The holidays are fast approaching and with them a host of celebrations worthy of recognition. From December 1st through the 31st, people all over the world will be rejoicing in the harmony and tranquility of the holiday spirit. For the people of Mexico, the traditions run deep and the celebrations are endless. From the Festival of the Virgin of Guadalupe to the eating of 12 grapes on New Year’s Eve, the month of December brings out a myriad of festivities, but none are as primordial as the Mayan celebrations of the winter solstice.
The Mayan Civilization, which once thrived throughout the lands of Mexico and Central America, honored the date of the winter solstice in December with a variety of rituals. For the ancient Maya, the winter solstice, which falls on December 21st this year, marked a time of renewal when the days would become longer and the promises of spring were on the horizon. Still to this day, Mayan priests burn incense and offer prayers in honor of the day when the sun is furthest away from the earth in the Northern Hemisphere.
According to John Major Jenkins, author the Center of Mayan Time, the winter solstice “meant more than the birth of a new solar year. It meant the beginning of a new Great Cycle of time, the resetting of the great celestial star-clock of precession and, perhaps, an unprecedented shift in the nature of human consciousness and civilization.” With such astronomical precision and enlightening ideas of the future, it is no wonder Mayan traditions still run deep in everyday Mexican life.
Hordes of people gather at Mayan archeological sites in hopes of getting a glimpse of the phenomenons that occur on days as special as this. At Chichen Itza, for example, as the sun rises it appears to roll up the edge of the El Castillo temple before taking its place in the winter sky. At one point on this day, the north and east sides of the temple will be in complete darkness, while the south and west sides are in full daylight. This occurrence, which resembles that of the solar patterns at the poles, is just one of many unique events the Mayans used to mark this important day.
For guests at Villa del Palmar Cancun, a visit to El Meco Mayan ruins, located just 5 minutes from the resort, is a convenient and fascinating way to experience how the ancient traditions of the Mayan people continue today. Singing and meditations are planned at El Meco on the day of the winter solstice and locals and tourists alike are welcome. Why not join in the winter solstice celebrations in Cancun and encounter Mexico’s most sacred legacy firsthand.
