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Tuesday, December 19, 2017

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.




19 comments:

  1. Keena, I always love your posts--I get to travel vicariously to places I will never see "for real" with all your descriptions and pictures. I really do enjoy your posts--and this one is no exception. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas!

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    1. I went to the Orkneys on the recommendation of someone I met in a pub. It is an oddly wonderful place. Fabulous standing stones and prehistoric sites.

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  2. Keena,
    I've been to Maeshowe, also in June. Even then it was blustery and desolate. I couldn't imagine how depressed I'd be in December lol. I loved the Viking graffiti. Our guides told us some of it was quite vulgar. My teenaged kids, who also accompanied us, appreciated that aspect.
    Merry Christmas!!

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    1. My guide said the same. That area is the island has an odd vibe, but after Maeshowe, I walked to the standing stones and just enjoyed a very “soft spring day” with temperatures about 10c. Ha, ha.

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  3. Must admit I never thought of Viking graffiti and love the word combo. I don't mind the cold of winter so much as the darkness, which might explain why I put up so many lights. Have a lovely holiday season!

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  4. I am not fond of winter, partly due to the cold, which isn't usually that bad where I live. The primary reason, it's dark. I miss the long days, the sunshine. After Labor Day, I count the days until Dec 21/22. After that, my days get longer. You also have a wonderful Holiday/Solstice season. Doris

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    1. Thanks, Doris. After this week, the days will get longer.

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    2. I wish the live cam in MaesHowe was working so I could see the sunset on the solstice....I did love the Viking graffiti.

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  5. I love the picture of the chamber with the sunlight shining through. I've never been to the Orkneys, but I have been to Newgrange in Ireland where one day a year on the solstice the passage is illuminated. I marvel at the knowledge and ingenuity of the folks that build such places. And, the shorter days do affect my moods and energy levels! Happy Holidays to you!

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    1. I haven’t been to New Grange, but I hope to get there one day. Happy holidays!

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  6. A beautiful post and so much awesome info. This is a big part why I love to read historical romances! Just fascinating! I haven't really traveled out of US but for Canada so I get to see this through you. Thanks!

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    1. Glad you enjoyed the post. I’d like to travel more in Canada. I hear the train ride to Banff is gorgeous.

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  7. Although it doesn't get down to zero degrees here in North Carolina, I can definitely relate to the long winter nights and the feeling of letdown and depression that builds up over time.
    One autumn some years ago it rained and rained for days--nothing but dark skies days on end. I worked in the ER then and there were no windows there due to safety issues. On top of that, I was working 12 hour shifts from 7AM to 7PM, so I came to work in the dark and left in the dark. A creeping depression began to worm its way into my spirit. Finally, I turned on the lights of the X-Ray viewers, put on my sunglasses, closed my eyes, and pretended for a few minutes that I was sun bathing. I felt better.
    I remember the TV series, Northern Exposures, and how those Alaskans put on those visors with the lights in them to perk up their spirits. A great idea now that I think about it.
    Now I'm wondering what that whole last rays of the sun slipping away in that Viking Maeshowe chamber about? The upside of the darkest day is that it is the beginning of the lengthening of daylight hours.
    Merry Christmas and Happy Winter Solstice, Keena!

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    1. Northern Exposure was wonderful the first couple of years (although it got a bit weird at the end). Constant rain is its own kind of depressing. Happy holidays.

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  8. Thanks for the informative post, Keena. And you hit the nail on the head--Constantine chose the solstice, the "sun / Son" day in order to further subjugate the "pagans." Regardless, Merry Christmas!

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    1. Merry Christmas! I don’t know if that was Constantine’s intent but that was the result.

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  9. Keena,

    This was so interesting. I'd love to visit the Orkney Islands someday. As for darkness and winter... I thrive during this time of year. I think I have summer seasonal affective disorder. Too much sunlight and long days really get me down.

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    1. We all thrive in different weather. How do you treat summer seasonal disorder with sleeping masks and playlists of rain? You should go to the Orkneys. Even during June the light is soft and muffled, as if run through a filter before it touching the ground.

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