Welcome to the sun!!!

Roll on a bit more warmth with the longer days.....

Longer days each day now, we're heading for Spring ??

Yes its the start of the pagan festival which is what Christmas really is about.

Rinouchka "21st December''has less hours of daylight

I hate winter with its seemingly never ending dark mornings
Then I think of countries, not good at geography,where it never gets light for several months.I don't think I could cope with that.

About 51 days ago the clocks went back an hour. So where's the logic in waiting until the end of March (!!!) which is three months and ten days before we're permitted to have lighter evenings? Logic would allow us to put the clocks forward an hour in about 51 days or so, i.e. mid February. It shouldn't have any worse effect whether you live in Scotland or Kent. Rant over and roll on spring!

Lovely sunny, clear weather today, and bulbs peeping above the soil. Let's hope Storm Barbara will be a storm in a teacup.

A beautiful blue sky and lovely sun today. I picked a rose this morning.

Yes, hooray! The days are now lengthening. Today it's by three seconds! Don't blink or you'll miss it ? but don't get me wrong. I look forward to the shortest day every winter. We've turned the corner ???

joannapiano I married my 2ndH 31 years ago, sadly didn't last but it was also FiL's Birthday, & day my DF died. However I'm in a positive mood today, nearly Christmas & it's allday

Today we have wall to wall sunshine, and what a difference it makes. The daylight hours seem to be much longer this year, and December has really been an odd month, I think. I am hoping the other half who is not at all well this morning will brighten up this afternoon as I have to go to collect my order from Marks & Spencer - the sunny day does not seem to be having any affect on him at the moment, he is gently dozing - very good at that. Be lovely if the weather is like this for Christmas day.

In fact, they have already had sunset, as they are two hours ahead.

Nothing but blue sky and sunshine at the moment.
My son and his family are in Lapland, with only an hour and a half of daylight, so I am grateful for this shortest day!

Merry Yule folks! 21st December or around then depending on the year, is when our ancestors celebrated the return of the sun to the cold dark north. I often wish we could bring back some of the old customs and traditions. www.noelnoelnoel.com/trad/yulelog.html

Talking of sunshine. As my bedroom faces North I now take all my meds and get dressed in the south facing SUNNY BATHROOM. I'm sitting on the loo seat with sun on my back writing this. IT'S GREAT.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS to Everyone on Gransnet and HAPPY SPRING NOW THAT IT'S OFFICICIALLY COMING. [

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOOPY LOO.
MAKE IT YOUR LAST DECEMBER BIRTHDAY AND BE LIKE LIZ AND HAVE
ANOTHER ONE IN THE SUMMER...SAY IN YOUR FAVOURITE MONTH ???

Don't rub it in....it's my birthday and I get diddled when it comes to hours of daylight!
I had years of 'joint birthday and Christmas presents ' as did my sisters who were born on the 23rd......
No wonder I hate winter ?

This is what these winter celebrations are all about though, welcoming the return of the sun. From now on the days get longer.

Shortest Day today ( there seems to be confusion)

Yes, shortest day! Planning to enjoy longest night as well!

I saw some bulbs poking through the earth yesterday - this means that Spring is not too far away - well about 3 months away!

Shortest day not longest of course.... I say roll on Spring.

Strangely it seemed lighter today than other days, didn't get dark till 4.30 ( Midlands)
I too am happy that the days start getting longer!

I don't want Spring to roll over too quickly because that means I will be another year older!
Let's enjoy and savour this longest day and each individual day to follow......and not wish away time. Each season has its worth, and who knows how many more we will experience.... Carpe diem!

For those of us who hate winter, or the darkness anyway, today is a wonderous day. OK, it is the first day of winter, but from here on in it is downhill to spring with lighter and longer evenings. There is something to look forward to at last. Roll on spring!