It isn't the first thing that comes to mind on a cloudy cold cookie-baking kind of December day, but the Sun has every association with the winter solstice. SOLstice. Without the sun, there wouldn't be one.
Solstice, technically, is when the sun stops or holds still....that what solstice is. Because of the tilt of the Earth as it goes around the sun, sunrise and sunset seem to drift north and south on the horizon. At the beginning of Summer and Winter, this 'drift' pauses ... is at solstice...before starting to go the other way. We are taking a pause before the sun comes north again. From here to June, the days get longer again...the sun grows.
Pagan Yule celebrates the birth of the Sun-god at the solstice. I've seen pictures of lebkuchen (spice cookie, "life cookie") molds with sun motifs. More sun for today.
One legend is that the Christ legend was assigned to this time of year as a way to c0-op the pagan traditions and make conversions. I don't know enough about comparative religion and anthropology to go there, but no matter what middle-eastern town they appear over, stars are suns, the sun is a star....so we're all one big happy galaxy,yes? But that still gives a sun-association to the holiday season.
The Sun is a great card for today. It is about hope and positivity and light and security and all the things we associate with this time of year.
May the sun warm your Solstice day, no matter what your weather may be.
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