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Original poster

Happy Solstice

61 replies

FourChimneys · 21/12/2022 07:34

It's the shortest day of the year. Whether you are celebrating the solstice, or are just glad that the darkest days will be behind us, have a wonderful day.

If you are celebrating, what are you doing? A lot of time spent outside and a nice meal here. I always find the winter solstice far more relevant and meaningful than Christmas.

OP posts:
Nevermindthesquirrels · 21/12/2022 08:50

@FourChimneys I agree completely. The summer one makes me sad! It's not even anywhere near the summer holidays so just makes me sad the summer holidays are just the end of summer.
For my family on the continent, the summer solstice is usually the first day of the summer holidays which is a nice marker I think.

Original poster
FourChimneys · 21/12/2022 08:52

So many wonderful ways of celebrating here. I love the candles made at the summer solstice, the 10k run and the fires.

1ittlegreen best wishes to your dad, what a perfect way to celebrate.

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SchoolNightWine · 21/12/2022 08:52

It's my birthday. When people talked about it being the shortest day when I was little, I used to get upset as wanted my birthday to be as long as everyone else'sGrin

moggerhanger · 21/12/2022 08:54

Happy Solstice! We will be having a fire outdoors, with mulled wine. Aiming to burn pieces of paper on which we've written the things we want to leave behind in 2022.

dudsville · 21/12/2022 08:56

Happy Solstice! I don't mind Christmas, i see this whole period of shortest day/longest night, christmas, NYE/New Years Day as one long wonderful festival.

Original poster
FourChimneys · 21/12/2022 09:05

SchoolNightWine happy birthday. That was a sad thought when you were small but have a lovely long birthday today.

moggerhangar I love your idea of burning the things you want to leave behind. I might steal that 🙂

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Hbh17 · 21/12/2022 09:07

Which means that tomorrow - 22nd - is the best day of the year, as the nights slowly start to draw out!

BruceAndNosh · 21/12/2022 09:08

Days are getting longer! Whoop whoop!

CuppaWhiteTea · 21/12/2022 09:13

Happy Solstice! I hope everyone can find a minute away from the busyness of just-before-Christmas to tune in to the total stillness of the world today xx

ErrolTheDragon · 21/12/2022 09:14

ivykaty44 · 21/12/2022 08:11

Is it the shortest day? Is it not the longest night?

Well technically it's the moment is when the North Pole reaches its maximum tilt away from the sun which could occur during the day or night.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_solstice

BamBamBilla · 21/12/2022 09:20

Tomorrow's sunrise, marking the end of the longest night, is livestreamed from Stonehenge on the English Heritage YouTube channel.

sueelleker · 21/12/2022 09:35

LadyEloise1 · 21/12/2022 07:53

Check out Newgrange Winter Solstice on Google.
It is a Neolithic passage tomb, older than Stonhenge and the Egyptian pyramids. It is aligned on the Winter Solstice sunrise.
The rising sun, on the solstice shines through a roofbox at the entrance and floods the central part of the tomb with sunlight.
It truly is amazing that our early ancestors constructed such a structure.
It is a Unesco World Heritage site.

I'm in Brighton, and I'm going to Burning The Clocks tonight. It hasn't been on for a couple of years, due to Covid, and I've missed it. www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjNiPuHtIr8AhWRScAKHXShDlAQFnoECBIQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theargus.co.uk%2Fnews%2F23196487.burning-clocks---need-know-event%2F&usg=AOvVaw3msLsN8BKe-DhyZcobUm-2

Decafflatteplease · 21/12/2022 09:41

BamBamBilla · 21/12/2022 09:20

Tomorrow's sunrise, marking the end of the longest night, is livestreamed from Stonehenge on the English Heritage YouTube channel.

Thanks for the reminder @BamBamBilla I always try to find a quiet few minutes to watch it. One day I'll go!

moggerhanger · 21/12/2022 10:18

@FourChimneys steal away! I think of the Winter Solstice as the real new year's eve, a time for new beginnings and leaving past hurts and anger behind. (I am not remotely religious or spiritual, so this is as close as I come to that sort of thing.)

bumpertobumper · 21/12/2022 10:20

@SchoolNightWine it's my birthday too!
Have a good one 🎂💃🥳🍾🎁
🌅🌅🌅🌅

TonTonMacoute · 21/12/2022 10:45

Yay, I love this day.

Just clicked on an old thread which says it's the law that you have to listen to Solstice Bells by Jethro Tull.

Take note!

Original poster
FourChimneys · 21/12/2022 10:51

TonTonMacoute ah yes, that probably is a law!

moggerhanger tonight is definitely the real new beginning, I'm not interested in 1 January.

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howaboutchocolate · 21/12/2022 10:51

ivykaty44 · 21/12/2022 08:11

Is it the shortest day? Is it not the longest night?

It's both! If the night is the longest, the day is also the shortest.

Happy solstice everyone.

garlicandsapphires · 21/12/2022 10:54

Has anyone been to Stonehenge for Solstice? I am toying with the idea of going tomorrow, though weather forecast not great. Is it worth it I wonder?
Either that or Glastonbury Tor

TokyoSushi · 21/12/2022 10:56

Happy Solstice, here's to brighter days ahead!

Giggorata · 21/12/2022 11:02

Happy Solstice!
I celebrated with my coven at the weekend and tonight at home we're lighting our Solstice candle and I might put up the tree and light that, to celebrate the returning Sun ☀️

PlaitBilledDuckyPuss · 21/12/2022 11:03

How do those who belong to a Coven celebrate with their Coven - is there a traditional ceremony?

inigomontoyahwillcox · 21/12/2022 11:11

Happy winter solstace everyone.

The older I get, the more the solstices and equinoxes mean to me - it's almost visceral.

I shall take a short walk in the countryside later when I've finished work - take a few minutes to be surrounded by nature and its sounds, smells and feelings.

Happy Solstice
SchoolNightWine · 21/12/2022 11:59

bumpertobumper · 21/12/2022 10:20

@SchoolNightWine it's my birthday too!
Have a good one 🎂💃🥳🍾🎁
🌅🌅🌅🌅

Thank you @bumpertobumper, enjoy your day too🥳🎂

FredWinnie · 21/12/2022 12:14

@bumpertobumper & @SchoolNightWine - Happy Birthday 🍰

I'm dog sitting today but it is my favourite day of the whole Christmas event.

Happy winter Solstice everyone 🍻