The middle of winter is when the day is the shortest and the night is the longest. The winter solstice can be celebrated in different ways. This astronomical event is an important weather event that marks the start of the coldest part of winter. When the solstice day is over, many cultures celebrate how the days are getting longer and the nights are getting shorter. Many people in the UK see the winter solstice as the traditional start of winter. Since the Bronze Age, people have been getting together to celebrate this. Our pagan Scandinavian and Germanic ancestors came up with celebrating the winter solstice. Who saw the winter solstice as the beginning of the twelve-day “yule” festival.
Many Christmas traditions, like Christmas trees, wreaths, and yule logs, are thought to have come from these old Yule celebrations. The winter solstice marks the start of 12 days of Christmas celebrations.
People still get together to celebrate the winter solstice, especially at Stonehenge, whose stones are lined up so they can see the sunrise on the day of the solstice. The traditional way to celebrate the winter solstice is to go to a special event at Stonehenge. However, few people want to stand on the cold Salisbury Plain and wait for the sun to rise. There are, however, much cozier ways to celebrate the winter and the start of the traditional holiday season. Here are eight ways to enjoy the winter solstice with your family, friends, and loved ones.
Make A Solstice Lantern
People used to worry that because the days were getting shorter, the sun would eventually run out and never come back. The tradition of making lanterns on the winter solstice came from this myth. The idea was that if the sun never came back, the lanterns would bring light into the darkness. Making a lantern for the solstice is a great way to mark the event, even more so if you spend the day with young kids.
Set Up A Christmas Tree
Even though most families who celebrate Christmas will have their trees up long before the winter solstice, in the past, they would have been put up on the night of the winter solstice. This custom comes from the Celts, who thought evergreen trees were sacred because they held the spirit of the gods. If you already have a Christmas tree, choose one from your garden to be the yule tree. Decorate it with berries, nuts, and acorns to attract birds that will eat from the tree during the cold winter.
Make A Smelly Orange Podder For Your Home
Due to their shape and color, oranges represent the sun’s return after the winter solstice. In the past, oranges were spread around the house the night before the winter solstice. Making an orange pomander is a great way to celebrate the solstice and give your home a fresh, spicy scent right before Christmas. You’ll need a big orange, some cloves, and a ribbon to make an orange clove pomander. Tie the ribbon around the orange to make a hanger, and stick the cloves into the peel.
Fix Your Own Christmas Tree With Sun Decor
Spend the winter solstice making small decorations in the shape of the sun to hang on the Christmas tree with the kids. As we said before, the sun has always been a sign of solstice. It is said that putting symbols on the Christmas tree will bring good luck in the New Year.
Take Part In A Candlelit Solstice Feast
In the past, the winter solstice was the last day that animals could graze on the land before they were killed for food. So they wouldn’t starve to death in the harsh winter because they didn’t have enough food. In pagan cultures, the solstice was celebrated with a feast where families ate what was often the last meat dish of the winter. Why not have a cozy solstice feast with your friends and family to honor this holiday?
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Split The Night With Loved Ones Nearby
We wouldn’t suggest doing this if you must go to school or work the next day. One easy way to celebrate the solstice is to stay up all night with friends and family, drink, eat, and have a good time. In the past, people would stay up late and share poetry and songs with their families while they waited for the sun to rise again. They were having fun with the leftovers from the winter solstice party.
Fire Up A Yule Log And Enjoy It
Even though most of us don’t need a reason to eat a yule log, the night of the winter solstice almost forces us to. Who are we to say otherwise? Yule logs come from Scandinavia, where they are still a popular way to start the twelve-day Christmas celebrations. If you want to try making your own before the winter holidays, you can. Here’s how to make a tasty chocolate version.
Burn Candles With Smells
Before there was electricity, candles were burned all night long on the night of the solstice to light and warm the parties and feasts. On December 21, put candles all over your house and try not to use any electric lights. For the coziest winter solstice ever. To make things even more holiday-like, burn candles with holiday scents to fill your home with a holiday scent. Especially ones with orange, clove, nutmeg, and spice extracts from nature.