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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Love it when the Solstice comes!
It's the one and only day when the sun is completely hidden from my home, behind the mountain - then it slowly begins it's journey back to Spring, and the warmth of Summer...
Happy Yuletide!!!
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Errmmm...
Hate to be difficult but it's tomorrow, not today. Yes, you'd expect it to be on the 21st but this year it's the 22nd.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/12061231/When-is-the-shortest-day-of-the-year-the-winter-solstice-2015.html |
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By *oo hotCouple
over a year ago
North West |
"Errmmm...
Hate to be difficult but it's tomorrow, not today. Yes, you'd expect it to be on the 21st but this year it's the 22nd.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/12061231/When-is-the-shortest-day-of-the-year-the-winter-solstice-2015.html"
The point however is that the real origins of the celebration that we call Christmas was Saturnalia. This was a festive period coinciding with the winter solstice and the season of death and the beginning of the new season of the rebirth of the living world. The Romans declared that the birth of Jesus occurred on the 25th December in an attempt to make it easier to convert people to celebrating Christianity time. |
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"Errmmm...
Hate to be difficult but it's tomorrow, not today. Yes, you'd expect it to be on the 21st but this year it's the 22nd.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/12061231/When-is-the-shortest-day-of-the-year-the-winter-solstice-2015.html
The point however is that the real origins of the celebration that we call Christmas was Saturnalia. This was a festive period coinciding with the winter solstice and the season of death and the beginning of the new season of the rebirth of the living world. The Romans declared that the birth of Jesus occurred on the 25th December in an attempt to make it easier to convert people to celebrating Christianity time. "
It's an interesting point.
Saturnalia was a festival of misrule, with slaves becoming masters for the day and vise versa; presents were also exchanged.
Early celebration of Jesus' birth ranged from 25th March, while parts of the Orthodox church still celebrate 7th Jan.
As you say, the date of Xmas was only settled by the emperor Constantine in 336 when he bashed the heads of Church fathers and made them come to an accommodation in the name of religio-political unity.
25th Dec. was also the date when the cult of Mithras was celebrated (also born of a virgin, promised ever lasting life &c &c - an early competitor to Christianity). It also incorporated elements of the Sol Invictus cult. It's a bit of a mishmash.
I could go on... |
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