I really like living in Las Vegas, except for one thing: the angle of the sun is much lower in the sky than I was accustomed to in sunny Texas and even-sunnier Hawai‘i. Today, the Vegas sun will set at 4:31 p.m. Pacific Time, so, even at 3:30-ish, the skies will grow dusky. Because we are surrounded by mountains, the sun "sets" behind the La Madre Range just west of us, well before it truly sets at sea level.
There is joy, however, as a sister author reminded me today in her social media post. On Sat., Dec. 21, 2024, at 1:21 a.m., Pacific Time, Las Vegas will "enjoy" our shortest day and longest night of the year. And then, on Sun. Dec. 22, we will see a tiny bit more sunlight each day.
According to Google Gemini, an AI resource:
"The increase in daylight after the winter solstice in Las Vegas is very gradual at first. Initially: You might gain only a few seconds of daylight per day. The rate of increase will accelerate gradually as spring approaches. The exact amount of increase will vary slightly throughout the year."
Gemini also suggests using websites like Time and Date to find precise details about sunrise and sunset times.
Winter Solstice Celebrations
Many scholars believe the date chosen to celebrate Christmas has roots in ancient winter solstice celebrations. This thinking is based on some solid evidence, again, according to Google Gemini:
Pagan Festivals:
Many ancient cultures celebrated the winter solstice with festivals of light and renewal.
These celebrations often involved feasting, gift-giving, and honoring the return of the sun after its "death" during the darkest part of the year.
Examples include Saturnalia (Roman) and Yule (Norse).
Christian Adoption:
Some historians believe early Christians strategically chose Dec. 25th for Christmas to coincide with these existing pagan celebrations.
This would have made it easier to convert pagans to Christianity by incorporating familiar traditions into the new religion.
Symbolism:
The themes of light, rebirth, and renewal present in many winter solstice celebrations resonate with the Christian message of the birth of Jesus Christ as the 'light of the world.'"
Celebrate Christmas Your Way
Before any True Believers become angry with me (or with Google Gemini) for saying that the true date of Jesus's birth might other than Dec. 25, Christmas is yours to celebrate as you wish. But according to historians, Jesus was actually born in the spring or early fall, not in the winter.
According to Wikipedia, "In the third century, the precise date of Jesus's birth was a subject of great interest, with early Christian writers suggesting various dates in March, April and May."
Supporting this is the mention in the Bible of shepherds tending flocks in the fields at the time of Jesus' birth (Luke 2:8). However, in ancient Palestine, the winter months were harsh, weather-wise, with frequent rain and ice from freezing nighttime temps. Most shepherds kept their flocks sheltered during winter and were not likely to be tending them out in the fields.
Here's to the Return of Sunshine
No matter what date you prefer to celebrate, I do count on one thing: the winter solstice is tonight, and our longer and sunnier days will return. I love the Las Vegas sunshine. In fact, I'm grumpy if I wake up to a cloudy day.
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