The Midwinter Solstice refers to the point at which the sun reaches its greatest declination, north. The term is also applied to the time at which the sun reaches the point thus defined (about Dec. 21). Christians renamed it the feast of the annunciation or Lady Day. The shortest day and longest night caused ancients considerable anxiety. What if the sun was unable to gain its strength again. Midwinter festivals, therefore, centered around the theme of rebirth. Holly is appropriate for decoration since it was adopted from the pagan Yule, and was named for the dark Goddess Holle, or Hel, from whose womb the sun arose. The red berries of the holly symbolized the Goddess's holy blood, shaper of all life and the green representing ongoing life, retaining vitality through the winter, with an implied promise of immortality. The Feast of the Kings or Epiphany finishes the holiday season with traditional parties.

Ruth Reichmann
Max Kade German-American Center, IUPUI

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