Woot! December 21!

[ronandannette]

We interrupt your regularly-scheduled Christmas festivities to bring you this important message: Happy Winter Solstice! Even though winter “officially” starts today, here in the northern part of the world it’s already been wintery for almost two months and the short daylight hours and long, dark nights take their toll. In the most northerly regions of Canada it never gets fully light at this time of year and where I am, it will be 9:00 am before the sun is up and pitch dark again before 5:00 pm. During work weeks I can go days without ever being out in the light. I don’t personally suffer clinical symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder but I know people who do and it’s very difficult.

As of tomorrow, daylight hours start gradually getting longer. Even though the worst of our harsh weather is yet to come (snow, cold and wind are brutal in January and February) it’s somehow made a little more bearable. Hope rises and spirits lift - the perfect little addition to this festive season. Best wishes to everyone and may your celebrations be merry and BRIGHT!

 

[thanxfornoticin]

A day closer to spring.....!

 

[GAN]

Depressing is a strong word ...miserable would be my description. Yeah, I hate the shorter days! As of tonight at 10:27pm I'll be much happier -please join me in a celebratory cocktail!

 

[NYCgrrl]

I’m going for “other”. I do notice the length of day but don’t find it depressing.

For some reason the neighborhood raptors (don’t know if they are hawks, peregrines or falcons) circle the clouds lazily causing the pigeons to do rapid maneuvers in a pack. I doubt the raptors are hungry at the time of day they begin and I also believe they are related. I think they are harassing the “flying rats” just for the fun of it andI only notice this behavior when the days are short.

 

[focusondisney]

Depressing is a strong word ...miserable would be my description. Yeah, I hate the shorter days! As of tonight at 10:27pm I'll be much happier -please join me in a celebratory cocktail!

That’s how I look at it…. It’s all better after today. I think it’s good that during the worst days I’m busy with holiday prep, so I don’t dwell on the darkness too much. By the time we put all the Christmas stuff away & my husbands birthday is here in early January, I’m already noticing the days getting longer. We were running errands last evening. It was about 6 pm, but it felt like 9 or 10.

 

[fla4fun]

I don’t mind the shorter days, although they aren’t as short in Florida as they were when we lived up north. I actually hate the long summer days, when I am trying to go to bed at nine and it’s still daylight outside.

 

[Moliphino]

I do find it depressing. I can't wait until March 10th, when we go back into daylight saving time and really have light in the evening.

 

[Praying Colonel]

I definitely don't like the shorter days.

Something I learned recently: even though the solstice is on 21 Dec, sunset actually starts getting later before that. For example, Orlando had its earliest sunset on the 5th; yesterday it was 5 minutes later.

http://sunrisesunset.com/calendar.asp?comb_city_info=Orlando, Florida;81.3742;28.5048;-5;1&want_twi_civ=1&want_mphase=1

I'll take my wins where I can get them.

 

[cabanafrau]

I actually start getting a little sad about the shorter days as August starts to wind down and we're sitting out on the patio and it gets dark so much quicker than it did the month before. I start realizing we have few opportunities for evenings out there before the cold weather comes and all the flowers close up shop for the year.

 

[John VN]

Absolutely no biological effect regarding the daily number of sun hours vs no sun hours.

 

[Kitty 34]

Count me in in celebrating the beginning of longer days even if it's just a few seconds for a few days. I'll take it!! I'm not a winter lover but today reminds me that it's only three months did the Spring Solstice even tho here in Michigan we probably won't see real spring til some time in May!! teeth:

 

[RedAngie]

The short daylight hours of late autumn/early winter don’t bother me.

I do take Vitamin D, but not for any sunlight reasons.

 

[Disneylover99]

I love the darkness!
Today is one of my favourite days of the year.

 

[MdmMim]

I find the longer days to be depressing. Give me the darkness!
I get depressed when I wake up in the summer, and it’s sunny.

 

[GreatLakes]

I like having four seasons and want my winters to be snowy. The length of the days doesn't really bother me and while I do take a vitamin D supplement I take it year round, not just in winter. Guess that counts as other as far as the pole goes.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I do prefer the longer daylight hours of summer.

 

[robinb]

I hate the shorter days. Bring on the light!

 

[Neapolitan Ice Cream]

I hate it getting dark early.

 

[adkkev]

This is what our Alaskan family has on the winter solstice … less than four hours of sun for the day. Then things start getting better as their daylight increases by about six minutes each day.

 

[Meriweather]

I don't mind the dark (unless I have to drive in it).
I like winter....our summers are too hot. Looking forward to be cooler (still in the 70s today, but should change tomorrow )