I heard a bird sing
In the dark of December
A magical thing
And sweet to remember.

‘We are nearer to Spring
Than we were in September,’
I heard a bird sing
In the dark of December.

– Oliver Herford, “I Heard a Bird Sing”

What a fitting day it is for mid-December, that month which heralds the arrival of winter and the passing of the old year. I awoke before sunrise this morning with the roar of the wind outside making a rude intrusion upon my morning slumber. I lay still under my warm covers, quiet and secure, as the wind punched and jabbed at the house, seemingly angry in its frantic attempts to seek an opening inside.

The house creaked and rumbled against the force but remained steadfast with just an occasional moan or shudder as a particularly powerful gust assailed its wooden flanks. Sleep was impossible against this assault of noise, so I reluctantly left my warm nest to plod downstairs to start the new day.

Curiously, it has been a surprisingly subdued December thus far, weather-wise. Snowfall has been infrequent and the numbing cold we normally expect this time of year has failed to materialize. We have endured a few particularly cold days in the 20’s but the real bitter cold of the season has yet to settle over the land. This morning I was greeted with temperatures in the low 30’s, fierce NW winds and a light accumulation of snow and sleet. There was a sharp briskness in the air that was stimulating, invigorating and certainly eye-opening. Though this morning’s cold is modest by normal December standards, it is perhaps an appropriate portent to remind us that the cold, icy hand of winter draws ever closer, with even greater changes yet to come.

Though we recognize December as the official beginning of the winter season, it also serves as a time of great transition of spiritual importance for many believers across the globe, ushering in a period of profound significance for many of the world’s great early religions. For the Druids, December was observed as a struggle between Death and Rebirth. For them, Yule (Winter Solstice) was a time when the Dark half of the year yielded to the Light half, when the sun climbed a little higher and remained a little longer in the sky each day. Solstice Night was a moment of great celebration as revelers gathered to await the rebirth of the Oak King who represented the God of the Waxing Year. Great bonfires were lit in open fields and meadows to mark the arrival of Solstice. Trees of the forests and orchards, deeply revered and worshiped by the Druids, were “wassailed” with toasts of spicy cider.

According to Druid legends, the Oak King (God of Rebirth) battled the Holly King (God of Death), defeating him and opening the world to the miracle of life and rebirth. The Oak King ruled the world until the period of Litha (Summer Solstice) when the battle was resumed, this time with the Holly King emerging the victor.

For countless generations, many cultures have recognized the spiritual and religious significance of the Winter Solstice. In ancient Persia, the birth of the sun god Mithra was celebrated on December 25th. From a large rock, Mithra emerged, strong, virile and fully grown, armed with a knife and carrying a lit torch. Nearby shepherds, awed at this miraculous appearance, rushed to greet the great figure with offerings from their flocks and their harvests. The mysticism of the cult of Mithra spread throughout Roman lands in the 2nd century. In 274, the Roman Emperor Aurelian issued an edict declaring December 25th to be the Birthday of Sol Invictus (the Unconquerable Sun).

The December Winter Solstice, representing the emergence of Light (Life) over Dark (Death) is a compelling unifying theme of the great world religions, past and present.. The birth of the Christ Child, embraced by millions as the bearer of Light for all the world and humanity, is an echo of the birth of the great sun-god Mithra, bearing his gifts of Light and Renewal. It is seen in the early December Festival of Poseidon, a period of worship for Poseidon, the Greek God of the sea and the God of Rebirth. We recognize it in the annual celebration of the birth of the ancient and powerful Goddess of the Sun (Amaterasu) among the Shinto in Japan. At mid-month, Zorastrians rejoice in the victories of good over evil and light over darkness during the Fire Festival of Sada.

Our awareness of the wonderment of these spiritual observances, all so uniquely different, yet all so closely intertwined around a common human experience, provide a fascinating and hopeful backdrop as we look to close out this year. The Ancients well understood the importance of acknowledging and celebrating the accomplishments of the past year while embracing the rising Light of the new season of life.

Here’s hoping you, too, enjoy and revel in this wondrous season of peace and joy. May the Winter Solstice bring the Light of great hope and prosperity to you and your families. Our best Holiday wishes to all.

Be well and healthy.