Celebrating the solstice across culture and religion

Winter Solstice at Stonehenge 

In my mind, the solstice is why we say "happy holidays" instead of Merry Christmas.  It's why we celebrate the New Year, Christmas, Hanukkah and any other number of holidays this time of year.  It's the real reason for the season.

Please let's not get into a religious discussion here.  I'm not a pagan, nor am I a witch.  In fact, I was raised Catholic. This isn't about religion.  It's not even about spirituality.  Well… except for how the tradition of the season resonates with each of us in a very spiritual way.

The Winter Solstice an actual astronomical event.  Today is when the day is the shortest and the night is its longest.  From here on out, the days will only grow longer until the summer solstice in June.

Hence, the first day of winter, or the winter solstice, marks a very important moment of the year… "The coming of the light."

This one phrase sums up much of the deep meaning behind our holiday traditions.  The "holidays" includes many different celebrations across many different religions and cultures, but also the New Year.  The light for this year has waned completely, and as the days begin to grow in length again, we put aside those darkest moments to celebrate a brand new year.  I doubt there was any reason why January was chosen as the start of the year in the Gregorian calendar. Many other cultures have chosen dates not far from the solstice to celebrate—either late fall, or late winter/early spring, as if needing to acknowledge the ending of the harvest, of the light, and the beginning of new things as the light grows again.

Then there is Christmas.  The coming of the "son."  Or the "sun."  In Christianity, Jesus was the savior and the light. Many scholars believe that the events surrounding his birth make it unlikely that Jesus was born in December (the census did not happen in the cold of winter, nor were shepherds out watching their flocks) and so it isn't a coincidence that December was chosen as his birthdate.

Whether his true date of his birth or no, celebrating Jesus's birthday as the light begins to grow is poignantly appropriate, as he brought light to the world.  Hanukkah, the festival of lights, is another celebration of light during the darkest moments of the year. December is a traditional time for candles, twinkling lights, and bright celebrations that remind us that the darkness will not last forever, and that there is always hope, even during the bleakest of nights.

Whether you celebrate this time of year or not, whether you find yourself spiritual or scrooged, the days surrounding the winter solstice are important for our collective soul.  For remembering that after darkness always comes light.  For getting in tune with the rhythms of the world on which we live.  And for knowing, spiritually and emotionally, that the darkest hour always comes before dawn.

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