Yule<\/a>, a festival of fire, feasting, and light. During the long, cold winters, the return of the Sun was cause for rejoicing. Families lit massive Yule logs that burned for twelve days. The fire symbolised warmth and the promise of brighter days. Today, Scandinavians still honour these customs. Homes glow with candles and evergreen wreaths. In Norway, people share rice pudding and leave a bowl for the household spirit, the nisse. In Sweden, Saint Lucia\u2019s Day on December 13 celebrates light. Girls wear crowns of candles, leading processions that brighten the darkest nights.<\/p>\nChina<\/h3>\n
In China, the Dongzhi Festival marks the arrival of winter. The name means \u201cwinter\u2019s extreme.\u201d It dates back more than 2,000 years to the Han Dynasty. Families gather to share tangyuan, sweet rice balls served in warm soup. The round shape stands for reunion and harmony. In northern China, people eat dumplings to stay warm. Dongzhi celebrates balance and renewal. It reflects the belief in yin and yang, the idea that darkness and light shift in eternal rhythm. After the longest night, light begins to return.<\/p>\n
Iran<\/h3>\n
In Iran, people celebrate Shab-e Yalda, or \u201cNight of Birth.\u201d It honours the victory of light over darkness and the birth of Mithra, the ancient Sun god. Families stay up late to welcome the dawn. They eat red fruits like pomegranates and watermelons, symbols of life and warmth. Many read poetry by Hafez, sharing verses and stories through the night. Yalda reminds Iranians that even in deep darkness, light always returns. It\u2019s a night of warmth, laughter, and hope.<\/p>\n
United States<\/h3>\n
Among the Hopi and Zuni in the southwestern United States, the Winter Solstice is called Soyal. It\u2019s a sacred time to welcome the Sun\u2019s return. People clean their homes, make offerings, and perform dances and ceremonies. The Hopi create kachina dolls that represent spirits that bring blessings and rain. Soyal strengthens the bond between people, nature, and the spiritual world. It\u2019s a moment to express gratitude and prepare for renewal.<\/p>\n
Ireland<\/h3>\n
In Ireland, the ancient tomb of Newgrange reveals humanity\u2019s long fascination with the Solstice. Built more than 5,000 years ago, it predates the pyramids. On the morning of the Solstice, sunlight enters a small roof box above the doorway. It lights up the stone chamber inside for just a few minutes. This moment symbolised rebirth and hope for ancient people. Today, thousands watch it in person or online. The Solstice sunrise at Newgrange still stirs awe and connection with the past.<\/p>\n
England<\/h3>\n
In southern England, Stonehenge draws visitors from around the world. Its massive stones align with the rising and setting Sun during the Solstices. Every year, crowds gather to watch the Winter Solstice sunrise. Druids, pagans, and travellers celebrate with music, dance, and cheer. It\u2019s a powerful symbol of the link between humanity and nature. Stonehenge reminds us that the cycles of the Earth continue, no matter how modern life becomes.<\/p>\n
Japan<\/h3>\n
In Japan, the Winter Solstice is called Toji. It\u2019s not an official holiday, but people observe customs for good health and luck. The most famous is the yuzu bath, where people soak in hot water with floating citrus fruits. The bath wards off colds and refreshes the spirit. Many also eat pumpkin soup or noodles to build strength for winter. Toji is a quiet celebration. It\u2019s about caring for the body, welcoming the light, and preparing for renewal.<\/p>\n
Peru<\/h3>\n
In Peru, the Winter Solstice falls in June, since it\u2019s in the Southern Hemisphere. The Inti Raymi festival honours Inti, the Incan Sun god. In ancient Cusco, people offered food, dance, and prayers to ensure the Sun\u2019s return. The Spanish later banned the festival, but it was revived in the 20th century. Now thousands gather at Sacsayhuam\u00e1n, near Cusco, to witness the grand reenactments. It\u2019s a celebration of faith, heritage, and the power of the Sun.<\/p>\n
Scotland<\/h3>\n
In Scotland, the Winter Solstice has ancient roots and modern celebrations. The country\u2019s northern latitude means long, dark winters\u2014perfect for celebrating the return of the light. In Orkney, the Maeshowe chambered cairn, built over 5,000 years ago, aligns with the Solstice sunset. For a few days each December, the setting Sun shines straight into the stone passage, lighting up the inner chamber. It\u2019s one of Europe\u2019s most stunning Solstice sites. Modern Scots also celebrate in lively ways. Edinburgh\u2019s Winter Solstice fire festivals, such as the Up Helly Aa torchlight processions in Shetland, echo the old Norse Yule spirit. Fire dancers, drummers, and costumed marchers fill the streets, symbolising the burning away of darkness. Whether ancient or modern, Scotland\u2019s Solstice celebrations share one theme\u2014the triumph of light and community over winter\u2019s long shadow.<\/p>\n
Across continents, people celebrate the Winter Solstice in their own way. Fire, food, poetry, or dance\u2014every tradition carries the same message: darkness never lasts. The Solstice reminds us of the Sun\u2019s promise. It marks a new beginning, a return of warmth, and the strength of the human spirit. No matter where we live, we all look to the same light\u2014and every year, it rises again.<\/p>\n
By Juliet Kinsey<\/p>\n
