Winter solstice traditions around the world

December truly is the holiday season, and not just because of Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa. The month of December is, in fact, host to a multitude of holidays and festivals all around the Northern Hemisphere.

 

Much of the reason for all this hubbub is the winter solstice. It is estimated that humans have been celebrating the winter solstice in some way since the Neolithic period, some 12,000-plus years ago.

 

Broadening your child’s understanding of holiday traditions is a great way to start preparing them for life in an increasingly diverse world. That’s why we’re offering you this handy guide to winter solstice traditions around the world, to educate and entertain the little ones.

 

What is the Winter Solstice?

Let’s put on our scientist hats for a moment. The winter solstice is the moment when earth’s northern hemisphere is tilted as far away from the sun as it ever gets, all year. This means that half of the world experiences the shortest day of the year, and the longest night.

 

The winter solstice falls on either the 21st or 22nd of December each year. In 2021 it will occur on December 21st. Want to know the exact moment when the northern hemisphere will be at its farthest point from the sun? 10:58 AM.

 

Why is the Winter Solstice so Important?

Because the winter solstice is the shortest day of the year, it also marks a turning point where days begin to get longer! In fact, the days gradually get longer from the winter solstice until the summer solstice—the longest day of the year—in late June.

 

This was a big deal to our Neolithic ancestors. In the stone age winter was a risky time, filled with threats of starvation, extreme temperatures, and the spread of disease. Suffice it to say they didn’t have space heaters.

 

The winter solstice was therefore a cause for celebration because it represented the deepest part of winter. Once the winter solstice had passed, a major obstacle had been overcome, and things would likely only get better.

 

Today, the winter solstice is still something to celebrate, as the shortened days of winter can still bring on seasonal affective disorder (SAD) for many people, kids included! The lengthening of days can alleviate the symptoms of this condition. If you believe you or your child may have seasonal depression, check out this article from healthychildren.org for some treatment and coping ideas.

 

6 Winter Solstice Traditions to Learn About with Your Child

Check out these global winter solstice celebrations with your child to expand their worldview this December. We’ve broken down all there is to know about these diverse and exciting holidays into easily digestible fun facts you can share with your kids.

 

Fun Facts about Soyal for Kids

• For the Zuni and Hopi tribes in New Mexico and Arizona, respectively, December’s big event is Soyal.

• This nine-day festival consists of rituals performed in underground chambers known as kivas, and many ceremonial rituals with song and dance.

• During this time, the Zuni and Hopi legends state that spirits called katsinas or kachinas return to the earth from their otherworldly realm.

• Kachinas/katsinas can take the form of anthropomorphized (human-like) animals, plants, and forces of nature. Sometimes they bring gifts to children!

• During Soyal, Hopi children are given ornate and elaborate carved dolls shaped like kachina/katsina to teach them about the spirits.

• There are hundreds of katsina/kachina!

• Decorated prayer sticks called pahos are constructed prior to Soyal and used to bless people, dwellings, plants, and animals.

 

Fun Facts about Yalda for Kids

• Yalda, also sometimes known as Shabe Chelleh, is an ancient Persian festival that is still celebrated in Iran today.

• Yalda is rooted in an ancient Persian religion called Zoroastrianism. Zoroastrians believe that during the longest night of the year, the evil spirit Ahriman runs amok.

• Because of this, Persians began gathering in their homes with friends and family during the winter solstice, trying to stay up and keep watch all night.

• On Yalda Night, guests gather around a korsi, which is a short-legged table that has a heater under it, which is covered in blankets. This way everyone can sit around the korsi and stay warm in the cold weather.

• Activities on Yalda night include storytelling, poetry reading, gift exchanging, and eating traditional snacks like dried fruits and nuts.

• According to legend, eating watermelon and pomegranates on Yalda leads to good fortune!

• In some areas of eastern Iran, green olives and garlic are traditional dishes, thought to protect against disease and scorpions.

 

Fun Facts about Inti Raymi for Kids

• Inti Raymi is a Peruvian winter solstice holiday that, get this, takes place in June! Because Peru is in the southern hemisphere, it reaches its winter solstice when the northern hemisphere is experiencing the summer solstice.

• The Incan empire, the ancient indigenous people of Peru, began Inti Raymi observances to coax the sun god, Inti, back toward the earth.

• In the 1570’s, Spanish colonizers banned the celebration of Inti Raymi, and it wasn’t reinstated until 1944. However, this long period of repression has only made the modern holiday more extravagant and exciting!

• Inti Raymi is celebrated in part with a massive and theatrical procession through town, featuring performers representing the four suyu, or provinces of the former Incan empire, and Mama Ocllo and Sapa Inca, the co-founders of the Incan empire.

• In ancient times, the procession ended in an animal sacrifice.

• In modern-day Inti Raymi processions, the sacrifice at the end is simulated—no actual llamas are harmed.

 

Fun Facts about Saturnalia for Kids

• Saturnalia was an ancient Roman holiday that is still practiced by modern pagans.

• Saturnalia translates to “praise to Saturn”.

• Saturn is the ancient Roman god of agriculture.

• In ancient Rome, it was common for masters and servants or slaves to exchange roles for the day, as a sort of joke.

• Jokes and pranks were common on Saturnalia, as well as music, dance, and other forms of revelry.

• Gifts were traditionally exchanged on Saturnalia, mostly gifts made of silver.

• In the medieval era, Saturnalia was partially replaced by a festival known as the Feast of Fools.

 

Fun Facts About St. Lucia’s Day

• In the Scandinavian Countries (Norway, Sweden, and Denmark) St. Lucia’s Day is celebrated on the winter solstice in remembrance of Saint Lucia.

• Saint Lucia or Saint Lucy was one of the early Christians who were killed for their faith, known as martyrs.

• Saint Lucia’s day is celebrated with a candlelit procession of singing children, led by a child chosen by the town to represent Saint Lucia. These processions can occur in local churches, schools, and businesses, as well as in the home.

• The child portraying Lucia wears a white dress with a red sash and has the difficult task of balancing an evergreen wreath with lit candles on their head! Many modern ceremonies use flameless candles for obvious reasons.

• When Saint Lucia’s day is celebrated at home, the oldest daughter in the house will often dress as Lucia and serve Lussekatter, or sweet buns. Lussekatter means Lucia’s Cats!

We hope you found this guide to different cultures’ winter solstice traditions helpful!

For more ways to expand your child’s world, look into some of the exciting activities on Wondrfly! Wondrfly is Jersey City and Hoboken’s solution to finding the best kids’ activities available.  Search our platform  today and jump-start your child’s growth!