| The Winter Solstice occurs on December 21st this year. Its the shortest day and longest night of 2017, and it just so happens to be a great excuse for a party! Read up on the Winter Solstice and how it relates to the wine world before celebrating the bright days ahead. |
Winter Solstice WisdomThanks to a little thing called science, we now understand why December 21st is the shortest day of the year. That wasn’t the case for our ancestors, however, who feared the sun might never again cast it’s rays long enough to grow and maintain their crops. This caused the ancient people a great sense of despair and uncertainty, as no one knew what was in store for future months. As the days went on, the people realized that the sun continued to shine, their crops eventually regrew, and their existence on earth went mostly unchanged. Once this day of darkness was confirmed each year, celebratory rituals ensued. Feasts and festivities were held to thank Saturn, the god of Agriculture, for the year’s harvest, and pray for a successful crop in the coming year. Ops, Saturn’s partner and the goddess of Plenty, was also honored. One famous Roman celebration called Brumelia included a month-long festival praising Bacchus, god of the vine, during which people drank new wine until the solstice holiday’s end on December 24th. So, as it turns out, our indulgence in a little food and (a lot of) vino when faced with the cold, dark months is deeply rooted in history! |
The Solstice Hostess with the MostestHonoring Saturn, Ops and Bacchus while embracing the longest night of the year is one of the simplest party themes. Here’s what you’ll need:
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