The Winter Solstice occurred early this morning, bringing with it the ancient desire of all peoples to rekindle and celebrate the light of the sun — and light the candle of hope and forgiveness. Like our weblogging friend George M. Wallace, the f/k/a Gang always marks the day with a little philosophy and a little poetry. While some choose to celebrate this Season of Light in ways that are exclusive, we prefer an inclusiveness, in the spirit of these words from Universe Today:
The season we call “winter” begins on the Winter Solstice. The word Solstice means “sun still”. Because ancient peoples knew nothing of the earth’s tilt, the southward march of the sun was a troubling time. There was fear that one day the sun might continue moving south until it was lost entirely. Many cultures conducted rituals to encourage the sun to move north again and when it did there were great celebrations. These celebrations, regardless of culture, all had a common theme that of rekindled light. Not surprising then that many of the traditions and customs of ancient Solstice celebrations have survived to the present day. Although we know that the sun will begin moving north without any encouragement from humans, we still use this time of cold and darkness to celebrate the theme of rekindled light. From the Hanukah Menorah, to the Scandinavian Yule log, to the lights of the Christmas tree, during this season we seek to push back the darkness with light. Although the forms have evolved over the centuries, we can still see the spirit of many of the old ways in our present day Solstice celebrations.
[photo Daily Gazette, by Ana Zangroniz, “Winter arrives today, veiled in darkness” (Dec. 22, 2007)]
Here are a few poems for the season by our haijin family: 
winter solstice
a flock of starlings
takes a new shape
shortest day –
all of the yellow
beaten out of eggs
before solstice
a darkness in the frost
that’s blackbird-shaped
……………… by Matt Morden
“winter solstice” – The Heron’s Nest III:3; echoes 1
“shortest day” – The Heron’s Nest V:3
“before solstice” – Morden Haiku (Dec. 17, 2007)
winter solstice
our son reads a fairy tale
to his unborn son
snow swirls
in the pitcher’s paperweight . . .
the longest night
……………………… by Peggy Lyles from To Hear the Rain
shortest day
the highrise disappears
into indigo
winter solstice 
I unravel my knitting
and begin again
……………………… by Pamela Miller Ness
“shortest day” – from the haiku sequence “Can Collector’s Red Socks” (2003)
“winter solstice” – The Hands of Women (2007)
a candle
in every window —
strangers light our path
winter solstice
adolescent wiccans
flunk a spelling test
……………………………….. by dagosan
winter sun
lifting his round face
to catch it…………………. by w.f. owen – Manichi Daily News (No. 669)
For more holiday spirit, don’t forget the f/k/a Christmas Season Haiku page, as well as our Holiday Haiku from Schenectady. . . click to print the free 24-poem brochure of poems by Schenectady’s Yu Chang, Hilary Tann and myself.
three generations
peering down a gopher hole
winter solstice………………………………. by yu chang
And share the spirit throughout the New Year by printing out one of our 12-month 2008 calendars. Each calendar page has a “haiga” – a combination of an image with a subtly-linked haiku or senryu. The f/k/a Haiga Memories Calendar 2008 has b&w photos taken around 1950 by Mama Giacalone of her three darling children.
The Giacalone Haiga Calendar 2008 combines photos by my brother Arthur Giacalone with my poems. Most have been published or are pending at online journals. You may print out any page or all of them. Here are thumbnails of each month’s image:
snowmelt
sunset
comes too soon…… Simply Haiku (Spring 2007)
round and round with you
dancing
on thin ice…………….. magnapoets jf (Dec. 14, 2007)