The darkest day of the year

Winter begins today at 10.48 pm.

Let there be light - with today, things are looking up again, because from today the days are getting longer again. While summer begins in the southern hemisphere, winter is ushered in in the northern hemisphere.

Depending on where you are in the world, this happens at different times.

Rites around the solstice

In fact, the exact function of the world-famous stone circle at Stonehenge in England has not been clarified. Nevertheless, the 5,000-year-old monument is often mentioned in the same breath as solstices. During the summer solstice, the heel stone, which stands outside the main circle, forms a line with the rising sun.

It is also assumed that there is a connection between the pyramids in Giza and the solstices. Viewed from the Sphinx, the sun sets at the summer solstice exactly in the middle between the Pyramids of Cheops and Chephren. It is a complete mystery how the builders of the complex managed this.

In ancient Rome, the winter solstice was celebrated with a seven-day festival called Saturnalia, during which people exchanged gifts, decorated their homes with plants and lit candles.

Families and friends in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan spend the so-called Yalda night together eating fruit by the fire and reading prophecies to each other. The origin of the festival is said to be the birth of the Persian princess and goddess of light Mithra. Its Persian name - Shab-e Yaldā - also refers to this. It means "night of birth".

Based on Celtic culture, St. Thomas' Night (this is probably more of a Christian term) is the first and one of the main nights in the Rough Nights cycle (December 21 to January 6). According to popular belief, the gates of the realm of the dead are open during this time and spirits and demons are said to be around. This gives rise to many customs such as Perchten runs and incense rituals.

pro.earth conclusion:

We wish you a wonderfully gloomy day with a hint of summer in it.