Episode Transcript
Hey, everybody. Welcome back to another episode of Sorta Sophisticated. It's me, Pete, and I'm here with my bestie, Amanda. Hi, Amanda. Hello. Uh, we're ready to tackle another topic that we're hoping is gonna make you more interesting and, uh, dare I say, even learn to appreciate this crazy world of ours. Well that's one way to put it. So what's the topic that we're tackling today that's gonna make us more cultured and curious, Pete? Uh, okay, you ready for this? Uh, always. So today, we're diving into something ancient. How is ancient gonna give us more swagger? I don't know, but Can you cue the ancient music? Is there ancient music? We should cue ancient music right now. Cueing ancient music. Okay. The winter solstice. Oh yeah. I'm sorry, the winter solstice? Yes! What is the winter solstice? Right? Like when we go from fall to winter? It's, uh, So much more than that. I don't know. You made it sound so mysterious. It is very mysterious. It is the shortest day of the year. And by default, the longest night of the year. And did you know it's been celebrated for thousands of years? Like Jesus celebrated this. Amanda, well, maybe, I don't know if Jesus did, well, I think he did. Do you think Jesus helped break the winter solstice? This is actually an interesting question. Was it culturally appropriate back then? So, well, the whole idea of Christianity was like, they played, against it. They, like, used the winter solstice, and then skewed it to Christianity. It was like, Oh, the birth of Jesus, December 25th, like on or around the winter solstice. Let's get rid of this pagan stuff. And let's start going Christian. This is interesting. I wonder if Jesus were alive today, if he'd be like, Oh, dude, we were totally celebrating winter solstice. We got to know. Okay, anyway, um, it's basically been celebrated, like since the beginning of time, literally, cavemen were celebrating the winter solstice. So it's basically a whole vibe. It is a total vibe. Like, it's more than vibes. It has, like, deep historical meaning. Like, how we're connected to, like, our tuning fork inside our body. Like, nature. Like, cosmos. Cosmos? Cosmos. Yes. Cosmos? Cosmos. Cosmos. I like saying cosmos. Yes! Like heavy stuff! Right? Seriously. So I'm assuming we're just going to nerd out on some mythology, some traditions, and maybe even some tips on how to celebrate, right? Totally we are, right? Because that's what we do. By the end of this episode, Amanda, uh, We're not only gonna understand why the winter solstice mattered so much to all these like really old ancient people But we're gonna make you sort of sophisticated enough to drop some facts at the next Christmas pate People I mean, I think it definitely does check the box for being more cultured and curious and check and check I'm really excited to see though if this matches because I just had a bunco night and there was a lady there What just happened? Yeah bunco bunco you're that lady already and I have a story about Punko, but I won't say it. Go. Go. I'm kind of curious now. No, go. So, there was a lady there, she was talking about how she's having a winter solstice party, and I was like, what is this? She's a witch. And I think that's, well, and I think this is what triggered, The interest for this topic today, because she was, she was talking about her crystals and like all these stars. So I didn't know you hung out with witches. That's awesome. I didn't, I didn't know either and I was very intrigued. Yeah, well, uh, that's why you shouldn't go to Mungo Nights. Well, fine. Then I guess, why don't we just do the word of the day? Uh, probably a good idea. Uh, good old Word of the Day. What would we even do without Word of the Day? I think, I'm pretty much sure that holds our whole episode together, right? Um, okay, so, today's Word of the Day is Hygge. Hygge? Like, Hygge? Like, uh, cozy and warm at home? Uh, The Norwegian, like, or is it, no, not Norwegian, Dutch? Did you just, did you just, You just did that to me? Okay, so I'm embarrassed. Yes, it's a Danish and Norwegian word that means Cozy, content, and well being Oh, it's totally a vibe. It's like, look at you being trendy. You didn't know that was like No, and I had no idea that you knew it. I thought I was gonna catch you off guard and I lost Okay, well, uh, good. Good for you. Well, so are you gonna tell me right now that the winter solstice is like the ultimate Huga holiday? Uh, oh wow. Okay. That was fast. Um, and I think we actually have to count it 'cause that was perfect. But, um, just throw it in somewhere else to make me feel good. Please. 