Festival of Lights Barbie

Winter Solstice is the longest night of the year and in 2017 falls on December 21.  Winter is a very difficult time in northern climes.  It is depressingly dark, freezing cold and food can be very scarce.

While nothing we can do hastens the passage of the Earth around the sun,  people use sympathetic magic in an attempt to speed the return of long light-filled days.

Decorating our homes with sparkling lights (ostensibly to celebrate Christmas) is really a form of sympathetic magic.  We are trying in vain to lure the sun back.

The ancient tradition of burning a Yule log in the fireplace is based on the same idea.  Thinking that like engenders like, people would build a ceremonial fire in an attempt to bring back warmer weather.  Sometimes, now, we might just eat the rolled cake that represents that solstice fire.  Not everyone has a fireplace and that chocolate icing is delicious.

Barbie thought she'd hang lights on herself.  It may or may not affect how long winter will be.  It will certainly affect how great she looks.