Winter Solstice Traditions
around the World

Solstice : [>Latin: sol (sun) + stice (stand still)]

Introduction:  Excerpt from an article titled: "Celebrate the Winter Solstice" by Heidorn (2000)

[Written on December 21]

December 21: The day of the long night for those of us who live north of the equatorial zones.  Today at noon, the sun will stand directly overhead at latitude 23.5o South, the Tropic of Capricorn. For residents of the Southern Hemisphere, it will be the longest day of the year, but for us in the Northern, the day will be the shortest. Indeed, for regions north of 66.5o latitude, the Arctic Circle, the sun will not rise on this day. At best on this date, those near the Circle will see a twilight glow in the noontime sky. And at the North Pole, the day will signify "Midnight."

Like its counterpart the summer solstice, the winter solstice is usually not a meteorologically memorable day. Although the length of daylight and strength of potential incoming solar energy are minimal across the hemisphere on this day, the differences between the day of the solstice and those few surrounding days are not that great.

So why is this day so important to us, perhaps more so than the equinoxes or the summer solstice? I believe the reason is ingrained in the human body and mind. For years, people suspected that there was a psychological effect of this time of year on many. But now we know that it is not only psychological but is also physiological. We call the phenomenon Seasonal Affect Disorder (SAD) - once called Seasonal Affect Depression - is a real reaction of the body, and thus linked to the mind, of low light levels.

As the human species moved further away from its tropical birthplace, the impacts of the short winter days became important and the event woven into the social, cultural and religious fabric as well as the species' biology.

Festivals, rituals and celebrations appear throughout human cultures, beginning at least in the Neolithic Period of 10,000 years ago. We all have heard of Stonehenge and its function as a megalithic solar observatory. We now know that it has a contemporary counterpart in Ireland called Newgrange, which is estimated to be 5000 years old. Newgrange is also a solar observatory designed to funnel a shaft of sunlight deep into its central chamber at dawn on the day of the Winter Solstice. Around the world, many such sites, including medieval churches, incorporate elements to determine and mark the important day of the Winter Solstice.

The best known celebration/festival during late December is Christmas, but it is a recent festival added to the list. Its date was set by the Roman Emperor during the Fourth Century to coincide with pagan rituals and celebrations surrounding the Winter Solstice. There are great similarities to the "Birth of the Son" and the "Rebirth of the Sun" beyond the obvious similarity of words.

Festivals of the Winter Solstice have ancient origins. The ancient Egyptians, Babylonians and Persians had renewal festivals during this period, as did the Romans and other European cultures: the Roman Saturnalia, the Norse and Germanic Yule and the Celtic festivals. Winter Solstice festivals were not limited to Europe either. Among these are the Pakistani Chaomas, the Tibetan Dosmoche, the Chinese Dong Zhi and the Japanese To Ji [and Korean Dong Ji]. Native North Americans also held solstice rituals. These all predate the introduction of Christianity to their region and many of these rituals and festivals were later incorporated into Christmas observances such as mistletoe and holly.

At the root of all these celebrations and rituals is the battle between Light and Dark. The battle reaches a turning point on the Winter Solstice as the advances of Darkness are halted and the tide turns for the forces of Light. Light returns to drive the gloom away and to raise our spirits.

The day of the Winter Solstice marks the beginning of a new Solar Year. Let us rejoice and again turn our eyes upward to greet the new dawning.

Source:  "Celebrate the Winter Solstice" by Keith C. Heidorn, PhD . 2000.

Japan:  Tou Ji or To Ji (literally means winter solstice)

A few weeks (about 15 days) starting around 22nd of December is called Toji [or Tou Ji : Winter Solstice].