'cause that was like so quick in the episode. Okay. Okay. All right. Uh oh. Shit. Wait. PSA time. Um, shout out to our, uh, sponsor, Daniel Goggins and Associates. He's amazing. For allowing us to use this studio. When you need quality workers comp lawyers, Dan Goggins and Associates are your guys. By the way, I have no idea if he really has associates. I just know he's like. Dan Goggins. He's the man. He's the man. And then I mean, he's got some people working here. Don't get me wrong Yeah, he's got a team of like what like there's like 20. I don't know. There's lots of offices. There's a lot There's a lot of offices. He's got a lot going on Shout out to Dan Goggins and Associates. Let's go people. Okay, so back to the real PSA Um, if you have like a real word of the day suggestion, could you please? Please email us At sortofsophisticatedpodcastatgmail. com or DM us on Instagram. 100 gift card if your word of the day comes with a clever way to roast my co host. Roast the co host, baby! Or, if they come up with a word that can roast you in return, I think it's only fair. 150? I mean, no, it could be fair. It could be a hundred. Okay. All right. Look, we're giving gift cards if you're serious, But like what we really want to do is just use your word and promise to give you a shout out Or even invite you to guest host with us where Amanda will definitely make fun of me in person I don't make fun of you ever. You make fun of me all the time and it's terrible. All right, is your PSA over? Did we already say shout out to Dan Goggins? You did. Did we say that enough? You did. We love you Dan. Yes Okay, Dan the man. Okay Okay, so we can get into it already go for it Is it time to enlighten our listeners with the story behind the winter solstice? Totally is. Okay. Okay. Start with the basics. Come on basics people. What exactly is the whole winter solstice thing? Hmm. Okay, so like I said earlier the most basic answer is a time when we experience the shortest day and longest night of the Calendar year. Let's go back to back. Okay a little longer answer It's the moment when one of the Earth's poles is tilted farthest from the Sun at exactly 23. 5 degrees to be super sophisticated here, marking the start of the astronomical winter. While the opposite pole is tilted closest to the sun, marking the start of the astronomical summer. This means that while the Northern Hemisphere experiences its winter solstice around December 21st or December 22nd, leaving you cold and dark and sad and gloomy and depressed, the Southern Hemisphere is having its summer solstice, making you feel warm and wonderful and wanting to run outside and play. Probably have sex with a bunch of people. Uh, and vice versa, six months later. So we all knew that the Earth's dramatic lean was the reason for the seasons, or at least we were taught this in school. So, when exactly then is the winter solstice? The 21st or the 22nd? Or is it like, the shortest day is on the 21st and the longest day is on the 22nd? Okay, so it changes a little every year. It's actually super sophisticated. So we're not allowed to talk about it this episode. So unfortunately, episode over. Done. So then can you just make it, like, sort of sophisticated? Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah. So, sort of sophisticated, it actually occurs at a precise moment. Not all day long. Like, it's not even a day. It's just like, a second. Like, bam. Like now. Like right now. And, missed it. Done. Winter Solstice, over. So, are you ready to nerd out? Well, Now I'm gonna make it, like, a really super sophisticated, like, explanation. Are you ready? I guess. Okay. But, like, the short version? I'll go short, but I'm gonna super read and nerd. Okay. The exact time of the winter solstice is determined by when the sun's elliptic longitude, its apparent position along the celestial sphere, reaches 270 degrees. Exactly. This is calculated using highly accurate celestial mechanics and mathematical models. Today. Advanced astronomical software and tools predict the solstice down to the second, factoring in gravitational influences, the Earth's rotation irregularities, and other orbitable variations. Oh, and leap year two. Oh my god, kill me now. That's a lot of stuff. Wait, wait. There's a specific second that this happens? Like, you could actually set an alarm for it? Yeah, totally. So then can we set an alarm for it? We can't So, it actually already happened. On Saturday, December 21st, at exactly 4. 