When the Sun Stands Still

Have a holly, jolly Christmas. It’s the best time of the year

Well, I can’t say that Christmas is the best time of my year.

Don’t get me wrong. I love the holiday. I love festive mood, the gatherings with family and friends, and hope that infuses the season.

But the days are too short and too cold for someone who really prefers long, hot days of summer. Winter’s chill seems colder because I compare it to the 80-degree days of summer—not the minus 20 degree days of late January.

Maeshowe from the outside.

What I notice most, though, is that the “black of night” seems thicker and heavier, and I find myself craving light—as most people do. As people probably always have.

Years ago, I traveled to the Islands of Orkney in June. The days stretched on forever as the summer solstice neared. Nights were lit by soft sunlight and the residents of Kirkwall reveled in the extra light.

The tour guide at Maeshowe, a chambered cairne build roughly 3000 years BC, even noted the mood of the islanders, adding: “You should be here in December.”

Frankly, I couldn’t imagine being there in December when there is just a “soft glow” for a few hours, then darkness.

Sunlight peeks into the chamber of Maeshowe. 

Historically, Maeshowe is significant for the Viking graffiti carved into the walls. Psychologically, it’s significant because the last rays of sunlight slip down the long entrance corridor during the winter solstice. The purpose of that alignment is anyone’s guess, but the ancient builders clearly marked the passing of the darkest nights.

Celebrating the Solstice—and the slow return of the light—has a long history in the Northern Hemisphere. How and when Christmas became hopelessly entangled with the Solstice celebration is a long tale and probably one that we’ll never fully unravel, but I think the mixing of Christmas with lights and evergreens was inevitable from the moment the Roman Emperor Constantine first celebrated Christ’s Mass on Dec. 25.

The theology might not work, but the psychology makes sense. We crave light when the days are darkest. Regardless of whatever light you use to brighten these short days, Happy Holidays and best wishes for the new yaer.

Keena Kincaid writes historical romances in which passion, magic and treachery collide to create unforgettable stories. If you want to know more about her as an author or looking for a Christmas gift idea, visit her Facebook page or her Amazon page.