When solar celestial longitude gets 270 degrees, the most south, the solar height becomes lowest in the year in Northern Hemisphere. Therefore, the daytime is shortest in the year and cold increase severity. In Japanese custom, we eat "Japanese Pumpkin" and Konnyaku (devil's tongue) to pray for luck of money. Also, we take Yuzuburo (citron bath) to pray for health and fortune. From ancient times, there are many festivals held in all around the world to celebrate Toji (Winter Solstice), when sun approaches most in Northern Hemisphere. The festival of Christmas, which is originated in Europe is related to Toji this strongly.

Korean Festival : Dong Ji : the winter solstice

Korean people has called it:  Dongji or  A-Se.

A-Se means "little New Year's Day".  Most Koreans have believed that Dongji is the start of another year because day time gets longer from this day.  A Long time ago, Dongji was as important as New Year's Day.  Koreans gave and received calendars from each other for the real [Lunar] New Year.  This became one of the New Year customs in Korea.  Traditionally the winter solstice was a time to make new calendars marked with the seasonal sub divisions which correspond with the agricultural seasons.  This tradition lives on in the modern practice of giving calendars as year-end gifts.  Nowadays, Unfortunately, Dongji is not considered as big as a holiday as Chusuk and Seolnal, but there still is the custom that exists until now.  That is eating a "Red-Bean Porridge"

Don't you know how to cook RED BEAN CEREAL SOUP?

I will tell you the recipee.

 *These are the following Ingredients used in making red bean cereal soup.

1. RED BEAN

2. RICE

3. Sticky rice powder

4. Salt

5. Honey

Now we are ready to start cooking.

*Getting ready to make RED BEAN CEREAL SOUP

The first thing you need to do is take the beans and let them sit for about an hour in a bowl. You must boil the red beans. After an hour passes, take the Red Beans and peel the skin off. Remember to be gently because the beans will mush very easily.

First: put salt in the Red Bean when it is boiled.

Second: make ball shapes out of the sticky rice powder.

And then, you put rice and ball shapes made of sticky rice powder into the first step.

When it pass a few minutes, you put honey.

There is a reason why Koreans eat "Red Bean Porridge".  Most Korean people have believed that Red Beans have a significant and mysterious power of drive evil spirits away, because in Korean, Red (in Korean,河促-Bulkda) means it originated from Bright Light(灌促-Balkda).  In the old days, people thought evil spirits hated anything with bright light, mainly, the color Red.  So, they often sprinkled the Red Bean Porridge around the house and large trees nearby.

For the above reason (of driving evil spirits away), women giving birth to a boy, hang red peppers on the main gates of the their homes, and some people plant things with the color Red.  [And, the traditional Korean marriage ceremony has the bride wearing red dots on her face to word off evil spirits.]

Source:  http://www.clickasia.co.kr/about/h1222.htm

Slovak Winter Solstice Festival

24th of December (Christmas Eve):  The Slovak words for Christmas Eve are literally "bountiful eve" and the bounty of this sacred evening lies in the wide range of festive dishes, of which there had to be twelve different kinds. Even today many Slovak families must have on the Christmas table garlic (to ward off demons), honey, wafers, nuts, cooked peas or French beans, dried fruit, and the main dish, cabbage soup with mushrooms and "opekance" - small pieces of dough - with poppy seed and honey. At the beginning of this century, fish has become the traditional meat served during Christmas Eve (their scales are said to bring wealth into the house) in the Catholic portion of the population while the Lutherans would add smoked meats and sausage to their cabbage soup. Christmas holidays are also very rich in Slovak pastries and baked goods that are prepared over many evenings during the month of December.

Christmas Eve (24th December) was the turning point between the declining and increasing light of the sun. This feast is even now linked in the minds of Slovak people with a large number of traditions. For example, whatever one did on that day, one would do all year round. Nothing could be lent, because all the family's property would then be "lent out".

