The solstice should be a national holiday. It should be the official New Year. So what if wobbles a bit, falls on the 21st one year and the 22nd another, it's quite literally the start of a new annual cycle. Days get longer. Nights get shorter. Winter reruns kick in.

Tonight at 10:08 here on the west coast - the moment of the solstice. That makes tomorrow the first day of winter, the first solstice sunrise. If the pear martinis we're serving at our solstice soiree aren't too lethal, I'll try for a photo or two. Tomorrow, a holiday gift for everyone - a few extra minutes of daylight.