Are ya ready for some SOLSTICE!?

[trof]

The precise moment of the 2003 solstice will be December 22, 2003 at 2:04 A.M. EST (7:04 UT).
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/wintersolstice1.html

What do you know about solstice rituals and celebrations?
http://www.familyeducation.com/topic/front/0,1156,1-4205,00.html

The days will start getting longer, and then...before you know it...
SPRING!
<tra la>
;-)

[Braden]

1. I'm ready for the days to start getting longer!

[Intelsucks]

2. Which SOLSTICE do they gather at Stonehenge for?

Is it the Summer, the Winter, or both? I went to Stonehenge about 2 years ago. There really is something peculiar about that spot. When you stand there and look in every direction, it's just weird... It's hard to put into words. It was definitely one of the highlights of my travels.:)

[PROGRESSIVE1]

3. What is so "weird" about it?

.

[Intelsucks]

6. It's a subtle hilltop surrounded my meadows and farmland

Those stones were re-located from over 100 miles away to that spot. No one knows for certain exactly how they did it. The tallest stones are ~23 feet tall.

Maybe "weird" wasn't the right word. I had just crossed the Atlantic and basically lost a day of sleep in the process. I think I was "punch drunk" when I was there from lack of sleep.

It's one of the seven wonders of the world. Everyone should see it if they have the chance.

[trof]

4. Summer

[pippin]

5. and so we get CHRISTMAS!

Most of our traditions come from the early Romans. In the 3rd century, Emperor Aurelian established December 25th as the birthday of the "Invincible Sun." The Christian church in 273 AD selected that day as the birthday of Jesus. In 336 AD the celebration of the "Invincible Sun" became Christianized as the Birth of Jesus.

The tradition of decorating with evergreens comes from a combination of ancient cultures. Egyptians used green palm branches to symbolize life’s triumph over death on the shortest day of the year. The early Romans used evergreens to honor their god of agriculture during their winter festival of Saturnalia. The Druids decorated oak trees with golden apples. A custom of the Middle Ages was to decorate a tree with red apples to symbolize the feast of Adam and Eve on December 24th. Roman temples were decorated with evergreens to symbolize life’s continuity.


The stringing of lights or placing candles in windows also came from the ancient Solstice feasts. During the feast of Saturnalia, Romans kept lamps burning to ward off the spirits of darkness. In pagan Scandinavia, bonfires were made and the Yule log was burned to strengthen the Sun. Ancients lit candles, bonfires, and anything they could find to celebrate the return of the light."

http://www.astronomical.org/astbook/seasonal.html

(nothing to do with Jesus orginally so celebrate the solstice)