20am, Coordinated Universal Time, or like Greenwich Time, like at longitude zero. That's exactly 8 hours earlier here in the Pacific, people, if you're paying attention. So for us it was actually on Friday, December 20th. At 8 20 p. m. That's the whole reason why, like, the whole December 21st, December 22nd. Uh, so is that officially the first day of winter? Uh, so, good question. That's a whole thing, actually. So, astronomically speaking, yes, it's the first day of winter. Winter begins with the solstice on December 20th or 21st or whatever. But, meteorologically, it starts on December 1st. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Astronomically versus meteorologically. I know I'm using super sophisticated words, it's super stupid. What is Okay, so it's not nearly as sophisticated as it sounds. It's just a fancy way of saying that we line up winter with temperature patterns, rather than the Earth's tilt or orbit. Like, winter starts on December 1st, and spring starts on March 1st, etc, etc. You get the idea. That's like, meteorologically. It's just one of those technicalities that sophisticated people love to debate. Yeah, but not, that's not us. No, no, no, no, no. Moving on. We'll just go with, astronomically, yes. Like, if winter begins on like, the winter solstice. Yeah. Basically we've got two winters, so there's twice as much time to be cold and miserable. Even though we do live in Southern California, so we're not that miserable. But, I'm gonna change some gears here and ask you a question. of course you are, because you always change gears. Because you can't stand one topic if your life depended on you. My a d ADHD is kicking in. Yeah. So we're, you're gonna have to gimme a little bit more history on the winter solstice because this lady, she was talking about Stonehedge and I don't really understand. Wait, wait, wait. Whoa. What lady? The bunko lady. I told you your bun, your, your bunko friend's hanging out talking about Stonehedge. The one lady who's having a winter solstice party was explaining it and she brought up Stonehedge. I love her, but I didn't understand the connection. Okay. So you're gonna have to give us some dets here. Okay? So got, I got to dets on stone head. Have you ever been to Stone Hege? No. Look at that. And I thought you've been everywhere. I mean, they're just rocks in a ground. I, in fact, have been to Stonehenge. They're just rocks. In the ground. Settled down. On the ground. Okay. Coming up from the ground. Right, so Stonehenge. Um, you'd be, uh, happy to know that in, uh, Chevy Chase's European Vacation, he knocks over Stonehenge. Shout out to Chevy. Okay, uh, so that is like a total prehistoric engineering marvel, Amanda. Did someone engineer it or was it like, I thought it was like a natural phenomenon. No! No, it was absolutely engineered. Okay. It sits on something called the Salisbury plane in England. It was built around 5,000 years ago. Sounds like the pyramids. Yes, totally like the pyramids and theories about why it was built. Range from an ancient observatory, to a Dtic temple or some scholars. Even think it could have been a party venue believe it or not, but one thing's for sure Stonehenge is famously aligned with the winter solstice setting of the Sun perfectly frames The central altar stone when viewed from the entrance Which totally means it was used as an ancient solar calendar for sure So what you're saying is is they built the center arch of stonehenge around the winter solstice? Yes That's the exact like they had to build it on that day in order to know they didn't build it on that day They built the whole damn thing and made sure that the altar stone was in the exact right place For the summer solstice and the winter solstice. Yes, correct I know so it's totally related to the winter solstice, you know, okay, but wait, there's like way more than stonehenge so have you ever heard of Newgrange in Ireland? No, Machu Picchu. Yeah, Peru. Yes, Chichen Itza. Yes, where you visited down in Mexico All of these were built to celebrate Or, track the winter solstice, like, in some way. So the Why then did so many cultures build stuff to celebrate the winter solstice in the first place? Like, I get it. It marks The day of winter. Why is it a big deal? Amanda, they had nothing to do. They would, like, go out and, like, hunt and gather, and then they'd have sex, and then they were, like, bored. No, but, like, I get that they, like, how did they even figure out it was the shortest day versus the longest day, right? Why? How did, what do you mean how did they