Winter Solstice

[Quoi]

What are you planning to do with your extra 4 seconds of daylight today? I already used mine up typing 'winter solstice'

[Tilly2]

I'm confused now. I thought today was the shortest period of light. Am I wrong?

[Eleena]

With my four seconds, I'll ask again ... what is your avater? You're being rather Quoi about it!

[Quoi]

Its to do with cars Eleena - does that help?

[emmie]

get out of bed, that now takes more than 4 seconds mind you.

[Quoi]

Tilly you may be right that today is the shortest day and I am a day early - I will ahve to do this again tomorrow now.

[Tilly2]

I thought I was going mad...:-)

[Eleena]

No not really ;0)

[Quoi]

Crikey Eleena are you seriously telling me that even after a big clue like that you cant see that my avatar is a technical drawing of the o/s rear inside sleeping area of a white over green 1985 westfalia vw camper! Honestly

[Eleena]

Ermm ... no. Looks more like something Barney Rubble would drive :0?

[Old_Geezer]

OK, a question. Why do some call the winter solstice "midwinter" when it actually defines winter's start ? Does winter only last one day then ?

[Tilly2]

'Cos of the carol, innit? 'In the deep midwinter.'

[jakep]

Breathe a sigh of relief.

[Tilly2]

Whatever it's called, it's good to know that from now on it will be becoming increasingly lighter.

[Old_Geezer]

My pure guess, the only thing I can think of, is that calling it midwinter relates to daylight whilst the season is more related to average temperature. But I could be way off.

[Tilly2]

I suppose that early man saw today as the middle of the darkness, thus there was a celebration to mark the occasion.

[Eleena]

"In some cultures it is seen as the middle of Winter, while in others it is seen as the beginning of Winter" Third paragraph down OG ..
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_solstice

[Old_Geezer]

That might go some way to explaining it, thanks.

[Eleena]

Wiki wonderful! :0)