Solstice

[Kevnool (Kev)]

The shortest day of the year is today and I just happen to be out of bed to feel it.
Only because my son wanted a ride home.
Oh well with the days getting longer again come the overtime again.
Today i might celebrate it by it being just another great Sunday.

Cheers Kev.

[stephenb (Stephen)]

Mind you, long nights are no good if the weather is rotten!! I vote for longer days. Roll on the Spring and Summer!

[Enchilada]

I know, I know...

I am celebrating with an ice-cooled delicious "Winter Solstice Cocktail"...

INGREDIENTS
3 nips orange vodka (or vodka soaked with an orange for about one month,
then filtered)

1 nip orange-flavored liqueur, I.e. Cointreau, Triple Sec or Grand Marnier

1 equally sized nip (30 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice

Couple of ice cubes

soda water, chilled

GARNISHES
1 mint leaf

1 wee raspberry

Zee Method...

In a cold cocktail shaker, mix the orange-flavoured vodka, orange liqueur, lemon juice, and ice; shake until well combined. Strain into a chilled martini glass; add a splash of the soda water. Carefully fold mint leaf in half lengthwise and place the stem end into the opening of the raspberry. Float on top of cocktail and serve immediately.

Drink either at midday, or the very moment of solstice as it appear in an ephemeris!!
I.e. 21 Jun AEST 22h 27m tonight !!!!

Cheers !!

The northern hemisphere version has a slice of watermelon, minus the seeds, blended with the cocktail too ! Neato colour!

(Where's Jen when you need her? Sadly, not a common UDL item!! :)

[Ric]

The true first day of Winter.

It's started in true fashion down my way with rain.

[Analog6 (Odille)]

I have always considered it the first true day of winter (or summer, for the summer one) but then I got to thinking, if it is the shortest (longest) day then surely it is MID winter (or midsummer) day, and the Solstice is called Midsummer Day in parts of Europe - therefore not the start of the season at all.

I'd always thought the Aust custom of the season starting on the 1st of the month silly, but maybe it is closer than we realise to the right way to do it. If the solstice is mid-season then the season should begin 44-45 days earlier.

Comments?

[M54 (Molly)]

if it is the shortest (longest) day then surely it is MID winter (or midsummer) day, and the Solstice is called Midsummer Day in parts of Europe - therefore not the start of the season at all.

I'd always thought the Aust custom of the season starting on the 1st of the month silly, but maybe it is closer than we realise to the right way to do it. If the solstice is mid-season then the season should begin 44-45 days earlier.

Comments?[/QUOTE]

This has always confused me too.
I never understood why the solstices and the equinoxes were not the middle of the seasons worldwide, but now I think it might have something to do with weather patterns too and not just the position of the sun.

I live in Belgrave Vic. (the Puffing Billy Village) and for the last three winter solstices the town has celebrated it with a Lantern Parade. All the schools make paper lanterns with the kids and the local library runs lantern making workshops. Almost the whole town turns out (it was last night) and parades through the middle of town with their lanterns lit.
It's an awesome night and the BEST way to have fun in the middle of dreary winter.
There's music and drummers and a great time is had by all.

Here's a link to the website.
Click on the Gallery and have a squiz at the pic's.

www.burrinja.org.au/lanternparade/index.htm

Happy Solstice everyone!