This year, in 2017, the Winter Solstice will happen December 21st, a Thursday, at 8:28 am in the Northern Hemisphere.
The Solstice has always been a comfort to me, even as a child. I was raised in a cult, and we were forbidden from celebrating Christmas, so as a child, without knowing what the Solstice was, I gravitated to it. No one took that from me. Sometimes it even snowed, making it so much more special.
The days return to getting longer, and suddenly all I can think about is planning for the next year. It’s grounded me to our homesteading, it forces you to pay attention to the Earth, even when lights provide warmth that is artificial. When you consider it, most of us don’t notice the changes on a daily basis. Especially if you get up in the dark and travel to work before the sun rises, and come home in the dark. It begs one to go outside during the day, even for a few minutes, if one can. Over the past few weeks I have tried to mindful, watching as the days shorten.
There is so much to celebrate:
- The longest night of the year
- The sun coming back
- A feast to be had before the cold winter sets in
- To be with loved ones
- A fire to keep the long night away
- Curled up in warmth of light, reading, talking, eating
- Dreaming of the coming seasons, planning gardens
Unlike the commercialism of Christmas, when we recognize the Solstice, gifts of light are the choice for presents. Light your path for the coming year. Most years I make fancy candles to give out, but this year I picked up a winter theme beeswax candle kit for the boys to play with. It wasn’t Prime, but Hearthsong promptly shipped it out.
I had forgotten how fun it is to roll up the candles. It’s simple, and even little hands can join in.
And Thursday the boys will get to light them while we have a roaring fire!
Update:
And oh did we love them!
The boys decorated a table with bricks –
They burn so pretty, and light the day.
