Monday 21 December 2015

Happy Winter Solstice Eve Everyone!

I've seen quite a few pagans wishing each other a Happy Solstice this morning, but in fact it is the Solstice Eve today.

The actual moment of the Winter Solstice, when the sun on reaches its farthest southward point for the year in the sky, is at 4.48am Universal Time - the same as Greenwich Mean Time - on December 22.

Those of us in the northern hemisphere will then have our shortest day and longest night of the year. In London, the sun will rise at 8.04am on Tuesday and set again at 3.54pm.

However, many pagans celebrate at other times than on the solstice itself. Many choose December 21 as a recognised day to honour the season's festival, others pick the nearest Saturday or Sunday for convenience and some choose to celebrate on December 25 to coincide with the bank holiday.

When do you celebrate the Winter Solstice?  Do leave a comment.

Here are a few links about this year's Winter Solstice:
http://metro.co.uk/2015/12/20/tuesday-will-be-this-years-winter-solstice-heres-what-you-need-to-know-5576173/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/12058397/When-is-the-winter-solstice-2015-the-shortest-day-of-the-year.html
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/plan-your-visit/winter-solstice-2015/

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