Shutter Sisters

midwinter

By

“So the shortest day came, and the year died,
and everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world
came people singing, dancing to drive the dark away.”
~ Susan Cooper The Shortest Day

We tilt today. We feel a shift, depending on hemispheric location.  Where I sit, we spin farthest from the sun.  Shortest day. Longest night. To me, solstice is standing still sun. A quiet and cold reminder to embrace the darkness. A joyful and beckoning call to rejoice the light. 

What is solstice to you? Feel free to show us how you celebrate midwinter in the comments today.


Comments

  2. Though winter solstice is the shortest day and longest night of the year, and we call it, variously, "the beginning of winter" or "midwinter," it also marks the day before the return of the sun, since tomorrow, the days begin getting longer. As the year dies, so does winter, and the once-dying sun will now begin to regain its strength, something that might not have always been certain to ancient peoples, so they celebrated when they saw the signs of returning life and warmth in the heavens. Long before Christianity, this was the "reason for the season"–the return of the sun–and the reason that evergreen trees and branches were brought into the house–because their ability to stay green even in winter suggested that they had some magical powers of life.

    In that spirit, I offer a photo of one of my favorite holiday decorations, a Christmas wizard carved from the knee of a cypress tree, which is another variety of evergreen, found in the American southeast.
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/juju-b/5279475165/

  6. Solstice is (usually) my birthday! I like to joke that when I was born, I brought the sun and light! The days are getting longer and Christmas is right around the corner…this is my favorite time of year!

  7. i look so forward to this day EVERY year! i am not a winter person. i am a sun person. so long nights and little sun really fuel my seasonal affective disorder. my dad was always one to mention, look forward to and celebrate this day. he'd count down the days until december 21st as soon as winter hit. i now see why.

    shortest day, longest post…
    it's a long post, but it is my bright light this winter 2010… at this dark, cold season of my life.
    http://itsjusthowiseethings.blogspot.com/2010/12/okay-here-we-go.html

    absolutely wonderful photo, by the way!! love the sparkling lights.

  23. I've always celebrated the Winter Solstice as it is my birthday.

    Back in the day I celebrated with women-only, candle lit parties to which friends of friends came and always found connections we didn't know existed prior. I think the rumors about these parties only added to the intrigue (nakedness! pillow fights!).

    Last night I celebrated my birthday with my two favorite fellas. My husband captured this photo of me and my favorite little guy strolling thru Paris … it was a perfect birthday.
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/impossibletask/5281673145/

  24. I got together with a couple other moms and we had a little lantern parade with our kids at a local park. You can visit my blog to see a photo my husband took of one of the little mason jar lanterns we made for the procession.

  25. Cheap Ugg $60 Discount Ugg Boots,$60Wholesale Ugg$$$$$60
    Welcome to：http://www.b2bjordans.com
    The websitewholesale for many kinds of fashion shoes, like the nike,jordan,prada, also including the jeans,shirts,bags,hat and the decorations. All the products are free shipping, and the the price is competitive, and also can accept the paypal payment.,after the payment, can ship within short timefree shippingcompetitive priceany size availableaccept the paypal
    we co-brand : GUCCI,FENDI,LOCASTE ,POLO,JUICY ,PRADA,ARMANI,LV,ED HARDY,DG,JUICY,ROLEX ,BURBERRY ,CHANEL, DIOR, OKLY, POLICE, VERSACE, COOGI, CHOLE, TRUE RELIGION ,ETC
    shirts 16$ , jeans 35$ ,pants 25usd, sweater 25$,jacket 45$
    ,hangdbags price 35$ ,sunglasses 15$ belt 15$

    90X Extreme Fitness System ONLY ONLY 40$$$$$$$

    nike shox，jordans $32

    http://www.b2bjordans.com