figure it out? Of course they figured it out. Because, like, their livelihood depended on this. Yeah, I get it. Like, everything. Like, the way the animals would hibernate. Like, the way that, like, plants would, like, start to regrow. Like, everything mattered. Like, symbolized a return to light. Like, more sun. For all these agri what? When you phrase it like that, it is kind of important. No, it's, it's, it's massive. Like, all these agricultural communities, like, depended on crops. The sun was the best thing ever. Oh, wait, fun fact. I gotta love my fun facts That's why so many different religions worshiped the sun. Or had like a sun god in one form or another. Cause you know when you go back to like Greek mythology, Roman mythology, like all the different ones, they all had sun gods, right? The sun was everything when it came to like planting, harvesting, like all the farming things. It's interesting because, again, when you phrase it like that, it makes so much more sense. And I think it's because in today's modern world, We don't worry about it. We don't think about it. I don't think about it. I don't think about how important the sun is. It is absolutely, like, it is the way of our life. It's the reason for, okay, so think about this, like, go, go the opposite way. Think about when winter came. They had to store, they had to, like, hunt, gather, like, save the hides, save the berries, bring it in. Right. And they had to, like, literally. Like humans were hibernating not the same way as like bears, but you get the concept like then to get through very harsh winters So they would it was important They absolutely knew like the lowest point of the Sun the highest point they knew all this shit Like this is what they lived by right again, and then Christianity took over like oh just kidding It's all about Jesus Christ, and I love Jesus Christ It isn't that bad. I'm super into Jesus, but like, like this mattered. Yeah, it still matters. This was, this was livelihood. It still matters. Yeah. Okay. So then why do you have a party? You have to, because when the sun came out, they would like totally have to party. Right? Uh, wait, no. Because they could hunt. But this is marking, but this is marking winter. So why would I have a party? They party when, so when the sun went, winter solstice was like the, that was the worst, that was like the worst. That was the bottom of the parabola. Right. Do you know what a parabola, yeah, you're the math major. Okay. Bottom of the parabola. Yeah. So that's when we're hibernating. Right. We're starting the hibernation. No, not starting. No, no, no, no, no. Like you're at the bottom of thehy. So hibernation starts like, I dunno, two months earlier, like, 'cause you're going in September through winter. I, I don't know. Like at the autumnal equinox. Yes. So like somewhere in September. Correct. Right. So September, October, November. Right. So you're coming out the, you've got, how do I say this? So this is the bottom of the, you've gotten past the worst part of the win? Yes. Ah, okay. You've gotten past the worst part of the winter. Okay. Okay. That's it. So we're on the upswing. You are on the upswing. Got it. So yeah, I understand it's gonna be like another three months before you're out of this, but like, yes, that's the theory. Like, everything's about like, renewal and rebirth and fertility and warmth and sex. Like, everything good. It was like, life, triumphing Amanda over darkness. Oh my god. Is that, wait, is that Hugie? Is that Hugie? No wait, is it cozy? Huga? Huga. Huga? That's not true. It would, it would be huga. When is that? Huga? Yeah, when they're at home and they're all nice and cozy when they're hibernating. Oh, so the opposite. So it's the opposite of Huga? Yeah. Okay. Because bad deal. Okay. Whatever. Okay, So we get that there's a lots of monuments that were built, but how many civilizations actually celebrated the winter solstice like all of them Seriously, all of them. Yeah, seriously, like all of them like, okay Let me just chat GPT this like right now how many? civilizations Celebrated the winter solstice it's challenging to pinpoint an exact number, but numerous ancient civilizations across the globe celebrated the Winter Solstice. That's stupid. Okay, hold on. More than a thousand. Yes, it's highly likely that over a thousand different cultures or civilizations have celebrated the winter solstice throughout history. Okay, wait, so more than 10, 000. More than 10, 000 civilizations? I don't know, let me check. Should I look it up? Yes. It's