The ritual lighting of the fire used to be a widespread practice observed by all Europeans. The Christmas fire was considered sacred and later it was replaced by burning of candles as a memory of near ones no longer with us. These candles were eventually incorporated into the richly decorated Christmas trees, which arrived in Slovakia from Germany and Austria in the latter half of 18th century, but did not expand to all of Slovakia until the first quarter of this century. The trees are traditionally decorated (in addition to the candles) with fruits (apples), home made Christmas decorations (wood or carvings), baked goods made with honey in the form of Angels and other religious symbols and candies. The Christmas tree was kept until 6th of January (feast of the Three Kings) at which time the kids were allowed to finally have the candies and other sweets from the tree.

Source:  http://www.slovak.com/xmas_traditions/index.html

Slovakian Winter Solstice (Part 2)  

Christmas in Slovakia is largely a celebration of family, food, and religious observation. It is a christian holiday which starts on December 24th and is followed by two more days of Christmas. Christmas is celebrated mainly on December 24th, or Christmas Eve - 妕edr deň (pron. "Shtiedree dien", means "open-handed day") when the gifts are given in the evening. However, the December 25 and 26 are also free days. According to tradition, gifts are brought by Ježiško (pron. "Yezheeshko"), or "baby Jesus". Parents usually put the gifts under the Christmas tree before dinner and kids are surprised when they find them there after dinner. They think, baby Jesus brought the presents while they had dinner. Dinner is usually soup (sauerkraut sup, lentil..) fried fish, potato salad, cookies, fruit... Different parts of Slovakia have different customs. It's popular here to build the monumental wooden Bethlehem in the glory of Jesus's birth.

Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_worldwide

Polish Winter Solstice

In Poland, Christmas Eve is a day first of fasting, then of feasting. The feast begins with the appearance of the first star, and is followed by the exchange of gifts. The following day is often spent visiting friends. Poland is a land of intriguing traditions, superstitions, and legends. Its people have always combined religion and family closeness at Christmas time. Gift giving plays only a minor role in the rituals, emphasis being placed instead on making special foods and decorations. Traditionally, Advent is an important season in the Polish year, with special church services, known as Roraty, being held every morning at 6am. The four Sundays of Advent are said to represent the 4,000 years of waiting for Christ. During Advent and, in some homes, on Christmas Eve, bee抯 wax is poured on water, and fortunes are told from the shapes, which emerge. Special tasks carried out during Advent are the baking of the Christmas piernik or honey cake, and the making of Christmas decorations. Pierniki are made in a great variety of shapes, including hearts, animals and St Nicholas figures. Traditional decorations include the pajaki or spiders, which are handmade mobiles, stars and decorated eggshells. Beautifully lit Christmas trees are placed in all public arenas, outside churches and in homes. Traditionally the trees are decorated with shiny apples, walnuts, beautifully wrapped chocolate shapes and many homemade decorations and candles. On the top of the tree is a star or a glittering top piece. In many homes, sparklers are hung on the branches of the trees giving it a magical air. Sometimes the trees are left standing until February 2nd, the feast day of St Mary of the Candle of Lightning. During Advent, the Gwiadorzy or star carriers, used to begin wandering through the towns and villages and this would continue until Epiphany. Some of the Gwiadorzy sang carols; others recited verses or put on Szopki or puppet show, or herody or nativity scenes. The last two customs are developments from traditional manger scenes or Jaselka or crib. One tradition unique to Poland is the sharing the "oplatek," a thin wafer into which is pressed a holy picture. People once carried these oplatek from house to house to wish their neighbors a Merry Christmas. Nowadays, the bread is mostly shared with members of the family and immediate neighbors. As each person shares pieces of the wafer with another person, they are supposed to forgive any hurts that have occurred over the past year and to wish the other person all the happiness in the coming year.

On Christmas Eve, so important is the first star of the night that it has been given the affectionate name of "little star" or Gwiazdka, in remembrance of the Star of Bethlehem. On that night, all watch the sky anxiously, hoping to be the first to cry out, "The star!" The moment the star appears, people start eating. Families unite for the most carefully planned meal of the year, Wigilia, the Christmas supper. The Wigilia derives its name from the Latin word vigilare, which means to watch or keep vigil.

