Hannukah and Solstice Greetings

OK, it's a butterfly bush, not a Hannukah bush.

The interesting thing is that it has new growth even in what used to be the dead of winter.

As times change, we appreciate tradition all the more. Hannukah is rich with traditions, even if Erran Baron Cohen has put a new sound on the music. Click here for a WNYC link to his new CD. Our fondest wishes for a good holiday go out to all who observe Hannukah.

Another old tradition is marking the shortest day of the year. Ancient people who were vitally in touch with nature noticed the waning of light from the longest day of summer solstice to the shortest day. The winter solstice was a fire festival marked by bonfires and other ceremonies to ensure the turn of the seasons. While we in the Northeast still have two or three months of winter weather, the light begins to increase after the solstice and it has its effect on houseplants and in my opinion, even on people.

The seasons have grown a bit tipsy in recent decades, but I think the light/dark balance has remained the same. Good cheer to those who celebrate the winter solstice.

--Bernice Paglia