Wednesday, 21 December 2016

Day 21: The other way

The sun in July 2013
This morning at 11.44 local time the sun 'turned' as they say around here. It was at its furthest from where I live and now it will return slowly to the Northern Hemisphere.

Even though nowadays there is light everywhere, it must have been very special to our ancestors to have the sun turn around and come back. Special enough to celebrate it. In time and with Christianity coming into the lives of kings/queens, the midwinter festivals would coincide with the celebration of the birth of Christ. And eventually Christmas was known more for the latter than for the former. 

Of course nowadays Christmas is known more for gifts, presents, too much food and drink and soppy Christmas films. Although here in Norway, the turning of the sun is still very special and was remarked upon several times today at work!

If you want to know more about the Yuletide and indeed the Norwegian word jul, there is a great Wikipedia page with lots of information. Click here.
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10 comments:

  1. Fun6021 December 2016 at 15:56

    That is an expression I have never heard before but you get the meaning immediately.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Gattina21 December 2016 at 18:00

    So if I understand well, the days will get longer ?? (Sigh of relief) !

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yamini MacLean21 December 2016 at 20:21

    Hari OM
    It would have been fun... if I could have seen the sun... storm Barbara is shaking her skirts at us and getting closer. Roll on the returning sun! YAM xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mara21 December 2016 at 21:28

      Barbara? Is she the one that made me close my bedroom window for the first time since living here?

      Delete
    2. Yamini MacLean22 December 2016 at 15:05

      ...quite possibly... miserable b**** she is... still raging today and likely to be worse tomorrow. Gird yer lions... or summat... Yx

      Delete
  4. Frankie Furter and Ernie21 December 2016 at 23:00

    We will be GLAD to have the additional One Min. of daylight tomorrow...
    BUTT the weather saying is... the Longer the Days the STRONGER the COLD... Brrrrrrr

    ReplyDelete
  5. Murphy22 December 2016 at 01:12

    We heard on the news that we have more than 5 hours less sunlight hours!

    Your Pals,

    Murphy & Stanley

    ReplyDelete
  6. C.L.W.STEP22 December 2016 at 02:01

    A Happy solstice to you!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anvilcloud22 December 2016 at 04:20

    Celebration of the solstice certainly predates subsequent ones by a fairly big margin.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Debby@Just Breathe26 December 2016 at 19:48

    Your link was very interesting. I agree, it must have been a very special time for our ancestors!

    ReplyDelete

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