2025 · Winter

Winter Solstice/Yuletide 2025

☀❄☀❄☀❄☀❄☀❄☀❄☀❄☀❄☀❄☀❄☀❄☀❄☀❄☀❄☀❄☀❄☀❄☀❄

Our ancestors depended on the passage of time and seasons. And the best way to measure the seasons was by observing the Sun and the Earth’s orbit around it. The winter solstice is the time of the year when the Sun is reborn, announcing a new season.

On December 21, the day is shorter as the Sun seems to stand still at a lower elevation, making the night longer. But it is a transition period that ushers in a new season of more sunlight. Yule celebrations used to be tied with different pagan traditions, bordering on mythology and culture. Popular notions include the myth of the goddess giving birth to the Sun god. There is also the celebration of the surrender of power from the Holly King to the Oak King. Plus, the ancient festival of the Germanic people about the Wild Hunt and the god Odin is also around the same time.

All the above form the crust of the Yule celebration. But, as stated earlier, it is even more symbolic in that it helped our ancestors to determine times and seasons. Understanding times and seasons was usually the difference between life and death, food availability and famine, victory and defeat, and many other things. With the introduction of Christianity, the Yule celebration has been linked with Christmas traditions too. It’s thought that December 25 was chosen to celebrate the birth of Christ because it is the renewal period. Yule and Christmas both share certain similarities, and they often overlap as well.

:https://nationaltoday.com/yule/

☀❄☀❄☀❄☀❄☀❄☀❄☀❄☀❄☀❄☀❄☀❄☀❄☀❄☀❄☀❄☀❄☀❄☀❄

2025 · Maine · National Day Calendar

National Maine Day 2025

Before Maine was colonized by French and English settlers, it was populated by Wabanaki tribes. Until two centuries ago, Maine was part of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, before it voted to leave Massachusetts. As part of the Missouri Compromise, it became a separate state. It was then admitted to the Union as the 23rd state.

Nobody can say for sure why it is called Maine. Some say it was named by French colonizers after the province of Maine in France. Others say it was named by English colonizers as a reference to the mainland. Either way, it is Maine today, and it is the only state named with a single syllable, and also the only state to border only one other state.

Maine’s rocky coastline, rugged mountains, lush green expanses, and winding waterways have inspired numerous artists. From writers and poets to painters, they have all flourished here for centuries. Maine’s mountains and shores offer enough hidden treasures for tourists and locals alike.

:https://nationaltoday.com/national-maine-day/