Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Countdown to Christmas - Day 21 (Winter Solstice)


Spanish Meal
Originally uploaded by Pictures by Ann
Today marks the Winter Solstice - the day of the year with the shortest amount of sunlight. One of ways we celebrated the Winter Solstice today was to have a "Gifts of Darkness Night" where we enjoyed dinner by candlelight.

There are now four candles lit on the Advent Star that sits in the middle of the girls' table. The star is surrounded by pieces from the Christmas tree.

Nestled in the wreath are gems and rocks (that were added during the first week), a figurine with stars on it (to represent light - in the past we also added plant elements like pinecones and acorns during the second week), and tiny ceramic and wooden animals (added during the third week). We haven't yet added figures for the fourth week (to represent people/human life).

Tonight's meal includes Pollo a la Miel (Lemon Chicken with Honey) and Huevos Rellenos de Atun (Tuna-Stuffed Eggs).

The recipes are from a Spanish coookbook that I chose so the girls could get a taste of Spain. As part of homeschooling, I'm doing an "Around the World" geography unit study. Going in alphabetical order, the girls are now on Spain (they have learned about a country for each of the letters from A to R so far).

The Winter Solstice is celebrated many different ways around the world. For more information about how different countries and cultures celebrate the Winter Solstice, click HERE.

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