quite plausible that more than 10, 000 cultures or societies have celebrated the winter solstice throughout I love ChatGPT. Considering humanity's deep rooted connection to seasonal cycles and the vast number of small, small, small Localized societies across millennia countless groups develop their own unique rituals to honor the solstice. Oh my god. Okay one more Can I do one more? Okay. Okay more than 100, 000 question mark. I can't even like name 10, 000 different civilizations let alone like What I don't know. Let's go. Let's see. No, here it is. Well, it's difficult to verify exact numbers It's possible that more than a hundred thousand distinct cultures marked the winter solstice in some way Okay, I was right all of them given humanity's presence You For tens of thousands of years, with countless small tribes, clans, and civilizations across the globe developing seasonal rituals tied to survival, agriculture, and spirituality, the Solstice likely inspired widespread observance. The universality of the event, coupled with its significance in marking the turning point of winter, suggests it resonated with nearly every group attuned to the rhythms of nature. That's it. ChatGBT says more than a hundred thousand. I was right. All of them. Let's go. So we know that the Stonehengeans were one of those. The Stonehengeans? Yeah, I don't know. TM! Maybe, I don't know. Good work! I mean, I figure, I don't even know who You know who could have, you know, by the way, you know who our law firm should be? Daniel Goggins and Associates, they should TM all this for us, but he does workers comp stuff. They do workers comp, I was like, that doesn't work. Maybe he'll do TM stuff for us. What is that? Like, trademark attorney. I need a trademark attorney. You do. Daniel Goggins, shout out, I need a trademark attorney. Find one. Alright, well, while Dan's working on that, uh, why don't you give us a few more maybe civilizations that celebrated it? Because again, I can't name 10, 000 of them, let alone like five. Okay. Okay. Well that's not true. I guess Stone Ians the, you said The new Grens. Yeah. That's a thing. Sure. And then we got like, you know, a bunch of other clans. We got Klansmen. Yeah. But, okay. I wonder, hate you. You have Chad up. Just look it up. Okay. Do you think the Kku Klux Klan, they were a clan? Do you think they celebrated it? You have Chad Twoit in front of you. Look it up. Okay, I will. Okay. Okay, so chat GT says, prominent examples include the ancient Egyptians, Romans, the Nors. Yeah, like the Vikings, the Norse, we talked about them last week. Yeah. Oh, that's right. The Celts, the Celtics, the Chinese, they celebrate everything. The Incas, the Mayans, the Persians, the Japanese, and various indigenous peoples of the Americas, showing it was a widely recognized event, tied to survival, spirituality, and the cycles of nature. Oh, I love this chat GPT shit. Apparently, the Egyptians believed the winter solstice marked the rebirth of their sun god. Back to the sun, see? Sun god. Ra. And they would party with a bunch of fires and feasts. The Romans honored their god Saturn with something called Saturnalia, a week long festival of feasting and gift giving. The Druids celebrated the solstice at monuments like Newgrange. We just talked about that, which were aligned to capture the first light of the sun after the longest night. And the ancient Chinese people would celebrate with something called the Dongzi festival. Focusing on making something called yang energy grow I always try to make my yang energy grow like I would tell Gabby Gabby make my yang energy grow She'd be like really tonight. I'm like, come on. It's all about the yang energy. Why are you looking? That was funny. Oh Wow, okay. Sorry my bad. Yo, it's about yang energy And fun fact during the Dongzhi festival, the Chinese people traditionally ate dumplings. Apparently, this whole custom is thanks to some dude named Zhuanzhuzheng, some super famous doctor from the Han Dynasty. Apparently a bunch of the villagers where he lived would suffer from frostbitten ears each year, because it was balls cold where they lived. So to fix it, he made these ear shaped dumplings filled with mutton and warming herbs, thinking it would prevent a frostbite. I don't think it worked. They all died. Just kidding. But since then, Eating dumplings during Dong Zi symbolizes a protection against the cold and fosters family unity so a bunch of different cultures Celebrating a bunch of different ways, but I think you get the idea Yeah, I'm having FOMO right