Merry Midwinter everyone!

[xdbx]

I’m intrigued to discover that historically, for thousands of years in fact, various cultures have celebrated the birth of the sun, and sun deities like Isis and Apollo, on the fourth day after the winter solstice. That’s 25th December when daylight in the northern hemisphere is just perceptibly longer and the darkness slightly less dense.

So wherever and however you are, and whether you like to celebrate the birth of the Sun, or the birth of the Son...or anything else, or nothing...I wish you all a Very Healthy, Peaceful and Merry Midwinter! ❤️

[Constance13]

Be happy xdbx and have a healthy season.

💐💐🎄🎄🍀🍾🍸💥🕺🍷🍁

[xdbx in reply to Constance13]

Thank you...and you! 💕

[PMRpro Ambassador]

The church bosses were very handy at matching Christian feasts to existing ones - that's where our rather terrifying traditions here in the Alps came from (makes Black Pieter in Holland look quite cuddly) and the ubiquitous eggs for Easter...

[xdbx in reply to PMRpro]

Yes exactly!

[CT-5012 in reply to PMRpro]

And Sint Niklaas comes on a boat and rides a white horse and then there is the big book.......🎄🎄🎄

They are probably unpacking the Easter Eggs in the supermarket ready for the shelves 😂

[Rosbud in reply to CT-5012]

I worked for Woolworths years ago and our Easter eggs started to arrive at the end of November , so we could start selling them in February!

[Daisychain12 in reply to Rosbud]

Oh my gosh!!!!

[Rose54 in reply to CT-5012]

In today in our Sainsburys

[Daisychain12 in reply to Rose54]

What????? Really?????

[Rose54 in reply to Daisychain12]

yes

[Daisychain12 in reply to CT-5012]

You will see Easter stuff for sure soon I guarantee it lol xxx

[Zofitmogelijk in reply to PMRpro]

ha ha, there is much ado about *zwarte piet* ( black peter ) since quite e few of our new citizens want us to stop with the tradition. So we had yellow and green Piets looking strange. Now Piet has carbon stripes as a compromise.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Zofitmogelijk]

Love it!!!! Yes - I heard about the political correctness brigade!

[prunus in reply to PMRpro]

I am intrigued when you use the adjective "terrifying". Can you elaborate and tell us a bit more?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to prunus]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krampus

is an excellent introduction...

[prunus in reply to PMRpro]

Many thanks for that.

[PMRCanada]

What a wonderful post. Captures our celebrations from another angle. Looking forward to marking many more winter and summer solstices moving forward. Hoping your holidays are filled with joy and peace.

[Joaclp]

Very nice idea, attuned to nature and a larger world of ritual. Perfect for those of us who do not celebrate Christmas. Thank you. May you heal sooner than the summer solstice!

[HeronNS]

Thank you! And Merry Yule! 🎄🎇

[xdbx in reply to HeronNS]

Thank you!

I also learned that the traditional Yule Log would have been a whole tree trunk, big enough to burn for the full 12 days/nights (to Jan 5th) and then the last little bit of it would be saved as kindling to light the new one the following year.

[Grants148]

Thank you,wishing you happiness and good health for Christmas and new year xx.

[JGBH]

Same to you! Joyeux Noel and a great new year! x

[GerriMc]

Very true and many happy returns to you!

[Bronni]

Merry Xmas 🎄

[Hidden]

All The Best 🥂

[Daisychain12]

That is fascinating!! I didn’t know any of it. Thank you so much. Love learning stuff!! Cxx

[bunnymom]

I just love that the days start to get longer ☀️

[oldtrucker]

Thank you for broadening my knowledge. Just proves one is never too old to learn. All the best for 2019 and best wishes for good health