PLANTS OF THE WINTER SOLSTICE
The downtime solstice, which occurs on or around Dec. 21 (in the northern semicircle), is the first day of downtime. It's also the shortest day and the longest night of the time. While utmost of us slightly admit its end, to before societies this was a day of both alarm and festivity. Ancient peoples frequently used shops to mark this day — shops we still use moment for this season.
landscape and gardening services Visakhapatnam, , Egyptians, Celtics and their preachers called Druids, and others observed that by December the fields were no longer producing crops, leaves had fallen off the trees, and numerous shops had failed. Daylight hours were waning, and the sun was getting lower and lower in the sky. Without our current knowledge of astronomy and elysian cycles, they stressed the sun would fully vanish, leaving them without light and warmth.
They lit backfires to light up the skies on this longest of nights both for warmth and to blandish the sun to return. They allowed the fire would call out to the sun, asking it to stop its descent into the earth and return to the sky. You may see this Druid jubilee appertained to as “ Alban Arthan”, restated from Welsh as “ light of downtime.”
The sun, considered a supreme being, was frequently considered ill, only to recover with the longer days after the solstice. Some experts believe the word “ Yule”, another term for Christmas, came from the analogous Gothic and Saxon words meaning wheel. This would have appertained to the cycles of the sun.
Oak was generally used for these backfires because, being a" strong," solid wood, it was perceived to represent strength and triumph. The Saxons and Celtics frequently kept an oak log-- generally the entire box of a tree-- burning for 12 hours on the dusk of the solstice.However, the ménage would be defended and see an cornucopia of crops, good health, If the fire didn't go out during this period. Numerous European societies, especially the British, espoused this tradition, calling it the Yule log.
Some have written that the yule log must come from one’s own land, or be a present, not bought. This legend says that it must be kept burning sluggishly for 12 days, before being put out. The ashes were also scattered in fields, emblematizing the spreading of the power of the sun. The yule log remains were to be kept until the coming time, to light the new fire also and therefore passing on the light from one time to the coming.
Other species of trees also played a significant part in solstice fests. The Romans, Celtics, Teutons, and Christians, for illustration, all considered the evergreen to be an important symbol of the durability of life, protection, and unborn substance as it was one of the only trees to stay green during the bleak," breathless" downtime months. Fir, cedar, and pine limbs and wreaths were used to embellish homes.
Small gifts for the gods representing the sun, earth, and crop also were hung from the branches of pine trees in groves. Some people believe this custom evolved into the Christian tradition of decorating an evergreen tree in December.
Other sacred trees of the solstice were the yew ( emblematizing death and the last day of the solar time), tableware fir ( downtime solstice day and revitalization), and birch ( new onsets). The Celtics believed shops brought outdoors during the solstice would assure woodland spirits safe retreat there during the downtime months. They used unheroic cedar (arborvitae) to emblematize sanctification and chastity, ash to emblematize the sun ( considered a supreme being) and protection, and the pine for peace, mending, and joy. Druid vacation colors of red, green and white are represented by berries ( red), flora, and white berries (mistletoe) or white birch dinghy.
Several shops, including holly, ivy, and mistletoe, were believed to bring protection and luck, and therefore, were hung over doors to keep out mischance. The sharp leaves of holly were said to represent Christ’s crown of frustrations, and the red berries represented the blood he exfoliate. In Scandinavia holly may be appertained to as Christ nuisance.
Ivy, which also stood for dedication, mending, and marriage, was worn as a crown or fashioned into wreaths and libraries for decorations during the downtime months. In Germany, ivy traditionally is used only outdoors. An ancient tradition from the Midlands of England says that holly and ivy shouldn't be brought into the house before Christmas Eve. Grounded on a pagan belief that holly was a manly factory and ivy a womanish factory, whichever bone was brought outdoors first would determine whether the man or woman of the house would rule that coming time.
The custom of hanging up mistletoe may stem from the Druid tradition of laying down arms and swapping felicitations under the mistletoe. Preachers would shoot around youth bearing branches of mistletoe in festivity of the new time. Druids would dance to a particular song around oaks plant bearing mistletoe. This custom is indeed mentioned in the jottings of Ovid.
Wheat, with its links to husbandry in numerous societies, also has significance to the solstice. In addition to being ignited into chuck, eyefuls, and galettes for solstice feasts, it was woven into
wreaths and straw numbers to encourage food, fertility, and an abundant crop.
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