January 9, 2023

Norup Students Celebrate Winter Solstice

Norup Students Celebrate Winter Solstice

Students in Dr. Megan Throm’s 8th grade class at Norup International School spent time learning about the winter solstice on December 22, 2022. Dr. Throm shared that the winter solstice is the official beginning of astronomical winter and when the Earth is tilted as far away from the Sun as possible. 

Students also learned about how the winter solstice is celebrated all over the world. One example is the ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia. This festival happens around the time of the winter solstice and celebrates the end of the planting season. Another celebration is Dong Zhi, the “arrival of winter,” an important festival in China. Students spent the rest of the class coloring a variety of winter solstice patterns, crafting paper suns and enjoying some flavors of summer including lemon drop cookies and clementines.