Time to Enjoy Your Winter Solstice

    Bringing An Ancient Winter Celebration Into Your Home 

                      Have A Party Where Our Duchess Would Wear Her Necklace!

  

            Every year, our wonderful neighbors host a Winter Solstice party. We look forward to greeting the dukes, counts, duchesses, knights, fortune tellers, even barmaids from the neighborhood who arrive in time to celebrate the crowning of this year’s Solstice king and queen.

           We all bring a dish to share and eat, drink, and be merry. When it’s over we can’t wait for next year’s party. This year’s upcoming event made me wonder about The Winter Solstice and what customs and traditions are part of its history. How would my Duchess Amelia in “The Duchess’ Necklace” have celebrated The Solstice? 

Meet The Duchess Amelia!

The Winter Solstice marks the first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere while at the precise time marks the first day of summer in the Southern Hemisphere. On June 21^st the Winter Solstice moves to the Southern Hemisphere while The Northern Hemisphere celebrates the Summer Solstice. The mid-season periods between Solstice are called the Equinox with Spring (Vernal Equinox) arriving March 21^st and the Autumnal Equinox occurring on or about September 23^rd each year.

Ancients recognized the regularity of these events. The Romans celebrated “solstitium” as far back as the first century. They as well as other ancient civilations marked celestial time by these events. Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year. Many cultures around the world hold long feasts and celebrate with fire and lights. The Romans celebrated Saturnalia around the time of Winter Solstice. The holiday turned Roman social order upside down where for one week slaves became masters and peasants ran the city.

In Scandinavia, the ancient Norsemen feted Yule on Winter Solstice. Large logs were lit and everyone would feast until the logs burned out. In Japan, people were encouraged to light bonfires even on Mt Fuji. The tradition starts on the beginning of the New Year for good health and good luck. It is a very sacred time for farmers who welcome the return of the sun that they hope will help grow their crops. Iran, Peru, and China all have their own Solstice traditions.

Of course, since our neighborhood party features Royal English traditions, I wondered how and if my Duchess Amelia celebrated.

Royals in Amelia’s time did celebrate Solstice with The Boar’s Head Festival, one of the oldest and most unusual Christmas traditions still celebrated today. Beginning in ancient times, hunters found the wild boar to be the tastiest and most dangerous game in what is now Great Britain. Because it could weigh as much as several hundred pounds, it would take too long to cook at the party so the boar would be butchered and cooked before the festival began. The Boar’s head then became the centerpiece of the festivities. Its head decorated with greenery and fruit was displayed on a platter as a tribute to the hunter who brought the beast down.

Duchess Amelia would have opened her manor house to celebrate this tradition with the Boar’s Head platter to be paraded around the room of guests before being presented to Amelia as hosting royalty. (We have paraded roasted turkeys at our local party.) The Boar’s Head Carol is sung during the parade, a tradition from ancient celebrations. The popular version of this carol still sung today dates from the early 16th century while the tradition of serving the Boar’s Head at the celebration of the Winter Solstice (“Yule”) – and later, Christmas – has been practiced since ancient times. This ritual meal is celebrated annually for more than 600 years. The stateliness and order of the procession and the succulent aroma of this rarest dish, is a meal fit for royalty. 

Many of Amelia’s guests were more than likely dressed in costumes, much like we do at our neighborhood party. Costumed King Wenceslas, Robin Hood, and Maid Marion take part in the song and the parade. Amelia would have enjoyed watching her party attendees perform a skit and song. Knowing how feisty and untraditional she was, she may have snuck off and disguised herself to participate in these antics before returning to enjoy the pomp of the parade in the presentation of the Boar’s Head to her. She may have started the festivities by proclaiming “All Hail the Boar’s Head!” I’m sure a fun night was had by all.

I wish everyone a happy healthy holiday season and all the best for the New Year. Mariah

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