Celebrating Winter Solstice and Embracing Changing Seasons in Govanhill
The changing seasons in the holiday period mixed with the year coming to an end gives us time to reflect on our worlds and life’s rhythms. Staff writer Devon reflects on the changing seasons through these dark winter evenings.
by Devon McCole
On December 22, the annual winter solstice occurs, and Govanhill will have its shortest day and longest night in the year. The sun will rise at 8:46am and set at 3:44pm meaning there is less than seven hours to get us moving.
Solstices are not just significant solar events but cultural too, signalling the beginning of celebrations around the world and reminding us of the cycle of nature. In Govanhill, the season change is also heralded by the Transylvania Shop going all out on their decorations, and the Christmas lights switch on at the Larkfield Community Centre.
Blowing in with the cold air comes changes to plant and animal life, affecting our diets and daily routines as we adjust to our new environment. It isn’t always a smooth transition, each seasonal change brings new challenges.
But with each trip around the sun, we can learn to embrace these changes. Whilst some of us look forward to the springtime, when Queen’s Park is covered in yellow daffodils and vibrant greens, others look forward to the falling of the crispy autumn leaves that turn the park into a sea of burnt auburn.
When the cycle of the changing seasons repeats itself, we can look forward to each month like the return of an old friend, bringing with them their characteristic charms. In winter this might mean sledging in Queen’s Park or – if the duck pond freezes over – the return of what comedian Paul Black dubbed the middle-class families’ ice-rink.
And, if you prefer an iced berry smoothie from Crema Coffee in the summer heat over a cardamom-spiced, brown sugar latte from SLB on a frosty day, just remember: when the darkest days are beside us, the brightest are ahead! There’s always something to look forward to.
The fallen leaves in Queen’s Park, now completely dried out by the cold, may not serve as a substantial meal anymore for most animal life, but they remain essential for insects and other small animals who will use those materials as shelter from the harsh weather. What once was food and sustenance, is now shelter and comfort – reminding us of the beauty and bounty of nature’s coldest season.
Like nature, we adapt our surroundings and we are resilient. Enjoy the little comforts each season offers. Let each season and each solstice wash over you, welcoming in the return of new life, new opportunity and new celebrations.