Welcome Back, Sun!

I got to see quite a lot of sun yesterday too because it was glorious and clear all day. Forecast has it as a repeat today as well. Lovely!

I was glad it was nice (if a little frosty) since I had to walk up to the dentist for a cleaning yesterday morning. I did my Christmas shopping. Quit laughing, you lot! Yes, I broke down and bought new jammies for the Grandbeasties and their two littlest cousins. I couldn’t help myself. They were cute. And on sale. Now of course I have to wrap them. I also have to bake shortbread, make a salad and 7 greeting cards. Today. Tonight is our Winter Solstice Dinner at Milady Daughter’s.

The best part of yesterday though was the Winter Solstice Lantern Festival. This was the first time in years that we’ve been able to go. Either the weather is awful or we’re having our annual dinner on the same day as the festival. We were lucky this time. T-Man and I had a quick supper, dressed warmly and walked down to Leg-In-Boot Square on False Creek, one of a number of meeting points. From there, at 6pm or so the crowd split with some going to the new Creekside Community Centre and the rest parading to Granville Island. We decided to go in the latter direction even though it was farther away from home. Unfortunately we hadn’t built lanterns this time and our old ones were toast so we just stuck T’s bicycle lights on us, T’s on his hat and mine on my purse, and set them to blinking mode. Better than nothing! Next year we’ll probably make elaborate lanterns and it’ll rain or something.

Along with the rest of the crowd, we followed the big lanterns and drummers along the seawall. It was a slow walk – at least for us! Other groups joined in along the way and we finally ended up near Performance Works on Granville Island. Here we were entertained by the Vancouver Morris Men, the Carnival Band and the Vancouver Fire Collective. The latter did a spectacular fire dance on the hill at Ron Basford Park, complete with dancing dragon and a fiery rising sun. It was lovely! It was chilly but we kept ourselves warm with a tot of the brandy we’d wisely brought along.

Both Performance Works and the False Creek Community Centre were open with stories, songs and dances going on inside. But instead of heading indoors when the outside entertainment was done, we headed home satisfied that we’d welcomed the sun back properly. (Besides, 5:30am comes awfully early!) This is my favourite holiday event and I was really glad we could participate this year. Then it was a long dark walk home, especially for me after all the walking I’d already done, but we made it. Walking is warmer and just as quick as waiting for a bus anyhow.

Sorry I didn’t take any photos. First it was dark. Second it was crowded. And third I just wanted to enjoy and not worry about getting good shots. Use your imagination. Or better yet, have your own Winter Solstice celebrations! It really has nothing to do with faith or religion. It’s an actual scientific phenomenon.

Guess I’d better get busy on my chores. Time flies much too quickly. And I would like to get to a little sewing sometime today. But it’ll probably have to wait till tomorrow. I’m at the point where I have to put the lining in my jacket. Exciting!