Today was the winter solstice, where the day quits dying and starts rising from the dead again. I am decorating my Jeep with evergreen branches as we speak, evergreen branches (or entire trees) being a symbol of the rebirth of the year long-predating Christianity on this most holy of days, when the day quits dying and starts growing again. Well, actually they’re plastic “Christmas” wreaths zip-tied to the grill and spare tire on the rear tailgate, but same difference, right?
Oh yeah, that whole year being born thing is why the Christians decided to celebrate the birth of their Christ on the same day despite the fact that there would be no flocks in the fields of Bethlehem at this time of year (too dang cold!). Birth of sun in the new year = birth of Christ, dig? But the holiday long predates Christianity, as any Wiccan could tell you :).
-- Badtux the Holiday Penguin
Happy solstice, Penguin!
ReplyDeleteWe once had the Jehovah Witness crew drop in on Christmas when we were belatedly decorating a potted tree. With a really supercilious grin, the lead guy asked me if I knew whose birthday it "really" was.
ReplyDeleteI smiled back and said "Yes, my Lord Mithra has his birthday this day." Well, "hasty retreat" doesn't EVEN cover it, lol!
And Yes, happy solstice!
Didja ever watch the first Zeitgeist movie, Tux? A lot of it was bullshit, especially the plan to implant chips in everyone. But the opening bit where the film recounts the many rebirth-of-the-saviour myths from the time of the Sumerians onward to Jeebus was well-done. I already knew some of that, but to see how MANY there were, and how they both dovetailed and followed each other from ear to era, was revelatory. That made the hyperbole of the rest of the flick tolerable.
ReplyDeleteAll it means to me is that the days will start getting longer again, and I'm thankful for that.
ReplyDeleteI'm fond of the Long Dark but I welcome the beginning of the new cycle. Happy Solstice, all.
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