Read more about Festive traditions here on the blog with our post on Spanish Christmas Traditions<\/a><\/p>\nCheck out more information on the Winter Solstice on Librarysearch.napier.ac.uk<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Winter Solstice: How Different Cultures Celebrate the Longest Night The Winter Solstice marks the shortest day and longest night of the year. It usually falls around December 21 in the Northern Hemisphere and June 21 in the Southern Hemisphere. For thousands of years, people have celebrated this turning point when darkness fades and light returns. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":301,"featured_media":4956,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[610,240],"tags":[1223,1216,1224,1222,1220,1218,1221,1217,1214,1219,1213,1225,1215],"class_list":["post-4953","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-celebration-week","category-christmas","tag-ancient-traditions","tag-dongzhi-festival","tag-fire-festivals","tag-light-and-darkness","tag-newgrange","tag-scotland-solstice","tag-seasonal-festivals","tag-shab-e-yalda","tag-solstice-celebrations","tag-stonehenge","tag-winter-solstice","tag-world-cultures","tag-yule-traditions","post-preview"],"yoast_head":"\n
Winter Solstice: How Different Cultures Celebrate the Longest Night - The Library Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Winter Solstice and How Different Cultures Celebrate the Longest Night around the world, from Scotland to China\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/2025\/12\/21\/winter-solstice-how-different-cultures-celebrate-the-longest-night\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Winter Solstice: How Different Cultures Celebrate the Longest Night - The Library Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Winter Solstice and How Different Cultures Celebrate the Longest Night around the world, from Scotland to China\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/2025\/12\/21\/winter-solstice-how-different-cultures-celebrate-the-longest-night\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Library Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-12-21T09:00:58+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2025\/11\/Untitled1-1024x687.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"687\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"julietkinsey\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@ednaplib\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@ednaplib\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"julietkinsey\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\\\/library\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/21\\\/winter-solstice-how-different-cultures-celebrate-the-longest-night\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\\\/library\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/21\\\/winter-solstice-how-different-cultures-celebrate-the-longest-night\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"julietkinsey\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\\\/library\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/c165661292d592acfc39833114ff2088\"},\"headline\":\"Winter Solstice: How Different Cultures Celebrate the Longest Night\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-12-21T09:00:58+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\\\/library\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/21\\\/winter-solstice-how-different-cultures-celebrate-the-longest-night\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":988,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\\\/library\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\\\/library\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/21\\\/winter-solstice-how-different-cultures-celebrate-the-longest-night\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\\\/library\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/83\\\/2025\\\/11\\\/Untitled1.png?fit=1460%2C979&ssl=1\",\"keywords\":[\"Ancient traditions\",\"Dongzhi Festival\",\"Fire festivals\",\"Light and darkness\",\"Newgrange\",\"Scotland Solstice\",\"Seasonal festivals\",\"Shab-e Yalda\",\"Solstice celebrations\",\"Stonehenge\",\"Winter Solstice\",\"World cultures\",\"Yule traditions\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Celebration Week\",\"Christmas\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\\\/library\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/21\\\/winter-solstice-how-different-cultures-celebrate-the-longest-night\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\\\/library\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/21\\\/winter-solstice-how-different-cultures-celebrate-the-longest-night\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\\\/library\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/21\\\/winter-solstice-how-different-cultures-celebrate-the-longest-night\\\/\",\"name\":\"Winter Solstice: How Different Cultures Celebrate the Longest Night - The Library Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\\\/library\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\\\/library\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/21\\\/winter-solstice-how-different-cultures-celebrate-the-longest-night\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\\\/library\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/21\\\/winter-solstice-how-different-cultures-celebrate-the-longest-night\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\\\/library\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/83\\\/2025\\\/11\\\/Untitled1.png?fit=1460%2C979&ssl=1\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-12-21T09:00:58+00:00\",\"description\":\"Winter Solstice and How Different Cultures Celebrate the Longest Night around the world, from Scotland to