According to tradition, bits of hay have been spread beneath the tablecloth as a reminder that Christ was born in a manger. An even number of people must be seated around the table or tradition states someone may die in the coming year. Wigilia is a family feast and it's considered bad luck to entertain a guest on this sacred night. In some places an empty place setting is left at the table for the Baby Jesus or a wanderer who can come in need. The meal begins with the breaking of the Oplatek. Everyone at the table breaks off a piece and eats it as a symbol of their unity with Christ. There should be 12 meals- symbol of 12 apostles. Poppy seed cake, beet soup, prune dumplings, carp, herrings and noodles with poppy seed are universally Polish Christmas foods. Often there is compote of dry fruits. The remainder of the evening is given to stories and songs around the Christmas tree. It is decorated with nuts, apples and ornaments made from eggshells, coloured paper, straw, and hand blown glass baubles. In areas of the country, children are taught that "The Little Star" brings the gifts. As presents are wrapped, carolers may walk from house to house, receiving treats along the way. In Poland, an elaborate tradition called Wigilia is celebrated. Beginning on Christmas Eve, a strict 24-hour fast is observed which ends with a huge Christmas feast. In honour of the star of Bethlehem, the meal cannot begin until the first star of night appears. Though Christmas is Poland is officially known as Boze Narodzenie, it is most often referred to as Gwiazdka, which means, "Little star." Once the star appears, a special rice wafer blessed by the parish priest called oplatek, is broken into pieces and shared by all. Finally the meal can begin. The feast consists of twelve courses, one for each Apostle. The table is always set with one extra seat in case a stranger or the Holy Spirit should appear to share the meal.

Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_worldwide

The Netherlands and Belgium:  Winter Solstice

Sinterklaasavond (St. Nicholas evening) remains more important in the Netherlands than Christmas, although in recent years, the Dutch have started to celebrate Christmas Eve with Santa as well. This sparks minor controversy each year over when it is "appropriate" to start celebrating Christmas, with shopkeepers preferring to start the lucrative Christmas season immediately after Sinterklaasavond (sometimes putting up decorations even earlier) while others argue that the "foreign" and "commercial" Christmas impinges too much on the traditional Sinterklaas celebrations. Considering the ancestry of Santa Claus, it has truly been said that Sinterklaas is in competition with himself here.

The present-giver in children's folklore in The Netherlands and Belgium is a Santa-ish character called Sinterklaas or Sint Nicolaas. Like Ftytytyather Christmas in Germany, Sinterklaas is often accompanied by a black helper named Zwarte Piet (Black Pete) who punishes disobedient children. Sinterklaas wears a tall bishop's hat and carries a crooked staff. He is said to reside in Spain, and in mid-November he arrives by steamboat, an event which is often acted out in the many coastal communities of the Low Countries. Dutch children leave their shoes out on many nights in the run-up to the actual celebration, to find them filled with small treats in the morning. December 5 (The Netherlands) and December 6 (Belgium) are traditionally recognized as the main gift-giving days of the Low Countries, with December 25 being a lower-key, more religious event.

In recent years Dutch and Belgian cultures have also incorporated Santa Claus into their traditions, with him and Sinterklaas being recognized as two distinct characters.

Walloons call Sint Nicolaas (Saint Nicolas) and Zwarte Piet Pe Fouettard (Black Pete, the Whipping Father).

Christians and a large amount of people having a Christian background go to church with Christmas. The Roman-catholic service is on Christmas eve, the Protestant churches in the Netherlands have their Christmas service on 25 December. This service is normally kept somewhat simpler compared to normal services, with more attention to the children and the singing of famous old Christmas hymns. Since the end of the 20th centuries, some Protestant churches also have services on Christmas eve. Due to the high amount of church abandoning during the last few centuries, a lot of old churches have been closed. However, the amount of people that want to visit a church service with Christmas seems to be as large as several years ago. Therefore, the remaining churches become too small to accommodate all the attendants with Christmas.

Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_worldwide

African Winter Solstice

I [Leon] had to research back to ancient times to find a winter solstice tradition for Africa.  Around 3000 BC in Egypt, it was believed that the god Osiris died and was resurrected around the time of the winter solstice.  Osiris was the son of gods and his death became associated with the death and rebirth of the sun when the sun "stands still" in the heavens on the shortest day of the year.  This tradition is preceded by the one in Mesopotamia, same story, different names.  So, some people believe that the story came to Africa from the Middle East.  The Egyptians celebrated the day by feasting, as most cultures did.

Feast of Aset

In the Khemitian calendar, three days of (around) the Winter Solstice comprised the Feast of Aset (Isis), which commemorates the dismemberment of Asar (Osiris) by his brother and murderer, Set, and the healing and love skills of Aset in collecting and reintegrating the King's body, bringing Asar back to life a second time -- after having already revived him once after Set first killed Asar by apparently suffocating him inside a wooden box. The love union of Aset and Asar after this second resurrection produces the solar hero Hor (Horus), who will seek to kill his father's murderer -- the Hamlet plot first appears on Earth -- and to restore balance in the Realm between order and chaos, life and death.

http://www.hermes3.net/nov206.htm

2nd month of Akhet (winter), day 6: Festival of Isis the great, Lady of the Two Lands. It is the beginning of writing for her of her annals by her mother, Tefnut, as for her elder brother Osiris.

American Aboriginal Winter Solstice Traditions

[Note:  I don't like to call them Indians (as they have nothing to do with India) and I don't like to call them Native Americans (as I am a native American, but my ancestors came from Poland); So, I call them American Aborigines (the original Americans)].

Source:  http://www.thecommunicator.org/052006/chiefporter.htm

Incan Aborigines

“Inti Raymi: Incan Sun Festival” (by Nicholas Gill)

Cusco's largest celebration of the year, held every June 24, re-enacts the ancient Inca ceremony welcoming the winter solstice in Peru.

Inti Raymi is the Festival of the Sun, or Fiesta del Sol that continues an Inca tradition that dates back centuries. The Incas would hold an annual ceremony to celebrate the winter solstice. The name Inti Raymi is Quechua for new sun. In fact the festival is held entirely in Quechua, the language of the Incas, which is still spoken by millions of people throughout the Andes.

Although it is not what you would have found centuries ago here, it is a lively ceremony and you can at the very least get an idea of how things once were with this majestic Andean culture. There is music, drums, speeches, dances, and other rituals that are re-enacted by the ancestors of the Inca.

Held every June 24 amidst the colossal stone fort of Saqsayhuaman perched above the city, the event packs the crowds. Tickets are quite expensive for the better seats, although you can sit on the ground with the locals for near peanuts.

Hopi and Navajo Aborigines

The winter solstice marks a special storytelling time for native American communities. During that special literary season, they say, the sun is in the south corner of time.

Source:  http://parentseyes.arizona.edu/southcorner/introduction.html

Iroquois Aborigines

While Celtic peoples celebrated this special time [winter solstice] with feasts, some Native American tribes saw this unique celestial event in a different light. Among the Iroquois, it was a time of dreaming.

Rather than staying up all night to celebrate the dawn, the People of the Longhouse turned in early, to sleep, to dream.

As Mother Night reigned supreme, in dreaming they walked between the worlds of light and darkness, gathering great meaning from what The Great Mystery illuminated for them.

At first light, the entire tribe would gather and each tribal member -- men, women, to the smallest child -- would stand and relate what visions they saw on this special night.

The dreams would be discussed at length by the entire tribe for each vision's meaning -- for the individual, about the world, for the tribe.

Source:  http://healing.about.com/cs/uc_directory/a/wsolstice_ewing.htm