‘Good Grief Charlie Brown! It’s the winter solstice!’

Copyright © 2008
Gallup Independent
By Bill Donovan
Staff writer

GALLUP — Almost everyone makes a resolution on New Year’s Eve to change something about their life that they don’t like.

But everyone who does this is 10 days too late.

The time when people should be making these kinds of resolutions and promises to themselves is on Sunday when the winter solstice begins officially at 7:03 a.m.

This is the day of the sun’s rebirth — the shortest day of the year when many cultures believe that people should be thinking of a fresh start in their life.

In feudal times, as well as in some parts of he United States, the day is commemorated by the burning of the yule log.

This stems from a time when living trees were used to mark the rotation of the heavens. People used this as a way to find true north.

So the trees became associated with the changes that was going on with the sun’s rotation in the sky and the yule log became the symbol of the new year until people decided that it was better to make their resolutions on New Year’s Eve during parties when they got so drunk they would forget what they decided to do when they got sober the next day.

Practically no one celebrates the winter solstice. When it occurs on a weekday, no one gets to leave their office early, children still have to go to school and no one gets to watch “It’s the Winter Solstice, Charlie Brown” on television.

So maybe the people in Ramah can start a new trend — celebration of the winter solstice.

Last year about 50 people got together at the Old School Gallery on New Mexico Highway 53 one mile east of El Morro National Monument to celebrate the fact that beginning the next day, the days would start getting longer and the nights would be getting shorter.

The event will once again be held today, with the El Morro Area Arts Council sponsoring it.

New this year will be some Irish dancing, said Paula Tripodi, executive director of the arts council. Irish dancing is noted for the fact that one doesn’t need a partner.

There will be poetry readings throughout the night as well as fruit cake and refreshments. There is a $3 admission charge.

Last year’s event attracted people not only from the Ramah community but from Gallup, Grants and Zuni, Tripodi said.

“People in our area like to get together,” she said, adding that the arts council tries to hold an event each month to give people an opportunity to do just that.

There is no summer solstice event but the organization does hold a May Day Festival.

The winter solstice celebration this year will begin at 5:30 p.m. Saturday and last until about 8 p.m.

Details: (505) 783-4710.