China\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\\\/library\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/21\\\/winter-solstice-how-different-cultures-celebrate-the-longest-night\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\\\/library\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/21\\\/winter-solstice-how-different-cultures-celebrate-the-longest-night\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\\\/library\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/21\\\/winter-solstice-how-different-cultures-celebrate-the-longest-night\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\\\/library\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/83\\\/2025\\\/11\\\/Untitled1.png?fit=1460%2C979&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\\\/library\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/83\\\/2025\\\/11\\\/Untitled1.png?fit=1460%2C979&ssl=1\",\"width\":1460,\"height\":979,\"caption\":\"Winter Solstice Around the World: Celebrating the Longest Night\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\\\/library\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/21\\\/winter-solstice-how-different-cultures-celebrate-the-longest-night\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\\\/library\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Winter Solstice: How Different Cultures Celebrate the Longest Night\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\\\/library\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\\\/library\\\/\",\"name\":\"The Library Blog\",\"description\":\"Edinburgh Napier University Library blog. Filled with useful and fun blog articles on using the Library, the University, Edinburgh and many other fun topics.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\\\/library\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\\\/library\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\\\/library\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Edinburgh Napier University Library\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\\\/library\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\\\/library\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\\\/library\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/83\\\/2021\\\/05\\\/Untitled-design.png?fit=500%2C500&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\\\/library\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/83\\\/2021\\\/05\\\/Untitled-design.png?fit=500%2C500&ssl=1\",\"width\":500,\"height\":500,\"caption\":\"Edinburgh Napier University Library\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\\\/library\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/ednaplib\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/enu_library\\\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\\\/library\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/c165661292d592acfc39833114ff2088\",\"name\":\"julietkinsey\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/c753c87c2f36f0d36dcdc58396b77d3ce9108debd43f1a0620b2b7cf61548687?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/c753c87c2f36f0d36dcdc58396b77d3ce9108debd43f1a0620b2b7cf61548687?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/c753c87c2f36f0d36dcdc58396b77d3ce9108debd43f1a0620b2b7cf61548687?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"julietkinsey\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\\\/library\\\/author\\\/julietkinsey\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Winter Solstice: How Different Cultures Celebrate the Longest Night - The Library Blog","description":"Winter Solstice and How Different Cultures Celebrate the Longest Night around the world, from Scotland to China","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/2025\/12\/21\/winter-solstice-how-different-cultures-celebrate-the-longest-night\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"Winter Solstice: How Different Cultures Celebrate the Longest Night - The Library Blog","og_description":"Winter Solstice and How Different Cultures Celebrate the Longest Night around the world, from Scotland to China","og_url":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/2025\/12\/21\/winter-solstice-how-different-cultures-celebrate-the-longest-night\/","og_site_name":"The Library Blog","article_published_time":"2025-12-21T09:00:58+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":687,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2025\/11\/Untitled1-1024x687.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"julietkinsey","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@ednaplib","twitter_site":"@ednaplib","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"julietkinsey","Estimated reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/2025\/12\/21\/winter-solstice-how-different-cultures-celebrate-the-longest-night\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/2025\/12\/21\/winter-solstice-how-different-cultures-celebrate-the-longest-night\/"},"author":{"name":"julietkinsey","@id":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/#\/schema\/person\/c165661292d592acfc39833114ff2088"},"headline":"Winter Solstice: How Different Cultures Celebrate the Longest Night","datePublished":"2025-12-21T09:00:58+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/2025\/12\/21\/winter-solstice-how-different-cultures-celebrate-the-longest-night\/"},"wordCount":988,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/2025\/12\/21\/winter-solstice-how-different-cultures-celebrate-the-longest-night\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2025\/11\/Untitled1.png?fit=1460%2C979&ssl=1","keywords":["Ancient traditions","Dongzhi Festival","Fire festivals","Light and darkness","Newgrange","Scotland Solstice","Seasonal festivals","Shab-e Yalda","Solstice celebrations","Stonehenge","Winter Solstice","World cultures","Yule traditions"],"articleSection":["Celebration Week","Christmas"],"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/2025\/12\/21\/winter-solstice-how-different-cultures-celebrate-the-longest-night\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/2025\/12\/21\/winter-solstice-how-different-cultures-celebrate-the-longest-night\/","url":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/2025\/12\/21\/winter-solstice-how-different-cultures-celebrate-the-longest-night\/","name":"Winter