Winter Solstice is coming up, the longest night of the year. Simply put, it is an astronomical occurrence.  The Romans  celebrated Saturnalia at this time, which involved parades, masquerades and much drunken revelry.  The Druids
observed the “death of the sun” by casting away symbols of the things that had been holding them back through the year, then lighting a torch to signify the birth of a new sun.  Many other cultures observe or celebrate this time of the year, in various manners.

Instead of a mad party, we’d like a quieter gathering of people interested in staying up all night to observe the return of the sun.  Usually we try to do this just the 2 of us, which ends in us falling asleep long long before we’ve made it through the night.

Date/Time:  Saturday 22 Dec, 16:28pm until Sunday 23 Dec, 08:48am. (yes, it IS the 22nd this year)
Place:  Matt and Sharon’s houseboat.  Email us if you want to come.  🙂
Friends: Bring a friend or two if  this is something they’d enjoy. 
Staying Awake: We think that games and movies will be involved, and coffee and alchohol and good conversation.  We have lots of games and quite a few movies.  If you’d like to bring more of any, please do.  Then we will have more to choose from.
Nota bene:  we’re NOT having a sleepover. Do not expect to sleep! 🙂 Catnappers will be tolerated but humiliated. Drop-outs will be forgiven, but don’t crash here! We’ll be staying awake from dusk until dawn. In the morning, you can go home to your OWN beds to recover.

Drinks: we will have coffee drinks and mulled wine going on all night.  If you like beer or anything else, please bring your own.  We like BYOB parties; they make it easier on everyone.

Food: sunset is at 4:28pm on Saturday afternoon.  That makes dinner an issue.  For this reason, we’d like you to RSVP and also give your vote:  Potluck or Delivery?  For snacking during the night, we’d like everyone to bring something.  You can make it or buy it, but please, let’s avoid a bunch of bags of chips and borrelnootjes.  Thanks.  Also, since sunrise is not until 8:48am on Sunday morning, we will provide a delicious American breakfast, of pancakes, bacon, hashbrowns, etc.

Atmosphere: Feel free to bring your old stumps of candles to help us keep the light alive all night, and maybe some thing or symbol of the old year to cast off into the river Ij.

Since we have shoes-off policy, bring slippers or warm socks. Hope that’s enough info for you!
Matt and Sharon
062-783-6090

p.s. Maastrichtenaars, you can take the train home in the morning!