Winter solstice 2020: traditions, how to spend it profitably

The winter solstice plays an important role in all the cultures of the world and is associated with renewal and rebirth.

Winter Solstice 2020 – the day the sun is as low as possible above the horizon.

In the northern hemisphere, the phenomenon occurs on December 21 or 22. The sun, moving along the ecliptic, at this time reaches the position furthest from the celestial equator towards the south pole. Astronomical winter is established in the northern hemisphere of the planet and summer in the southern hemisphere. On the day of the winter solstice the shortest daylight hours and the longest night are observed.

The polar night will begin beyond the Arctic Circle, and neither the Sun nor twilight will be visible at the Earth’s North Pole. In Antarctica at this time the day lasts all day.

The origin of the term “solstice” is associated with the fact that during the phenomenon the height of the midday sun above the horizon for several days hardly changes, it seems to “stop”.

There are two solstices in a year: winter and summer (falls from June 21 to 22)

In winter 2020 the solstice will arrive on December 21 at 10.02 UTC (at 12:02 Kiev time). The sun will rise at 7.56 and set in eight hours at 15.56.

After December 21, the daylight hours will gradually increase, while the nights, on the contrary, will begin to decrease.

Winter solstice in the culture of different peoples.

The phenomenon provoked a great response from the people: it was considered mystical and associated with rebirth.

From the earliest times, people worshiped the Sun and perceived the winter solstice as a victory of light over darkness.

The ancient Slavs celebrated the pagan New Year on the winter solstice, which was associated with the deity Kolyada. The main attribute of the festival was a bonfire, which invokes sunlight, and a ritual pan shaped like a louvre.

In Europe these days began a 12-day cycle of pagan festivals dedicated to the winter solstice. In Scotland, for example, there was a custom to launch the solar wheel: the whirlpool of the sun. The barrel was covered with burning tar and allowed to go down the street.

In ancient China, it was believed that after the winter solstice, the male power of nature rises and a new cycle begins. On this day, all the inhabitants of the empire went on vacation, border fortresses and commercial stores were closed. People came to visit and gave gifts. Until now, this day is considered one of the traditional Chinese holidays.

In India, the winter solstice, Sankranti, is celebrated in Hindu and Sikh communities, where bonfires are lit the night before the celebration.

Dos and Don’ts for the Winter Solstice

Astrologers advise you to focus on your state of mind, take stock of the year, eliminate unnecessary garbage.

It is time to dress the Christmas tree and do some general cleaning, after which it is worth lighting a candle and going through all the rooms with it.

Rituals related to summary, forgiveness, and happiness in life are considered beneficial.

So, at the end of the day before the solstice, you should write down on a piece of paper everything that brought you negative emotions last year and end each paragraph with the words: “I forgive and let everything go.” After this, the list should be burned in the flame of a candle, imagining how the sorrows disappear in the fire.

Single girls can perform a ceremony to attract a loved one. To do this, on the night of the winter solstice, it is necessary to make a complete list of the qualities of the desired partner, read it out loud and burn or hide it.

On the day of the winter solstice, one should not fight, be angry, greedy, or organize noisy festivities.

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