There’s always so much to do at Christmas, isn’t there? All the presents and bustle, the lists and planning.
New Moon Morris dance at the top of Pitstone Hill on the 21st December in the midst of all this organisation to celebrate the start of the longer days returning. Getting up before the sun in the middle of the Winter really didn’t, on the face of it, seem a good idea.
This particular year I was incredibly busy. I had a full shift as an elf on that day followed by the Christmas party after work. However the call of the Solstice spoke to me as it appeared to speak to many others. When I arrived at 7.10am there were already members of the public waiting in the car park for our 7.30am start.
I was actually thrilled when I left that morning to hear the first birdsong I’d heard in ages; it was almost like the birds knew what we were planning!
It was a foggy morning that lent an atmospheric calm as we all began our ascent.
As I glanced over the landscape at the top I could make out small white shapes that looked like tufts of white clouds. The sheep grazing were our first witnesses but soon many more would arrive.
We had a full programme of events. Our squire Kelly greeted us all as we gathered. Our first piece was a song with audience participation of ‘Solstice Night’ led by Helen (different words to the tune of Silent Night) Myself and Steve read 2 poems, we had 2 dances (Red Moon and Lunar) and a further reading with Cath and Martin.
Mulled drinks, mince pies and nibbles were shared out amongst the onlookers and ourselves and it felt like a glorious pause within the business of the season.
The highlight though, for me, was our final dance where everybody spiralled in a circle with each other to the tune of ‘Théme Vannitaise’ There was laughter and celebration but also a feeling of strong unity. We were meant to spiral back out again but we ended up in the centre, clapping and stamping, tightly knit like penguins in a colony that felt magical.
It seems every year that we attract more people. This is just wonderful as when we started we had a mere handful of onlookers. The theme of rebirth and renewal after a long winter obviously resonates as much today as it did with our ancestors long ago despite current day pressures competing with these past ideals.
Will you join us next year?
Gemma Horn
Such a wonderful start to the day – it felt so good to celebrate the beginning of longer days in the company of New Moon Morris and friends…! I can imagine how our ancestors must have felt about this important turning point (literally) in the year.
Agreed, it was a cold and foggy day. As I was dressing in the dark I was very much in two minds about the event, but once I was there it felt so right to be marking the turn of the year, and so good to see so many people there to celebrate with us.