The fall season is upon us, with all its offerings from harvest to farmers’ markets to the approaching excitement over the holiday season, with its unending array of concerts, goodies, fun events, shopping days, and bustling activity.
Bethesda is no exception, as usual, with its contribution of fun things to do in the DC/Maryland areas, a very interesting and vibrant community, with great atmosphere, good shopping, and great restaurants. This year, take a break from the hustle and bustle and engage in some of the fun activities that will make 2013 a memorable year and end of the year.
The winter solstice is on Dec. 21 and ushers in the shortest day of the entire year, with daylight at the minimum. A great way to celebrate is with the full moon hike being held in Bethesda this year on Dec. 17.
This full moon hike will be a chance to take in the full moon, noting just how close to the solstice it is occurring this year. If you are adventurous in spirit at all, it is worth coming out for and is one reason why our community is such a great place to live.
The thinking around the solstice is that the day celebrates the pagan rituals with a winter celebration and celebration of the light being historic and in place long before Christmas was even chosen as the time to celebrate the birth of Jesus, who, it is thought, may have been born in March on the 7th, at least historically.
However, the solstice is a magical time because it notes the shortening of the days, and pays homage to the light itself, almost looking forward to the return of the light itself since there is more light on Dec. 22 than on Dec. 21. In that way, marking the return of the light is a great way to anticipate Christmas and its gifts on the 25th.
The full moon event, being held right before the solstice, will celebrate then the Christmas season with a special attention to the light we all share, the light of the moon, which reflects the sun and makes our world full of magic, not only at Christmas but all year long.
Put aside your Christmas shopping and come on out for a hike that will denote the ways in which the full moon can satisfy the mystery and mystique that the season itself also shares.
Bethesda is a great place to live and work, with events like these being commonplace and offered, considerately, to improve the value and quality of life that this close-to-DC city offers. Events like this one make the Bethesda area vibrant and a community worth investing in, year-round.