Amidst all of the shopping, baking and merrymaking, the holiday season is sometimes short on opportunities to simply gather with loved ones in a spirit of reflection and appreciation. This year, take a break from the December hustle and bustle to celebrate the winter solstice. Make this day a time for your family to reflect on the year gone by and look toward the promise of brighter days ahead.

Solstice through the centuries
In the northern hemisphere, the winter solstice usually occurs on December 21 (as it will this year). The word solstice combines the Latin word sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still). The winter solstice takes place when the sun reaches its lowest point on the horizon. This day marks the official start of winter. We can look forward to longer days and shorter nights.

The winter solstice is a time of contrast, change, renewal, and hope. It is a time to honor the dark before turning our attention to the return of the light. For many, the solstice is an opportunity for introspection. We hope that the world (and ourselves) will do better in the year to come.

Different cultures have celebrated the winter solstice in many ways over the centuries. During the mid-winter Saturnelia celebration, Romans feasted and the traditional roles of master and servant were reversed. Ancient people erected New Grange in Ireland and waited each year for the winter solstice sunrise to illuminate the inner chamber of the structure and signal the rebirth of light. In the Wiccan tradition, people stay awake all night to watch the sunrise and celebrate this time of renewal and gratitude.

Although most modern American families do not celebrate the winter solstice, many symbols that we now associate with Christmas actually have their roots in pagan solstice celebrations, including Yule logs, fir trees and mistletoe.

Why celebrate the winter solstice?
A winter solstice celebration can be whatever you want it to be. Green parenting expert Manda Aufochs Gillespie says that her family celebrates the winter solstice because they are confused about how to celebrate the holidays generally. “My husband is from Jewish background. I am from a Christian background. Because of our commitment to living a green lifestyle, we don’t want to cut down a tree or buy a plastic tree. We also try to avoid the consumer aspect of this time of year. So sometimes it feels like the holidays just pass us by without any celebration at all,” says Gillespie.

This year, Gillespie and her family have decided to focus their holiday celebration around the winter solstice. “I appreciate the universality of solstice because all religious traditions incorporate the basic idea of going from the darkness into light in some way. You can build this idea into whatever religious celebration you are having or you can focus on the more secular aspects and look to nature to see what is happening,” notes Gillespie.

For Hazel Lucchesi and her family, the winter solstice is an opportunity to take inventory. “As we prepare to light our Yule log in the fireplace, we take the remains from last year’s log and use them to start our new fire. Then we sit together in the firelight and write down all of the things that we want to do better in the coming year. We save those thoughts in a box along with the remnants of this year’s log to be opened next solstice. We also write down any fears or disappointments and burn those in the fire to symbolically send these thoughts out of our lives,” says Lucchesi.

Andrea Shaffer, a teacher at the Chicago Waldorf School, stresses the value of teaching children about the meanings and traditions associated with the winter solstice. “We focus on the quality of the light at this time of year. This is a time of darkness with a small amount of light. We look at this as an outward picture of inward reflection,” says Shaffer.

Solstice celebrations are a great way to foster understanding in children. “In our polycultural society, the natural world can be a good way to learn more about other people, traditions and beliefs. This is an easy way to find commonality,” adds Shaffer.

Craft your own celebration. If you are thinking of observing the winter solstice this year, use these ideas as inspiration to create traditions and rituals that are right for your family.

Light a Yule log. Light plays an important role in any solstice celebration. Turn off the lights and burn a Yule log in the fireplace. As an alternative, gather around a “Yule candle.” Use this time to talk about the return of light and your plans for the coming year.

Solstice stockings. Gillespie plans on introducing her daughter to a new tradition this year—solstice stockings. “Borrowing from the idea of a traditional Christmas stocking, The Witch puts small presents into your stocking on the solstice. This tradition highlights the idea of a positive female power while also limiting our seasonal buying to those things that fit into a stocking,” says Gillespie.

Make a pomander. Pay homage to the power of sun and light with this simple seasonal craft based around a fragrant citrus fruit. Gather together an orange and a bowl of cloves. Push the stem of the cloves into the skin of the fruit. Experiment with spirals, stripes, or any kind of patterns you like. Hang your pomander from a ribbon and enjoy the natural seasonal scent.

Celebrate outdoors. Although we often associate the winter solstice with cozy fireside celebrations, be sure to take a moment to actually observe the changes taking place in nature. Plan an outdoor family outing like ice skating. Or head out to the yard to trim a tree with natural items like nuts, berries or apples that the birds and animals can enjoy.

The science of the solstice. If the sun is shining on December 21, conduct an informal science experiment. Around noon, stand in a sunny spot and measure your shadow. Record this information and repeat the measurement in the same spot around March 21, June 21, and September 21 and note the differences. With a little advanced planning, kids could also chart the time of sunrises and sunsets for the month leading up to the winter solstice to observe the changes over time.

For more ideas on how to celebrate the winter solstice, visit candlegrove.com/ideas.html or schooloftheseasons.com/celsolstice.html.