Solstice: How Different Cultures Celebrate the Longest Night - The Library Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/2025\/12\/21\/winter-solstice-how-different-cultures-celebrate-the-longest-night\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/2025\/12\/21\/winter-solstice-how-different-cultures-celebrate-the-longest-night\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2025\/11\/Untitled1.png?fit=1460%2C979&ssl=1","datePublished":"2025-12-21T09:00:58+00:00","description":"Winter Solstice and How Different Cultures Celebrate the Longest Night around the world, from Scotland to China","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/2025\/12\/21\/winter-solstice-how-different-cultures-celebrate-the-longest-night\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/2025\/12\/21\/winter-solstice-how-different-cultures-celebrate-the-longest-night\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/2025\/12\/21\/winter-solstice-how-different-cultures-celebrate-the-longest-night\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2025\/11\/Untitled1.png?fit=1460%2C979&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2025\/11\/Untitled1.png?fit=1460%2C979&ssl=1","width":1460,"height":979,"caption":"Winter Solstice Around the World: Celebrating the Longest Night"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/2025\/12\/21\/winter-solstice-how-different-cultures-celebrate-the-longest-night\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Winter Solstice: How Different Cultures Celebrate the Longest Night"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/#website","url":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/","name":"The Library Blog","description":"Edinburgh Napier University Library blog. Filled with useful and fun blog articles on using the Library, the University, Edinburgh and many other fun topics.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/#organization","name":"Edinburgh Napier University Library","url":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2021\/05\/Untitled-design.png?fit=500%2C500&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2021\/05\/Untitled-design.png?fit=500%2C500&ssl=1","width":500,"height":500,"caption":"Edinburgh Napier University Library"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/x.com\/ednaplib","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/enu_library\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/#\/schema\/person\/c165661292d592acfc39833114ff2088","name":"julietkinsey","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/c753c87c2f36f0d36dcdc58396b77d3ce9108debd43f1a0620b2b7cf61548687?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/c753c87c2f36f0d36dcdc58396b77d3ce9108debd43f1a0620b2b7cf61548687?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/c753c87c2f36f0d36dcdc58396b77d3ce9108debd43f1a0620b2b7cf61548687?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"julietkinsey"},"url":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/author\/julietkinsey\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2025\/11\/Untitled1.png?fit=1460%2C979&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3399,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/2023\/06\/21\/june-solstice\/","url_meta":{"origin":4953,"position":0},"title":"June Solstice","author":"mayagreen","date":"21\/06\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"June Solstice Did you wake this morning at 04:26? I did.* I rose with the sun in celebration of the longest day of the year. I bathed my face in the fresh, morning dew, ready to enjoy the summer solstice \u2013 the day when the Sun appears to reach its\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Celebrations"","block_context":{"text":"Celebrations","link":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/category\/celebrations\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Blossom marking June","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2023\/06\/joseph-r-7TQs-oV5GaU-unsplash.jpg?fit=640%2C360&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2023\/06\/joseph-r-7TQs-oV5GaU-unsplash.jpg?fit=640%2C360&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2023\/06\/joseph-r-7TQs-oV5GaU-unsplash.jpg?fit=640%2C360&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3763,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/2023\/12\/13\/luciadagen-santa-lucia-day\/","url_meta":{"origin":4953,"position":1},"title":"Luciadagen (Santa Lucia Day)","author":"julietkinsey","date":"13\/12\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Luciadagen (Santa Lucia Day) History On 13th December Scandinavians commemorate Luciadagen the so-called \u201cFestival of Lights\u201d celebrating Santa Lucia. This stems from the fourth-century martyrdom of the Italian Saint Lucia and is an important winter celebration in Scandinavian countries. In earlier centuries the Norse celebrated the winter solstice, but after\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Celebrations"","block_context":{"text":"Celebrations","link":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/category\/celebrations\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Luciadagen (Santa Lucia Day) candle wreath for blog post","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2023\/12\/dimitri-karastelev-LWWBpj4O82s-unsplash.jpg?fit=640%2C427&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2023\/12\/dimitri-karastelev-LWWBpj4O82s-unsplash.jpg?fit=640%2C427&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2023\/12\/dimitri-karastelev-LWWBpj4O82s-unsplash.jpg?fit=640%2C427&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5018,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/2025\/12\/18\/historical-christmas\/","url_meta":{"origin":4953,"position":2},"title":"Historical