now all of these different cultures celebrated it and wanted in and yet we don't celebrate it So we don't celebrate Krampus. We don't celebrate anything. We Amanda we suck. Let's just be honest This is why we're doing this to be more cultured and curious. Yes. Thank you very much. Uh huh. It's very fascinating I love it. Can you imagine like the biggest event of the year was waiting for the Sun to come back? I can't. No. It'd be awesome. Huh. Anyways, I have another question. What? Of course you have. You're full of questions tonight. I am. Earlier you said Christmas related to the winter solstice in some way. So, really or not really? Oh, it totally is. Just like Krampus. What? Krampus is not tied to the winter solstice. Everything starts with some awesome older pagan tradition. And then we morph it into some new one that fits Christianity when it gains momentum and starts spreading all over the globe like, I don't know, 2000 years ago. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. You said this, but my question is No, but it's real! tied? How is it tied? Okay, so the idea of Christmas. Like we said in the last episode is related to the birth of Christ, But it's not a coincidence Amanda that they made Jesus be born in a manger in late December They could have picked any other month really but they wanted to align it With the winter solstice so that way they could say see These traditions really are about Jesus and the idea of decorating trees Like how does that have anything to do with Jesus in the first place and lighting candles and exchanging gifts? Actually all have roots in the winter solstice celebrations. So really, Christmas is just a symbolic day of when Jesus was born. It's not the actual day that he was born. We all know that. But I still don't understand how decorating trees is tied with winter solstice. So I had to look all that up. Thank God for chat GPT. So the ancient civilizations Evergreen trees which were like the only thing I guess to stay alive during winter hence the name evergreen, right? Symbolized resilience and eternal life. Like, everything else was either dead or hibernating. And some ancient cultures, like the Germans and the Vikings, would actually bring some evergreen branches, or boughs, into their homes a celebration they called Yule. Have you heard of Yule? Uh, yeah, like the whole Yule log thing, right? Totally Hugo. Oh my god, right? Yes! So yeah, Total Hygge! But it's more than just a log, like, so I didn't even know where any of this came from. So here's a quick backstory on Yule, and then we'll get back on track, so hold on. So Yule Was this, of course, Pagan Festival in Scandinavia where people would light fires, kill and eat a bunch of animals, and give offerings to gods To make sure the Sun would come back every year. Because they were afraid it might not. Totally afraid. Yes. Thank you. They didn't know. They didn't have this podcast to teach them back then, Amanda. Come on. So the whole idea was that Yule was a celebration of the winter solstice. And then over time, instead of branches, they started hacking down whole trees and shoving them in their houses to celebrate. That's so sad though. They like evergreen was this a whole purposeful tree of like, they were, but they do, they. They understood the circle of light. They understood. I mean, we kill all of the trees. That is true. No, we're not. cause we suck. Back then they would like cut down a certain amount of evergreen trees, let other ones grow because they knew how to like sustain like nature. We suck at it and we're like, oh my God. We're just like, awesome. We can do whatever we want. And then they started decorating them with candles. To represent stars and stuff. How do they not catch on fire? What? The candles. They'd water them. The tree. But if there's fire by the tree, do they catch on fire? Because they like, they were careful. Like, they'd dangle the candles appropriately. And by the way, evergreen trees wouldn't catch on fire. Like, not until they were like, dead dead. Like you, like a normal tree that you bring into your house. Wouldn't catch on fire right away. You hear about Christmas tree fires all the time. Because people don't water them and take care of them. So, if you leave your Christmas tree in your house for 22 days, and barely water it, it's gonna catch on fire. I'm gonna test this theory out. I'm saying can we get back on track good? Okay What else do they decorate their tree with? Candles is fascinating and if that wasn't enough like pinecones, or berries, or other