Winter Solstice is my favorite day of the year. Sure other holidays are good, but there is only one day of the year where the days start getting longer again. It means more daytime. As a gardener, I cherish that. It means Spring is coming. A new start and a hope for a good year of fresh veggies and new flowers.
It is one of the 2 days of the year where day-length reverses direction. But who cares about the Summer Solstice? When the days are long, a slight change doesn't really matter. LOL!
Winter Solstice mattered more through history. Cold short days mean you aren't growing food and you are seeing the supply dwindle slightly. Will there be enough to last to the first new harvest? I don't have to worry about that myself, I have grocery stores that collect food from around the world. But fresh from the garden is always great.
But it used to matter a lot. It meant new food was going to start growing soon. It meant the cold days would end. To hunter cultures, it meant the migrating mammals would be arriving locally. To herders, it meant there would be new calves/kids/piglets, so they could eat a few of the adults.
Not to get into religious matters, but a lot of religious holidays occurred a few days after the Winter Solstice because it took a few days to be sure the days were getting longer again. And that was worth celebrating! And whatever day after and for whatever reason is fine with me.
But for myself, I go to the original.
Happy Winter Solstice!
