Winter Solstice
December 30, 2020
In the Northern Hemisphere December 21st is the Winter Solstice. It is the shortest day of the year and marks the beginning of the frosty season for us. On which side of the equator you are living determines when the solstice will occur. So as the northern hemisphere celebrates the first day of winter those in the southern hemisphere are entering summer. It will reverse as we enter the warmer months and their winter begins. But no matter where in the world you live the event is acknowledged and celebrated. Since ancient times the shortest day of the year has been a time of both festivals and rituals.
In India the Hindu religion recognizes it as a Holy Day. In Guatemala streets are filled with festivals and fireworks fill the sky. The Japanese take hot baths outside to honor the incoming cold season. At Stonehenge, crowds gather and stay through the long night, celebrating with candles and carols. In Iran, tradition calls for a familial gathering at home where food and drink are served throughout the evening. Scandinavians celebrate with bonfires and American Indians (depending on the tribe) have many rituals, dances and chants that mark the night. “Burning the clocks' occurs in England and banquets happen in Rome...And many cultures have lantern festivals, that send thanksgiving and goals into the heavens, for the coming year.
Spiritually it is a day to celebrate rebirth and renewal. It is a time of stillness as we recognize the longest dark period of the year. It is an occasion to contemplate and set new directions for our lives. We look to the next morning when the sunlight will begin it's unfolding, lasting a bit longer with each passing day. The winter solstice is a time to consider the changes we want to make in the coming months and a time to be reborn into a new light. It is the perfect day to initiate transformation in your life and to celebrate it.
So this year, after navigating our way though all the obstacles and difficulties of 2020, John and I decided to give negativity over to the light. We commemorated the Winter Solstice by getting married, ending an arduous year on a very beautiful note. We've been partners for years in life and in business and when we decided to make our partnership permanent, the Solstice was the absolutely perfect moment to do it. So in the coming hours, as 2021 begins, we send our best wishes and prayers out to all those we love. We hope you too take a moment to consider, to dream, to contemplate. Just a moment to look to the light and say thank you.
Learn more about Green Cart Catering at https://www.greencartcatering.com/ and contact sales@greencartcatering.com for more information.
