Celebrating the Solstice

Peoples of the north lands have celebrated the winter solstice for thousands of years. No matter what day or what way they calculated the exact day, they knew that the solstice meant the gradual returning of the light, even though they also knew it meant the beginning of a long winter ahead. It was a day of celebration and of preparation. 

Yesterday we made lefse and fatigmand, both Norwegian treats. Today we took some of those treats to a friend who is of Norwegian heritage and who can no longer participate in our retired teacher activities due to fragile health. Two others of our group came along and we had a little solstice party right there in her lovely living room, where there is a broad view of sky and water, a day that was full of light for its short duration. We even lit a candle as a substitute for burning the yule log. 

Then this evening we joined Jill and the grands at Wild Lights, the celebration of lights at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle. It was a fun way to mark this day of the returning of the light.

 Some of the animals were animated.

 Some of the animals were real. 

 One of the eagles kept leaving the nest and flying overhead, through the trees. 

 That hay on the other side of the fence must taste better. 

 There were lots of people out enjoying the crisp, dry evening and the bright and colorful lights. 

 The butterfly house was full of bugs of a more luminous variety. 

 And then we were done, and happy, and ready for the winter, beginning, of course, with CHRISTMAS!