and the adults will probably make this a time for vocalising our thanks for the part the sun plays. ......
Had a discussion with my inlaws today actually. Surprisingly enough had a fairly interesting chat with my FIL about the Henges and Newgrange. For my MIL there is just no hope, she's determined to see us as out and out Pagans (in the worst sense of the word. Plus I think she see's it as her place to 'save' my children!). My DH declaring "WE'RE SUN WORSHIPPERS" out of the blue, in an impish fasion probably didn't help her to gain any understanding though! (But, it did give me a giggle ).

[Snugs]

Having a dinner with friends next week as they are all away for the Solstice. Will probably have a simple, small ritual by myself on the day -will light a fire near my alter in the garden so I burn my Yule log (and can stay outside for hours without freezing!)

[Amanda3266]

My ds will be 2 on the 20th December so with all that and the fact that we'll be at my parents who are a bit "touchy" about my pagan thing ("I shouldn't get too involved with all that witchy stuff, dear") we'll be doing very little this year. Never mind - always next year.

[glitterfairy]

When is it exactly please?

[JanH]

Hello gf! Long time no see! How are you all?

[glitterfairy]

Hello Jan have been busy busy busy and trying hard to cut back on the internet but am now making the study of it my Phd subject so have started to creep back in. How are you???

[Papillon]

Hi Glitter, the solstice is December 22nd

[SamN]

New to this, but are there any good books for kids about pagan festivals?? I would quite like ds1 to get a more rounded view of Christmas/winter celebrations (but he's only 2 1/2)

[glitterfairy]

Paps darling thank you and how are you?

[jabberwocky]

I've seen a book SamN, can't remember the name of it but I think it's put out by Lewellyn.

[Papillon]

I am very well thanks glitter and baby paps is too... had a brush with mastitis last week which was YUCK but all is good again.
I miss Litotes - where are all the people with fabulous imaginations - are we so few and far between. Actually a friend sounded quite interested in the concept... a SAHF who is an illustrator/writer of kids books.

I see you are well and busy busy. So you are studying us online dwellers huh!! I hope I am heavily featured in your reports

[fairyfly]

Hello Pappillion, glad you are well and i hope you have a wonderful december x

[jingleballs]

I will be doing a few things alone, not sure what yet, prob have a circle and do some deep meditation.

How many of u also bring ur children up as wiccans if u doin't mind me askin?

[Levanna]

jingleballs, I wouldn't really describe myself as wiccan , though may in the future! I don't follow any path in particular, just what ever appeals. I do encourage my DD1 (2.5) and will with DD2 (3mths!) to respect nature, the cycles of nature. We'll be planting our veg patch according to the Moon cycles looking forward to that! I explain what winter Solstice is and what we're celebrating and why. I've always seen their choice of path to be their own though, that it's their right to assess which is for them. Whichever faith or path, (if any!) they choose I believe a respect for nature and all it offers us (from not dropping litter to appreciating the Sun) is important in all walks of life .

[glitterfairy]

Hi Fairyfly and paps! Mastitis YUK! hell baby paps! I am sad about litotes as well paps maybe we shoudl start a new land!

[fairyfly]

Hello Glitter, hope you have a wonderful weekend and that you are all recovered and doing well

[glitterfairy]

Hiya FF How are you? People are arguing with Paps and saying the winter solsitce is 18.00 on the 21st not the 22nd. WHo is right?

[fairyfly]

download

As the Earth travels around the Sun in its orbit, the north-south position of the Sun changes over the course of the year due to the changing orientation of the Earth's tilted rotation axes with respect to the Sun. This QuickTime movie illustrates the tilt of the Earth's equatorial plane relative to the Sun which is responsible for the seasons. The dates of maximum tilt of the Earth's equator correspond to the summer solstice and winter solstice, and the dates of zero tilt to the vernal equinox and autumnal equinox.

In the northern hemisphere, the Winter solstice is day of the year (near December 22) when the Sun is farthest south. However, in the southern hemisphere, winter and summer solstices are exchanged so that the winter solstice is the day on which the Sun is farthest north. The winter solstice marks the first day of the season of winter. The declination of the Sun on the (northern) winter solstice is known as the tropic of capricorn (-23° 27').

The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year, respectively, in the sense that the length of time elapsed between sunrise and sunset on this day is a minimum for the year. Of course, daylight saving time means that the first Sunday in April has 23 hours and the last Sunday in October has 25 hours, but these human meddlings with the calendar and do not correspond to the actual number of daylight hours. In Chicago, there are 9:20 hours of daylight on the winter solstice of December 22, 1999.

The above plots show how the date of the winter solstice shifts through the Gregorian calendar according to the insertion of leap years. The table below gives the universal time of the winter solstice. To convert to U. S. Eastern Standard Time, subtract 5 hours, so the winter solstice occurs on December 21, 1998 at 20:43 (8:43 p.m.) EST; December 22, 1999 at 02:32 a.m. EST; and December 21, 2000 at 08:23 a.m. EST.

Note that the times below were calculated using WinterSolstice[] in the Mathematica application package Scientific Astronomer, which is accurate to within only an hour or so, and in practice gives times that differ by up to 15 minutes from those computed by the U.S. Naval Observatory (which computes December 22, 1999 at 07:44 UT instead of 07:32 UT and December 21, 2000 at 13:37 UT instead of 13:23).

Date UT Date UT Date UT
12-21-1980 16:52 12-22-1990 03:07 12-21-2000 13:23
12-21-1981 22:41 12-22-1991 08:56 12-21-2001 19:12
12-22-1982 04:31 12-21-1992 14:47 12-22-2002 01:01
12-22-1983 10:20 12-21-1993 20:36 12-22-2003 06:51
12-21-1984 16:10 12-22-1994 02:25 12-21-2004 12:41
12-21-1985 22:00 12-22-1995 08:14 12-21-2005 18:30
12-22-1986 03:49 12-21-1996 14:05 12-22-2006 00:20
12-22-1987 09:38 12-21-1997 19:54 12-22-2007 06:09
12-21-1988 15:29 12-22-1998 01:43 12-21-2008 11:59
12-21-1989 21:18 12-22-1999 07:32 12-21-2009 17:49

[jingleballs]

I will be working at that time so I'll be celebrating in the evening.

[fairyfly]

And before you ask i wrote and compiled all that information myself

[Papillon]

Who is arguing with paps... I kiss them!

Hi Fairyfly Cainer, enjoy your december also xx I bought a red and green plant so am in a festive Solstice mood already. I have also been busy spiritually cleansing my home which has been very good for my soul.
Melsy comes to visit on Wednesday with her family

Glitter babes yes lets start a new land - perhaps it could be like Enid Blytons Magic Far Away Tree where all sorts of carry on can go down!? Anyways it sounds good and creative to me and not just reactive treatments to prop us up!! Being reading CWG (see other thread if ya like that I posted yesterday I think).

[fairyfly]

My favourite Book!

[glitterfairy]

Paps rofl Kiss away! It is those pesky nurses!

OK I am trying hard to think of a new name for a new land and thought we might call it

1. The land where the bong tree grows
   
2. THe coast of Coromandel
   
3. The people of Yonghy-Bhongy-Bo.
   
   Am reading nonsense poems by Edward Lear.
   
   if we wanted to be more literary we could try
   
   
4. Bohemia
   
5. Xanadu
   
6. Tarshish