'Tis the Season
DuPont Planetarium 471 University Parkway, Aiken, South Carolina 29801
'Tis the Season is a spectacular show about the season that holds some of the warmest and brightest celebrations of the year. It is also the coldest and darkest of seasons. Tracing the development of many of the world's endearing holiday customs, and how they light up the winter season, we portray everything from the burning Yule log and sparkling Christmas tree lights to the lighting of the Menorah and luminaries. 'Tis the Season also recounts the historical religious and cultural customs practiced during the time of winter solstice, including Christian, Jewish, Celtic, Nordic, Roman, Egyptian and Hopi. We explore the possible astronomical explanations for a "Star over Bethlehem" including comets, meteors, novae, supernovae, and planetary conjunctions. The show also takes a look at some of our more light-hearted seasonal traditions: gift-giving, kissing under the mistletoe, songs about lords a-leaping and ladies dancing, the custom of decking the halls with greenery and candles, and Santa Claus. We also catch a few Northern winter constellations, and illustrate how the seasons are caused by the Earth's tilt and orbit around the Sun. This show, produced by Lochness Productions, is narrated by Noah Adams, host of National Public Radio's "All Things Considered".
Appropriate for all ages