Winter solstice is the shortest day and longest night of the year with the least amount of natural sunlight. After this day, daylight begins to stretch out more and more until it reaches its peak on the summer solstice.
The winter solstice occurs on or around December 21st every year for those who live in the northern hemisphere and around June 21st for those who live in the southern hemisphere. The winter solstice might seem a little depressing but we need the dark just as much as the light. Life is all about balance and the winter solstice is the perfect time for rest and reflection.
Although our capitalistic society has normalized the need for constant action and “doing,” humans need periods to slow down and think before springing into action. Just as bears hibernate in the winter, humans should too.
The seasons have a way of showing us this harmonious balance. Use the ideas below to construct your own personalized winter solstice ritual. Feel free to add or omit anything that doesn’t feel good to you. This list is in no particular order.
1. Decorate-
Make the first official day of winter feel at home by decorating accordingly. If you haven’t already decorated for the holiday season the day after Halloween, then this is a great day to do it. Put up a holiday tree, decorate wreaths from foraged materials, and put up fairy lights.
Don’t feel strange if you aren’t religious and don’t want to decorate in traditional Christmas fashion. Winter decor is for everyone. Incorporate elements of pine, pinecones, lights, candles, cranberries, and the colours white, silver, and gold.
2. Get Outside-
Make the most of this first winter day by getting outside and enjoying it. Celebrate by going skating, going for a walk, cross-country skiing, having a snowball fight, or whatever your preferred winter activity is.
Getting outside is great for your mental and physical health all year round. Even though it might be cold in certain parts of the world get out when you have the opportunity. Being cooped up inside is nice to an extent but make sure you don’t give yourself cabin fever.
3. Meditate-
Meditate today to calm and quiet your mind. Follow along to a winter solstice guided meditation, listen to frequency music, or meditate in complete silence. Since today is a day for rest and reflection, meditating can help clear the clutter in your mind and make for a more relaxing and intentional winter solstice.
Since winter is typically spent mainly inside (depending on where you live) and we’re often less social during the colder months, meditating is a great way to connect with your mind, body, and spirit. Incorporating meditation this winter can help connect you to your brain and body in a new way.
Use today to plan a course of action for how you can incorporate meditation into your daily wellness practice if you haven’t already.
4. Hygge-
If you don’t yet have your copy, pick up ‘’The Little Book of Hygge– The Danish Way to Live Well by Meik Wiking. The word Hygge (pronounced hoo-gah) isn’t easily translated into English as it’s a feeling more than a specific thing. ”Cozy” would be the closest word. Being in warm comfortable pj’s while your cake is baking in the oven, while watching a Christmas movie by the fireplace sipping hot chocolate, now that’s the definition of cozy.
Denmark is constantly rated as one of the happiest places in the world to live. The Danish truly live their best lives sun or snow. The Little Book of Hygge teaches you how. Creating a cozy environment in winter can help you to enjoy it as opposed to dreading it. Lots of candles, blankets, and warm baked goods are easy ways to implement hygge into your life.
5. Write-
Write out things you wish to release from your life this winter solstice. Life is not always about calling in and manifesting. It’s just as much about releasing, surrendering, and letting go.
Writing things down can lessen their power over you. Write out your fears, doubts, anxieties, and things you no longer wish to carry around with you, and then burn them in your fireplace or a bonfire. Be careful when doing this.
6. Rest & Reflect-
Seriously… chill out. Watch a movie, read a book, wear a face mask, and hang out with loved ones. Just rest and relax. This day doesn’t have minimal sunlight so we can be busybodies and get things done. Even though you might be busy holiday prepping or attending holiday events if you can find some time, carve out some space for rest and reflection.
Don’t feel guilty about taking some time for yourself. Especially with this day being smack dab in the middle of the holiday season, you may very well feel burnt out, stressed, tired, and socially drained. Do what you need to do to charge your battery.
Take some time to look back on the season behind you and what you’ve accomplished, what you’re proud of, and where you still have room to grow. We shouldn’t move ahead if we don’t take some time to appreciate ourselves and how far we’ve come.
7. Let There Be Light-
The winter solstice brings the return of light, as every day after this will have slightly more sunlight, celebrate by using mainly candles as your light source. Do this only if it’s safe to do and you can keep a close watch. Warning, this may not be kid and pet-friendly. (Get some cheap tea lights if you don’t have many candles and don’t feel like spending a ton of money.)
If you don’t have candles, keep your space dimly lit for a similar effect. Having a fire is a great way to celebrate the light as we welcome it back to the earth. Host a bonfire in your backyard, light your fireplace, or if either isn’t possible for you, turn on the fire log channel, sit back, and enjoy.
8. Tarot-
If you’re into tarot and have the cards, set up a winter solstice spread and see what you need to be intentional about going forward. Meditate and smudge before doing this if possible.
Use the questions below to pull cards to answer these questions or find a winter solstice spread online. You can also make your own set of questions that you would like answers to. Below are some examples of things you can ask.
1. What do I need to let go of?
2. Where has my energy been going?
3. What should I focus on this winter?
4. How can I better incorporate rest into my life?
5. What do I need to heal within myself so I can move forward?
9. Eat Accordingly-
Spend the day preparing a winter-style meal. Think warm, hearty meals like soups, stews, pot pies, and baked goods.
10. Smudge-
Clear out the energy of the past season and make space for what’s to come. Since this day is perfect for releasing, doing an energy cleanse does just that. Read this post to learn how to smudge your space respectfully.
Use winter herbs like cinnamon, rosemary, juniper, or cedar in place of sage. Sage is a sacred herb used by Indigenous peoples. If you are not Indigenous then attempt to steer clear of sage as there are tons of alternatives for cleansing and protection.
11. Scents-
If you have a diffuser or candles use scents like peppermint, eucalyptus, cinnamon, clove, ginger, or orange. If you don’t have a diffuser try making a stovetop potpourri with the same ingredients.
12. Vitamin D-
If you suffer from SAD (Seasonal depressive disorder) then this time of year might be tough. A decrease in daylight can wreak havoc on your mental and emotional well-being if you’re prone to it. Stock up on vitamin D vitamins, and try to spend some time outside when it is daylight.
There are specialized lights and lamps that you can add to your space that mimic the positive effects of the sun. If this time of year is harder on you, try to take extra good care and be gentle with yourself. If you think you need professional help around this time of year don’t hesitate to reach out.
Conclusion
Hopefully, you’ll use this year’s winter solstice as a day to take time for yourself by resting and reflecting on the year behind you. Celebrate the start of the light coming back to the earth by lighting candles, lighting a fire, or watching Netflix’s Fireplace for Your Home.
Cleanse the energy of your space and yourself by doing a smudging ceremony to leave the energy of the past season behind and to start the new winter season fresh.
Make your home a winter wonderland by incorporating hygge into your home and your life. This list is not a one-size-fits-all and should be tailored to what feels authentically right for you. Pick and choose what calls to you on this day so that you create your very own winter solstice ritual that you come back to every year.
