Winter Solstice

It’s here: the day of the 2013 winter solstice. Officially, today is the first day of winter in the northern hemisphere, the shortest day and the longest night. For that reason, I prefer to think of today not as the first day of winter, but as “mid-winter.” From today forward, days will get longer. The sun will rise earlier and set later. Each passing day will bring more daylight and less darkness.

Ancient Celts called this time of the year “Yule” and placed it at the top of the Wheel of the Year. Opposite Yule, at the bottom of the Wheel, is Midsummer, what we modern people call the first day of summer. Yule is Midwinter.

At the moment, the temperature in my central Virginia city is 75° (24° C). That may set a record for the warmest temperature for the date. Tomorrow’s temperatures may set new records for both the warmest high temperature and the warmest low temperature. Last month was globally the warmest November since record-keeping began, although most of the US and Canada had average to below-average temperatures for the month. November, 2013, was the 345th consecutive month with a global temperature higher than the 20th century average, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

To be sure, cold weather will return. Even now, somewhere – far north of my little city – I imagine people drinking hot buttered rum or apple toddies, sitting in view of crackling log fires, enjoying the warmth, mesmerized by dancing flames. As for me, on this Yule day, or Midwinter, or first day of winter – take your pick – I have a window open and I’m enjoying the breeze.