Christmas","author":"mayagreen","date":"18\/12\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Historical Christmas We\u2019re just about ready to close up for the Christmas holidays and it\u2019s all we\u2019ve been able to talk about here at the library. Besides thinking about our Christmas shopping, having to meet up with the family. And getting ready for Christmas dinner. We\u2019ve also gave a bit\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "History"","block_context":{"text":"History","link":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/category\/history\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Christmas in historical Edinburgh","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2025\/12\/2414676-1-scaled.jpg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2025\/12\/2414676-1-scaled.jpg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2025\/12\/2414676-1-scaled.jpg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2025\/12\/2414676-1-scaled.jpg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3450,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/2025\/07\/31\/lughnasa-celtic-harvest-festival\/","url_meta":{"origin":4953,"position":3},"title":"Lughnasa Celtic Harvest Festival","author":"julietkinsey","date":"31\/07\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Lughnasa Celtic Harvest Festival Lughnasa is one of four traditional Celtic harvest festivals.\u00a0 It happens at the end of summer when the grains are ripening, but have not yet been harvested. Usually celebrated on the 1st of August, it marks the end of summer and the beginning of the second\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Celebration Week"","block_context":{"text":"Celebration Week","link":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/category\/celebration-week\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Image of crops for blog post Lughnasa Celtic Harvest Festival","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2023\/07\/polina-rytova-1dGMs4hhcVA-unsplash.jpg?fit=640%2C360&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2023\/07\/polina-rytova-1dGMs4hhcVA-unsplash.jpg?fit=640%2C360&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2023\/07\/polina-rytova-1dGMs4hhcVA-unsplash.jpg?fit=640%2C360&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3633,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/2025\/10\/31\/a-history-of-halloween\/","url_meta":{"origin":4953,"position":4},"title":"A History of Halloween","author":"julietkinsey","date":"31\/10\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"A History of Halloween Are you sitting comfortably? If so, let me begin with a fascinating history of Halloween. People trace the origins of Halloween back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, celebrated around 2,000 years ago. This festival marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Celebrations"","block_context":{"text":"Celebrations","link":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/category\/celebrations\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"picture of carved pumpkins for post A History of Halloween","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2023\/10\/david-menidrey-MYRG0ptGh50-unsplash.jpg?fit=640%2C427&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2023\/10\/david-menidrey-MYRG0ptGh50-unsplash.jpg?fit=640%2C427&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2023\/10\/david-menidrey-MYRG0ptGh50-unsplash.jpg?fit=640%2C427&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3500,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/2026\/04\/01\/ancient-pranks-to-modern-traditions-the-fascinating-history-of-april-fools-day\/","url_meta":{"origin":4953,"position":5},"title":"Ancient Pranks to Modern Traditions: The Fascinating History of April Fools’ Day","author":"julietkinsey","date":"01\/04\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Ancient Pranks to Modern Traditions: The Fascinating History of April Fools' Day April Fools' Day, known for its playful pranks and practical jokes, has a long and intriguing history that stretches back centuries. So let's delve into the origins of April Fools' Day, explore ancient pranks and traditions, discover how\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Celebrations"","block_context":{"text":"Celebrations","link":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/category\/celebrations\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Ancient Pranks to Modern Traditions: The Fascinating History of April Fools' Day","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2024\/04\/Untitled1.png?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2024\/04\/Untitled1.png?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2024\/04\/Untitled1.png?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2024\/04\/Untitled1.png?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2024\/04\/Untitled1.png?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pd3KWU-1hT","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4953","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/301"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4953"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4953\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4961,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4953\/revisions\/4961"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4956"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4953"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4953"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4953"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}