Today is Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year marking the official onset of winter. The December and June solstices used to play an important role in the lives of many people. Ancient stone circles and monuments were constructed to align to sunrises or sunsets on solstices. Cultures throughout the world to this day are still influenced by traditions linked to observance of the December (winter in my part of the world) solstice.
Today is also the day that the current Mayan Long Count calendar comes to an end and some have taken this to mean the Mayans had predicted this was the ‘End of Time’. This has fueled many ‘End of the World’ groups to promote various theories. The Mayans themselves say this is nonsense, the calendar is based on cycles of time and the current calendar cycle is coming to the end of the 13th Baktun. A Baktun is 144,000 days in length. As the 13th Baktun ends the cycle returns to the beginning and heralds the start of the 14th Baktun.
It is also the time of year that Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus. Most people in England celebrate at this time of year, although the original meaning has been lost to many.
There are now only 4 sleeps till Christmas morning… The Turkey and trimmings are all organised, the trees are up with their lights twinkling, the presents are wrapped and some of them have even been given to their recipients. Apart from a few last minute items needed from the shops there is nothing else left to do except relax and put my feet up.
The photo I have chosen for this post is one of the numerous Christmas trees that have been decorated in Attingham House on the Attingham Estate in 1920s style for the Christmas season. The decorations on this tree are quite simple; they are white lights and origami birds (doves I think). Each bird is inscribed with hand written words, a wish for the season. On a table to the side there was a notice asking people to add their own wishes.
My wish is for love, peace and understanding between individuals and nations.
What would you wish for?
In addition to my ‘wish’ I hope that you and your loved ones enjoy the peace of the season and have a happy and peaceful New Year,
xxx
Cherry - Out & About 
Your wish is just perfect Cherry – I couldn’t ask for more. And I love the idea of origami doves cerrying the wishes inscribed on them. Thank you.
Your preparations are more advanced than mine though – despite Christmas being a little closer here in the Southern Hemisphere. It will be another day or so before I can relax and breathe again. I hope that you and yours have a Christmas and New Year filled with precisely the same things you have wished for us. Thank you.
December 21, 2012 | Soosie
One of the most beautiful trees I’ve ever seen!!!
I can’t think of any better wish than the one you’ve already stated. A wish for love. That’s all we really need – isn’t it?
December 21, 2012 | Marcie
I’m glad to wake up on this last day of Mayan calender and see that everything is the way I expect it to be, no dramatic changes. 🙂
In my family, we decorate the Christmas tree on 24th in the morning together with children. I’m looking forward to it every year. I still have some of the old decorations we used to hung on the Christmas tree when I was a little girl.
As for my wish, I’d chose love. Love based on concrete acts of love, small and great ones, because where is love, there is peace and will to understand one another.
December 21, 2012 | Petra
This is the first time I’ve seen the Mayan calendar and this day explained so well, Cherry. Now I feel enlightened! Thank you. 🙂
And yes, if we have LOVE, we truly have everything! Who could ever ask/wish for more! Thank you!
December 21, 2012 | Ginnie
Peace, love, and understanding; if present for all around the world…what more could one wish for.
December 21, 2012 | Sue
This is such a beautiful tree, how wonderful the way it’s decorated with the words and doves. And your wish is more than perfect, I totally agree ~ all the best to you & yours this season.
December 21, 2012 | Susan
My wish would echo yours. And I love this tree, what a lovely, beautiful idea. More hope, flying out into the world. 🙂
December 21, 2012 | Kelly
What a beautiful tree, Cherry. I loved the birds at first sight, and then the explanation of how each has someone’s wish for others inscribed on it made it so meaningful too. Very peaceful. And although I’ve heard the jokes, read the cartoons, as well as the warnings and fears under the surface of so many about today being the end of the world – it’s interesting to have had you explain the 144,000 days truth about the Mayan calendar. Thank you for that. It’s my oldest son’s birthday today and I’m afraid that like the day with the most darkness at winter’s solstice, I’m concerned about him in that way (so much darkness). My wish would be for him to find peace this next year, to find happiness and the will to pick himself up and move forward. I’ll mentally inscribe one of those beautiful white origami doves and hang it from my heart. Happy holidays to you!
December 21, 2012 | Barbara
“…that everyone would have a friend, and love would always win….” (my wish, echoed in a song)
Your question about our wish made me think of the Amy Grant song from years ago that I love, her “Grownup Christmas List”. Interesting how we all have the same basic wish, love, peace, understanding, no matter how we say it. Deep within it’s what we all long for.
Thank you for sharing this lovely tree with it’s simple, elegant decor, and your heartfelt wishes. I hope you have a lovely holiday with family and friends!
December 21, 2012 | Deborah
I’ve been educating myself a lot lately on the solstice to better understand the traditions and the reasons it has played such important roles in many peoples lives. Thank you for the link – Still Influenced by Traditions. Lovely post and wish. I’m going to dwell down a touch and my wish is for our country to get a handle on our gun laws and keep the military style weapons in the hands of the military, not civilians. Here’s also wishing every one of you a wonderful holiday season!
December 21, 2012 | Gotham Girl Aka Robin
Love the idea of the doves and the wishes inscribed on them. And love also your wishes. I wish for respect and gentleness.
Your preparations are so advanced, lucky you! I still thinking what to do, maybe because I am not feeling this year the Christmas spirit that much. I feel some joy inside, but I don´t feel like decorating, shopping and so on. Right now I think I will give myself permision to have a year with little Christmas celebrations…
That tree is wonderful!
December 21, 2012 | Zena (Healingmoments)
I love the “only four sleeps”. The very best of all you wished, to you as well.
December 21, 2012 | Elena Caravela
Thank you for your wishes, Cherry – I wish you the same as well.
Yes, the birth of Jesus seems to get more unimportant in our celebrating Christmas. It’s all about the shopping. A few years ago, I asked the girls in my Girl Scout troop why we’re celebrating Christmas, and they had NO IDEA!! And this in the “one nation under God”. Oh well.
I have to admit that I quite liked all the jokes around the end of the world coming today. I had a blast reading all the Facebook posts yesterday. My favorite was “people are making apocalypse jokes like there’s no tomorrow” – good one.
I enjoyed this beautiful Christmas tree.
December 21, 2012 | Carola
Thank you for your wishes and your beautiful image! I wish it all back to you…..for myself it will be a hard one without my Dad this year and I really just want to get through it and out the other side……….I think that’s about wishing for hope and light for the future…..
December 22, 2012 | Catherine
I like the idea of writing wishes on origami birds and placing them on the tree. If I was to write one, I’d wish for an end to selfishness – people trying to protect what they have or trying to take what they feel they deserve, at the expense of others. I’d wish away division between ‘us’ and ‘them’.
And I want to offer up a wish for Barbara’s son, that he find a way out of darkness. I’ve been there with my own son and know the worry and pain caused when you see your child suffering and feel helpless to fix it. Oh for the days when a kiss on the hurt made it all better — perhaps another wish to write and place on a Christmas tree…
December 22, 2012 | Maery Rose
i wish the same, for all of us and those we love 🙂
December 24, 2012 | Eliza
Thank you for all your thoughtful comments and for sharing your wishes. I hope we all have a good Christmas with our families 🙂
December 24, 2012 | CherryPie
I have to say that little bit of Mayan news made good sport at my house:) We will never know the time and the place as put forth by the Bible – so I’m ready any time…
December 27, 2012 | Puna