dried fruit, to represent the harvest, and pay respect to nature, and thank the gods, and then like the actual Yule log is just a decorated piece of wood from the special tree of their choosing to burn in the fireplace to symbolize light and life through the darkest time of the year. That's the whole Yule season. Okay, so I get all that, but now explain how we get to Christmas from there. Okay, alright, back to Christmas. All these ideas end up being stolen by Christians. And the evergreen tree was, quote, reinterpreted, thank you ChatGPT, to represent a symbol of Christ's eternal life. And voila! It all fits together in a nice little bow. I mean, if all this stuff happened before Jesus, it makes sense why they repurposed traditions to now incorporate Jesus. They did. Yeah, because Christians were, uh, smart AF. Yeah. They stole all the, everything. Is there anything else we need to cover or is the history lesson complete? No, I'm pretty much good other than, uh, Christians stole everything and, uh, even though I'm a Christian, I'm realizing, um, I'm a stealer. Well, let's keep going with these solstice vibes. And is it fun fact time? Fun fact time. Let's go. You know, that's my favorite part, so come on. Okay, fine. Alright, ready? Good. Okay, so did you know that people actually still use Stonehenge for solstice celebrations like even today? I thought it was like sacred and No, not at all So like modern day Druids from all over the world still gather at Stonehenge during the winter solstice to party and celebrate I didn't even know Druidity was still a thing and they're over there partying who did like look up Druids Like we need a podcast on Druids. I didn't even know they were a thing still we did. It's a whole modern religion who knew It is? Okay. Got it. Um, next one. Did you know that the winter solstice makes us sleepy? What? Yeah. Well, why sorta. Um. Just winter in general. Longer winter nights mean less exposure to sunlight, which reduces your body's production of serotonin, that feel good chemical we talked about, like, in the psychology episode, and increases melatonin, the hormone that makes you sleepy. Your brain essentially thinks it's time to hibernate. So you feel more tired and sluggish in winter months. Thank you, Winter Solstice. Is that also why I think the suicide rate in Seattle is so high? Because it's always like dreary and gloomy and winter vibes. Shit, that's dark. I think it has more to do with Starbucks. But yeah. Okay. Uh, next one. Did you know that winter nights are better for stargazing? How about that? I mean, that makes sense. Right. So, winter skies, of course, are longer, but also, oftentimes, clearer, thanks to less atmospheric turbulence due to colder weather. And both those things enhance visibility. Do you know what? Another fun fact? What? Wait, are you super fun facting me? Maybe. But, December 19th to the 31st. In Joshua Tree, it's a moonless night. And so you'll be able to see the stars even better. Yes. I don't think enough people take advantage of all this stuff. Right. It's totally easier to spot constellations and other planets, like, for way longer. Because of the way the Earth is positioned in the Northern Hemisphere, iconic constellations like Orion and Canis Major are easily visible. And you even have a better chance of seeing the Northern Lights, too. And, by the way The Aurora Borealis, on my bucket list. I know you've already seen them. I'm already sad about it. Have you not seen the news? How it's all just a conspiracy now about it? Wait, no. No, don't. We're is. Okay. Well, it shouldn't come this far, is what they're saying. And so, what we're seeing is the Northern Lights aren't actually Northern Lights. By the way, we fun facted this before. And back in, like, the Civil War, the Northern Lights came down as low as Virginia, if you remember. We were doing, I forgot what the episode was. But, anyway, so, But they were seen at the Battle of Fredericksburg So then maybe it's not actually conspiracy. No because we weren't we weren't Conspiracy like 250 years ago. Okay, okay Next one in some cultures. It's believed that darkness allows ghosts or evil spirits to come around and move through the world more freely Which is why you hear about rituals of protection like lighting bonfires or hanging charms on trees to ward off evil spirits. And this is especially prominent during the longest night of the year, aka the Winter Solstice. Is this where all the witchy stuff comes in and all the Christmas? Yes, this is your best friend who you hang out with