In the middle of winter, in the darkest days of the year,
people have always celebrated the light. This Friday is the winter solstice:
the day the sun stands still. Celebrating the solstice is not just for Druids
and Wiccans. Many people mark the return of the light in their own way.
We’ll learn about the plants of the winter solstice
from Leonard Perry, horticulturalist at the University
of Vermont. We’ll also learn about the history of Christmas in early America
from Stephen Nissenbaum, author of the Battle
for Christmas.
We’ll also hear from people across Vermont who are celebrating the solstice in their own way, including Abigail Nessen Bengson from the theater production Night Fires, David Brynn of the Watershed Center, and David Brizendine of the Burlington Earth Clock. And we’ll hear from
you. How do you celebrate this time of year?
Post your stories or comments about the winter solstice or
email them to vermontedition@vpr.net.
Also,
back in 2005, the Burlington indie, art rock band Swale started work on a
full-length CD. The finished piece, "a small arrival," was finally
released this fall. Swale drops by the VPR Performance Studio to play a
few tracks from the new CD.