12/21/2024 - Donuts & Happy Solstice!

Sure am glad to welcome that return, even tho it is 7 below zero here right now. Brrrr. House is so cold, don't think the heating system can deal with that kind of cold, as with thermostat set at 73, tis only 68 in the house. Needless to say turned on the fireplace, and an electric heater, but will take a while.......Have a good one today,Enjoy......
 
Yes, rf sexton, it is:

The winter solstice is the day each year that has the shortest period of daylight between sunrise and sunset, and therefore the longest night. It happens when the sun is directly above the Tropic of Capricorn, a line of latitude that circles the globe south of the equator, the National Weather Service explains.


The farther north you are, the shorter the day will be, and in the Arctic Circle, the sun won't rise at all.

How is the day of the winter solstice determined?​

The winter solstice occurs because of the Earth's tilt as it rotates around the sun.

When the Northern Hemisphere tilts away from the sun, the nights last longer. The longest night happens on the solstice because the hemisphere is in its furthest position from the sun. That occurs each year on Dec. 21 or 22.

This year, it falls on Dec. 21 at 4:21 a.m ET, to be precise.

On the summer solstice, when the northern tilt is closest to the sun, we have the longest day, usually June 20 or 21.



This illustration from the National Weather Service shows the tilt and rotation of the Earth on the winter and summer solstices, as well as the autumnal and vernal equinox marking the beginning of fall and spring. / Credit: National Weather Service

This illustration from the National Weather Service shows the tilt and rotation of the Earth on the winter and summer solstices, as well as the autumnal and vernal equinox marking the beginning of fall and spring. / Credit: National Weather Service

The solstices are not always exactly on the 21st every year because the earth's rotation around the sun is 365.25 days, instead of 365 even.

Will days start getting longer after the winter solstice?​

Yes. Each day after the solstice, we get one minute more of sunlight. It doesn't sound like much, but after just two months, or around 60 days, we'll be seeing about an hour more of sunlight.

When will winter officially be over in 2025?​

The meteorological winter ends on March 20, 2025. Then, spring will last until June 20, when the summer solstice arrives.

How is the winter solstice celebrated around the world?​

Nations and cultures around the world have celebrated the solstice since ancient times with varying rituals and traditions. The influence of those solstice traditions can still be seen in our celebrations of holidays like Christmas and Hanukkah, Britannica notes.

The ancient Roman Saturnalia festival celebrated the end of the planting season and has close ties with modern-day Christmas. It honored Saturn, the god of harvest and farming. The multiple-day affair had lots of food, games and celebrations. Presents were given to children and the poor, and slaves were allowed to stop working.

Gatherings are held every year at Stonehenge, a monumental circle of massive stones in England that dates back about 5,000 years. The origins of Stonehenge are shrouded in mystery, but it was built to align with the sun on solstice days.



People gather at sunrise for the winter solstice celebrations at the Stonehenge prehistoric monument on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England, on Dec. 22, 2021. / Credit: Andrew Matthews/PA Images via Getty Images

People gather at sunrise for the winter solstice celebrations at the Stonehenge prehistoric monument on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England, on Dec. 22, 2021. / Credit: Andrew Matthews/PA Images via Getty Images

The Hopi, a Native American tribe in the northern Arizona area, celebrate the winter solstice with dancing, purification and sometimes gift-giving. A sacred ritual known as the Soyal Ceremony marks the annual milestone.

In Peru, people honor the return of the sun god on the winter solstice. The ancient tradition would be to hold sacrificial ceremonies, but today, people hold mock sacrifices to celebrate. Because Peru is in the Southern Hemisphere, their winter solstice happens in June, when the Northern Hemisphere is marking its summer solstice.


Scandinavia celebrates St. Lucia's Day, a festival of lights.

The "arrival of winter," or Dong Zhi, is a Chinese festival where family gathers to celebrate the year so far. Traditional foods include tang yuan, sweet rice balls with a black sesame filling. It's believed to have its origins in post-harvest celebrations.

Researchers stationed in in Antarctica even have their own traditions, which may include an icy plunge into the polar waters. They celebrate "midwinter" with festive meals, movies and sometimes homemade gifts.
 
In between errands. 27 but very windy, feels like 17. Tomorrow will be six degrees and the separation being the pigeons from my terrace, as they don't go on it in the cold. They gather together in various others. I feel so bad for them and all wildlife and other creatures. We are not allowed to feed them here on the premises, lest we get a fine. But they also would get used to it and be deprived on a regular basis if I tossed them some bread.

Let's all stay warm and safe.

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It was 7 below zero this morning, but has now warmed up to 14° at 12:30!! By the middle of next week, supposedly in the 30s, high 30s. Truly wacky weather. cloudy here today , but light cloudy, lol. Am sure most of you will be having a busy weekend......Enjoy!
 
It was sunny and in the 50s today.

Today was the Christmas lunch with the former Sunday school class. After I got home from the little
library, I had to quickly make glazed carrots.

I went outside for little bit trying to rake the small pieces of cement out of my yard. They haven't taken
the bigger pieces away yet and there are small pieces all over. I don't know how I'm suppose to get
them all out of my yard.

robin, I hope your travels went well today.

Poirot, I hope you warmed up finally.

Wilde Woman, I'm sure the pigeons will be ok. I put out bread crumbs for the birds at my house.

I hope everyone will have a nice evening.
 
Another day in the kitchen for me and I'm not finished yet. Had several things to cook up to keep from ruining and also so I can put some in the freezer and not have to cook everyday.

I finally wrote to my daughter and told her I'm going to stay home for Christmas. It will be a long week but it takes a lot of pressure off me.

Found out last night a cousin died. Our families were together a lot when we were growing up. On my mother's side there were 30 of us cousins, 6 of us older ones, then the others came years later. Now there are only 2 of us older ones left and the other one besides me has dementia. More of the younger ones have passed also. Only 13 left out of the original 30. Sad to see what's left of my younger life slipping away but makes me more aware to count my blessings.
 
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