Yule bLog
December 11th, 2013 | by sbieger |The nights are getting longer and the sun is lower in the sky each day. Our planet is bathed in sunlight at a more oblique angle and the signs all around of Winter are unmistakable. And for centuries, even before written history, human kind has marked our Sun’s arch in the sky each day until we reach the shortest day of the year - The Winter Solstice. Midwinter, Yule, The Longest Night.
The stories of the Winter Season always interest me. And one of the aspects of these legends that makes them a little tricky is the fact that the ancient calendars themselves were … well … off. I will leave it to you to read further on the discrepancies of the Julian versus the Gregorian calendar and the shifting of the actual December date of the Winter Solstice. Nevertheless, the Winter Solstice, the actual astronomical event, stands out as a center point of our attention. When you look at all the festivals and the common themes of light and wreaths and feasts, it seems obvious that the position of our own star, the Sun, has had a big influence over the centuries on how we celebrate the Yule Time.
One thing seems pretty clear when you read through the lists of all these festivals and celebrations, we have been paying attention to the Sun for a long time. Very carefully and for very good reasons! The seasons became obvious when clever people just kept watching the sky and noticed patterns. The cycles of the moon and constellations, the direction of shadows during the day. Year after year at this time, we’ve seen the daylight shrink, the ground freeze and wondered if we would ever plant crops again .. or die! Then, as with every year before, after mid winter the days will begin to lengthen, the ground gradually thaws and the time comes for the Spring planting .. and we can live another year. The Winter Solstice is quite literally the turning point that begins a New Year. Now THAT is really worth celebrating!!
If you’re curious, here’s more links on the topic. There’s plenty to read on these cold nights while sitting around the Yule Log! And don’t forget to thank your local star for .. just being there, driving it all.
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