the Reason for the Season—tonight!

This doesn't happen often, it's been five hundred years since the last time, but if you go out at 2:00 a.m. you'll get to watch a total eclipse of the moon, on the night of Winter Solstice.

From now on the nights will be shorter, the days longer, and that's something to celebrate. Always has been, ever since

Oog: Sun not die. Come back now.
Boog: How know?
Loog: Oog always know. Him wise. Talk to sun.
Boog: Oooohhh. Awe.
Loog: Is right. Must kiss Oog ass. 

TAH DAH! RELIGION IS BORN!

way before that new-fangled cult came along to declare war on the holiday, rename it and try to pretend it was some guy's birthday. “Reason for the season”, my arse.

Go out in the yard at 2 a.m. tonight and you'll see the real reason at work. Not only that, but with the eclipse making it so dark you might be able to see the Ursid Meteor shower, which usually is drowned out by moonlight.

So go out there and let yourself feel transported by an inexpressible joy which goes beyond the everyday, when the sense of self seems to dissolve in an ecstasy of awe. Or pray even, whatever.

Info ...  more, from NASA