[Fleecewife]

It's the Solstice today, Friday December 21st 2018 !


To all who celebrate this turning point in the year - have a great time     At last the horrible short days of winter will start to get longer, so we can enjoy the cold and snow in the daylight 


We celebrate with a meal of home grown produce.  This year it's one of our Shetland geese, with roast potatoes, leeks and kale, plus plenty of trimmimngs, which we are sharing with our eldest grandson and his new girlfriend.  He helps us on the smallholding whenever he can, so it's perfect that he can celebrate what we have grown and reared.
Our Yule log is home grown too and still needs to be felled this afternoon.  It comes in and last year's log goes on the fire, showing the continuity of the year.
The Solstice means more to us than Christmas, although we celebrate that too - no point in missing out on the feast!

[Penninehillbilly]

Solstice is more important to me as well, must be more ancient than Christmas.
But local Carol service tonight, highlight of December, I wish a few locals would get together and celebrate Solstice , I'd be there . Once tried suggesting it but was told it's too close to Christmas ?.
Might have a bit of a bonfire
Added-
Just been reading up, actual time is 22.23, as I haven't put the outside lights up yet, I may do that today, switch on 22.23  .
Lights go on shrubs and tree I can see from kitchen window, love it when I can light the darkness up. Primeval feeling?

[Rosemary]

Yep, Solstice greetings to all. I guess most societies through the ages have celebrated at this time of year as the year turns - and each religion has layered on top.
We usually have  a party and bonfire on the Solstice but not this year. Just us, reflecting.
However you do it, have a peaceful one.

[SallyintNorth]

Solstice is our major celebration here too.  Partly because we too live off our land to an extent, and partly because many community members go to see family and or friends over Christmas, so Solstice is a better time for us for a celebration when we’re all here. 

Many hands made a sumptuous feast last night.  We bought a goose and had one of our own hams.  The goose was very well-received; many of us would like to produce our own in future.  Our problem is that the lady who cares for our ducks, who would inevitably end up caring for any geese too, finds it too hard to let any of her babies go!  But we have some drakes that will have to go in the pot this year, so maybe we will get there...

We’re having works done in the farmhouse - a new flat in the loft, improvements in the existing flat and the communal areas on the ground floor - and we are without a comfortable communal space or kitchen at present.  So last night we crammed into one of the homes, and the meal was cooked in parts around the village and brought together for the feast.

The children put on a performance, the Secret Santa gifts are distributed, then we eat.  Two delicious trifles - one boozy, one not - completed the main event, then we retired to the bonfire with marshmallows and sang a few carols.  We had an amazing bonfire, burning the old steps into the farmhouse flats.

We certainly made the best of the situation, but my goodness, we are all looking forward to the works being completed and getting back into the the farmhouse.  We moved out in August and it’s been tough without our “heart of the community”.

Best wishes to all as the days grow longer. :heart:  

[Zyg]

Just a few days ago the thought crossed my mind of celebrating the solstice rather than/as well as xmas. It feels much more appropriate, being land based now. So, it was lovely reading your accounts of celebrating the solstice.

This year we are travelling from Carmarthenshire to London and then to Newark to spend time with our two families at xmas. It only really works as, being Polish, my family celebrate on xmas eve evening and we will then drive on xmas morning to have our English xmas with Monica's family. And then back to Carmarthen a few days later. Phew!

So, once we are established in our smallholding, family will  be able to come to us to celebrate the solstice and then there will be plenty of time to travel to other family for xmas.

[Buttermilk]

I have just arrived home after having a Solstice lunch with an old friend.  We thought we were the only ones doing so.

[Penninehillbilly]

I wonder why the Solstice isn't the new year? It would be much more fitting. 

[Fleecewife]

I wonder why the Solstice isn't the new year? It would be much more fitting. 

I misread that.  Yes, really what is currently the Solstice is and should be the New Year.  It's not quite the same date each year though, depends on just where we are in relation to the sun I suppose.
Am I right that the Solstice was the ancient Roman Saturnalia?   Weeks of feasting and misrule 

[Rupert the bear]

Cut the new yule log from one of the trees blown down at the weekend, last years on the fire 1st Jan.
Told the chickens , the days get longer now , Rupert expects..... 

[Penninehillbilly]

I've decided to start a new house tradition  .
Outside lights go on on Solstice day, just seems right somehow.
Didn't have time for bonfire with going to the Carol service then feeding up, but next year......

Happy Solstice everyone.

[DavidandCollette]

I wonder why the Solstice isn't the new year? It would be much more fitting. 

I misread that.  Yes, really what is currently the Solstice is and should be the New Year.  It's not quite the same date each year though, depends on just where we are in relation to the sun I suppose.
Am I right that the Solstice was the ancient Roman Saturnalia?   Weeks of feasting and misrule 

I understand that it was a pagan festival therefore pre Roman.

[Penninehillbilly]

I wonder why the Solstice isn't the new year? It would be much more fitting. 

I misread that.  Yes, really what is currently the Solstice is and should be the New Year.  It's not quite the same date each year though, depends on just where we are in relation to the sun I suppose.
Am I right that the Solstice was the ancient Roman Saturnalia?   Weeks of feasting and misrule 

I understand that it was a pagan festival therefore pre Roman.

I suppose every culture in the world would have their own celebrations ?

[DavidandCollette]

I would guess so, PHB. We have been to an ancient monument/ religious building in Orkney call Maershowe. Built like an igloo and as the sunsets on the solstice the sun shines down (if it's not cloudy) to the alter at the back. Absolutely fascinating.

[Fleecewife]

You would expect that the further north or south you are, the more important the winter solstice would be.


Our day went OK.  I wasn't feeling that great and managed to overcook the goose a bit.  Shetland geese are small and definitely not renowned for body fat like other breeds, so the meat dried out a little bit.  Nothing some good gravy and my new orange sauce didn't cure (it has chilli in which sounds horrible but was just right with goose).  Grandson's girlfriend is lovely and we are delighted for him  .  They shifted a huge load of firewood for us from our neighbour's fallen beeches    so all in all a good winter fest.

[Penninehillbilly]

Hope you are feeling better today FW.