December Solstice in Guatemala ― Date, History, and Details

December Solstice in Guatemala

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History of December Solstice in Guatemala and How to Celebrate/ Observe It

The December solstice is the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere and the summer solstice in the Southern Hemisphere. It occurs when the sun is at its farthest south point from the equator, at the Tropic of Capricorn. In Guatemala, this is the time of year when the sun is directly overhead at noon at the Maya site of Chichicastenango. The sun appears to stand still for a few days before and after the solstice, giving rise to the name “stopping of the sun.” For the Maya, this was an important time to make offerings to the sun god, to ensure that the sun would continue to move and bring life-giving warmth and light to the earth.