Big list of Winter solstice observances

[pokerfan]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_solstice#Observances">Go here for more detailed explanations of the various holidays/festivals. For other Winter observances see the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_winter_festivals">list of winter festivals.

Amaterasu celebration, Requiem of the Dead (7th century Japan)
Beiwe Festival (Sámi of Northern Fennoscandia)
Brumalia (Roman Kingdom)
Choimus, Chaomos (Kalash of Pakistan)
Christmas, Natalis Domini (4th century Rome, 11th century England, Christian)
Deuorius Riuri (Gaul)
Deygān, Maidyarem (Zoroastrian)
Dōngzhì Festival (East Asian Cultural Sphere and Mahayana Buddhist)
Goru (Dogon of Mali)
Hogmanay (Scotland)
Inti Raymi (Inca: Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador)
Junkanoo, John Canoe, Dzon'ku 'Nu (West Africa, Bahamas, Jamaica, 19th-century North Carolina, Virginia)
Karachun (Ancient Western Slavic)
Koleda, Коляда, Sviatki, Dazh Boh (Ancient Eastern Slavic and Sarmatian)
Lenæa (Ancient and Hellenistic Greece)
Lucia, Feast of St. Lucy (Ancient Swedish, Scandinavian Lutheran, Eastern Orthodox)
Makara Sankranti, मकर संक्रान्ति (India and Nepal, Hindu)
Maruaroa o Takurua, (New Zealand, Maori)
Meán Geimhridh, Celtic Midwinter (Celtic, Ancient Welsh, Neodruidic)
Mummer's Day, Montol (Celtic, Cornish)
Wren day (Celtic, Irish, Welsh, Manx)
Alban Arthan (Neodruidic)
Midvinterblót (Swedish folk religion)
Midwinter (Antarctica)
Modranicht, Modresnach (Germanic)
Perchta ritual (Germania, Alps)
Rozhanitsa Feast (12th century Eastern Slavic Russian)
Shab-e Chelleh, یلدا , Yaldā (2nd millennium BCE Persian, Iranian)
Sanghamitta Day (Buddhist)
Saturnalia, Chronia (Ancient Greek, Roman Republic)
Şeva Zistanê (Kurdish)
Sol Invictus Festival (3rd century Roman Empire)
Soyal (Zuni and Hopi of North America)
Wayeb (Maya)
We Tripantu (Mapuche in southern Chile)
Yule, Jul, Jól, Joul, Joulu, Jõulud, Géol, Geul (Viking Age, Northern Europe, and Germanic cultures)
Jul (Germanic Neopaganism)
Yule (Wiccan)
Zagmuk, Sacaea (Ancient Mesopotamia, Sumerian, Babylonian)
Ziemassvētki (Latvian, Baltic, Romuva)

[Guilded Lilly]

1. :D

Happy Yule, ya'll
Thanks for this list.

A Celebration for Looking Towards the Light!

[silverweb]

2. Most interesting!

Bookmarked for further perusal after work (which I've been stalling starting).

Thank you -- and Happy Solstice! :hi:

[hobbit709]

3. Hogswatch.

[pokerfan]

6. Happy Hogswatch

[xchrom]

4. Recommend

[dbonds]

5. The Sun god is important in many religions.

Even if they are not aware of their origins.

[BrklynLiberal]

7. cool. Thanks.

Isn't it an amazing coincidence that all these celebrations fall right around Christmas....??

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[pokerfan]

11. Obviously, they are trying to steal Christmas!

[Tesha]

13. And so many of them did it "pre-emptively!"

How prescient of them!

Tesha

[rd_kent]

15. Isn't it amazing coincidence that all these celebrations fall right around the winter solstice?

You seem to have missed it. Christmas is just another one that falls around the solstice.

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

[BrklynLiberal]

16. Really????????????

:wow:

[rd_kent]

17. Yeah, really.

:silly:

[gateley]

8. This is great -- thanks! nt

[CrispyQ]

9. Love your graphic!!

Great post!

K&R

[pokerfan]

12. credit goes to Phil Plait

aka the Bad Astronomer.

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/12/11/reason-for-the-season

[liberal N proud]

10. And it turns back up hill

Day light hours will now get longer even though it will be March before it seems that way.

[roody]

14. Happy Solstice, the real new year.

[MorningGlow]

18. Actually, to pagans

Samhain (Halloween) is New Year's. Just sayin'. :hi:

[Meshuga]

19. Christmas can also be a summer solstice affair

Depending where you are in the world, of course. On the same note, it would be too soon to celebrate holidays like Tripantu, Inti Raymi, Maruaroa o Takurua, and Antarctic Midwinter since they are obviously observed in June. :-)