all the time. Not my best friend. Whatever, this is where she's into this, absolutely. And finally, did you know there's a connection between the Winter Solstice and New Year's resolutions? No, and now you're just stretching the truth. No, seriously! Absolutely. Okay, like we said earlier, the winter solstice is thought of as a time of reflection and renewal. And a bunch of ancient cultures often viewed it as a fresh start, celebrating the return of the sun and setting intentions for the year ahead. This tradition of reflecting and planning likely evolved into the modern practice of making plans. New Year's resolutions. So now we can blame the winter solstice for the reason why everyone decides to go to the gym in January? I love that. Yes, absolutely. I mean, I don't know. I don't know. Like I told you at the beginning, everything revolves around the winter solstice. Everything. All right. I got it. Anything else? Nope. That's it. All done. All right then. Let's wrap it up. Wrap it up. Alright, so here's the part where we talk about the few things we need to remember, or better yet, do, to celebrate the winter solstice, even though it's already passed, you know. Yeah, yeah, so like take notes and get ready for next year or something. Yeah, yeah, yeah. First, Hop on YouTube and find a documentary on the solstice's significance across cultures, whether it's ancient Celtic celebrations, indigenous ceremonies, or modern interpretations. There's so much more to uncover and it's fascinating. I promise. Second, don't be lame, protect the planet people, give back to nature. Participate in or donate to organizations dedicated to environmental conservation. Wait, does that mean I have to buy crystals from one of your friends? No, it means to plant a tree or join a local cleanup at the beach or something. Okay, got it. So long as I don't have to buy crystals, I'm fine. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So this is a great time, right? To reflect on our connection to the earth and take meaningful action to give back. Oh, look at you being all like culturally appropriate. I mean, we only have one earth, so we gotta I love it. Give it some love. I love it. Finally, share a few of these details to make you seem sort of sophisticated. The winter solstice, occurring around December 21st or the 22nd, marks the shortest day and the longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. It's the point when the Earth's tilt is farthest from the sun, resulting in the least amount of daylight. For centuries, Cultures worldwide have celebrated this celestial event. Ancient Romans held Saturnalia, a week long festival of feasting and merriment. In Scandinavian countries, Yule was celebrated with fires, feasts, and honoring the return of the sun. And meanwhile, Indigenous peoples of North America performs ceremonies marking renewal and gratitude for nature cycles. Everyone else, just cooler than us. All you gotta know. Totally. And celebrating the solstice is all about connecting with nature, your community, and yourself. It's a moment of quiet, resilience, renewal, and hope and something we can all use as we move toward brighter days. And there you have it. Fellow listeners, the story of the winter solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year. Just think the next time someone mentions how gloomy winter feels, you can hit them with. Actually, people, this is an ancient moment of celebration and renewal in, like, every culture around the world. So chill. We chat GPT'd it, and over a hundred thousand different cultures celebrate it. Who doesn't love being the person with the cool fun fact up their sleeve all the time, am I right? Look, people, the Winter Solstice is more than just a calendar event. It's a reminder of our connection to the Earth's cycles, and an invitation to pause. and reflect and find light in the darkest moments. Whether you celebrate with candles, partying, or a quiet walk in nature, it's a chance to honor traditions that span centuries and cultures. So if we've done our job right today, you're leaving here a little more sophisticated, maybe even ready to drop a well timed, Hey, did you know? at your next holiday gathering, who knows, you might inspire someone to celebrate the solstice in their own unique way. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with those who love uncovering the meaning behind our world's wonders. Until next time, light a candle, embrace the season, and remember, every dark night leads to a brighter day. Stay curious and stay inspired.
