HarryTheSpider

In some religions/philosophies, Thanksgiving is observed on 4 July...

HarryTheSpider

... And Pranksgiving is celebrated 1 April.

joto

I will say Merry/Happy Christmas, but if someone says what religious celebration that they have, I will wish them a Happy ****. I will not say Happy Holidays, and it's tough if they get offended over it.

scrubbedexpat097

The man known as Father S. Christmas-Claus is outside my house right now on top of a Fire Truck followed by and Ambulance and a Cop car all with lights flashing and sirens blarring.


Should make it seem like Christmas except it is 6.45pm and still 72F

SultanOfSwing

Mid winter? That's stretching it a bit, since Christmas falls four days after the start of winter

kimilseung

You have been in the States far too long.

Nutek

Granted, it was a tired attempt. I'm a little worn out after policing the tea-making in the other thread.

Maybe this will make ammends...

tuxedocat

First we get a hand slap, then they can disable us from working. We are considered contractors so if we do not work we do not get paid.

HarryTheSpider

So the world of Winston Smith and the Thought Police is alive & kicking in your little patch of Eden. Delightful!!

SultanOfSwing

Astronomical winter starts on December 21st (+/- a few days); meteorological winter on December 1st.

How the 25th can be considered the middle of a three month period starting on either of those two days has no bearing on geography.

It matters not since Jeezy Chreezy was born in late March anyway.

Yorkieabroad

So a combo of both, (with a bit of corporal punishment thrown in as well). Pretty amazing, this Land of the Free...

kimilseung

Historically/Culturally the winter solstice seems to have been consistently considered mid winter, for what appears obvious reasons, particularly if seasonal lag is ignored.

Why does the astronomical community consider the shortest day to be the start of winter? I am guessing with your background you probably know.

I have been accustomed to the start of Dec being the start of winter for meteorological community (and the man in the street) and the solstice being mid-winter from pagan/new age communities, I had not come across the solstice being considered the start of winter until I came to America, but I do not know any astronomers (apart from you)

SultanOfSwing

I have always known the solstices to be the start of summer/winter and the equinoxes to be the start of spring/autumn, even outside of the astronomical community, even though meteorologically, they simplify it somewhat. For the most part it is to do with the position of the sun, it is at it's lowest point in the sky on Dec 21st.

I hate it when those new age types ruin a perfectly normal celestial event though, bunch of daft ****ers.

That being said, even if you take the meteorological date of Dec 1st, it would put mid-winter to be some time in January. Maybe they used to start winter in November, which in northern climes is decidedly less autumnal than October. Then it would make some sense.

Beaverstate

Merry Xmas anyway.

Nutek

Humbug!