Winter Solstices: US Celebrations

In the United States, there are some public celebrations of the winter solstice. These may be overtly religious, have customs that remind one of traditions associated with religious observances, or completely secular.

Here are a few examples of winter solstice celebrations you might find in the United States.

Soyal is observed by the Hopi and other indigenous peoples in the southwestern United States. Soyal is a religious observance that is not open to outsiders, but there are dances where tourists are welcomed. 

Museums and other venues may offer events for children and adults. These might include creating art, listening to music, learning how different cultures celebrate the winter solstice, or walking a labyrinth. 

Curiously, on a night determined by the movement of celestial bodies, stargazing is not a top activity. After some internet searching, I found one astronomical society that offers an event with stargazing on the winter solstice.

The winter solstice is not a particularly notable event for many in the United States. Even so, I was surprised by how few scientific events I could find. Then again, the winter solstice is only a few days before Christmas, which many people celebrate, so perhaps organizations don’t want to compete with the many Christmas events. Plus, a lot of people don’t want to go outside in the cold night.