Category: Yule/Winter Solstice
13 Fascinating Winter Solstice Traditions Around the World
Winter solstice traditions from around the globe
Just when you think December has enough to celebrate between Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and the impending New Year, there’s yet another reason to gather with your loved ones and celebrate: the winter solstice. You might be more familiar with the winter solstice as the day with the shortest amount of sunlight. But around the world, many cultures still celebrate the longest night of the year with unique winter solstice traditions. Read on to find out what they are. Then learn when the winter solstice is this year and what the 2021 winter solstice means for your zodiac.
Winter solstice traditions: Saint Lucia Day, Scandinavia
As with many modern celebrations, ancient festivals observing the winter solstice merged with newer traditions to create the holiday season as we know it today. In Scandinavia…
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Some of the Witchcraft/Magickal Correspondence and a Spell for the Yule/Winter Solstice – Printable
Winter Solstice Rituals for Witches: Honor the Darkness and Embrace the Light – Article by Guest Author – Patti Negri, the “Good Witch”
As the frost settles and the days grow shorter, the veil between worlds starts to thin, inviting witches to honor the celestial dance of the Winter Solstice. This sacred juncture marks the longest night, inviting us to embrace the darkness and await the return of the sun’s warmth.
In witchcraft, the Winter Solstice holds profound significance. It’s a time of reflection, transformation and potent magic. During this period, rituals and traditions intertwine with the rhythms of nature, guiding practitioners to create sacred spaces adorned with symbols that resonate with the season’s energy.
Witches may also use candle magic to illuminate the shadows, offering a beacon of hope in the night. Additionally, they may use herbal enchantments to weave their potent spells with seasonal botanicals.
In this article, we’ll explore the depths of Winter Solstice practices. From crafting altars imbued with ancient symbolism to embracing the transition from darkness to light through intention-setting rituals, we’ll delve into the timeless traditions that honor the solstice, bridging the realms of the mystical and the mundane.
The Significance of the Winter Solstice in Witchcraft
The Winter Solstice holds pivotal significance in witchcraft, marking the year’s longest night and the rebirth of the sun. It symbolizes the eternal dance between light and darkness, mirroring life’s cyclical nature.
If you’re a practicing crystal witch, this celestial event is a time of introspection, honoring the unseen and embracing the shadows within. It’s a moment to honor your ancestors, reflect on the past year’s lessons, and set intentions for the coming cycle.
By aligning with nature’s rhythms, you can harness this potent energy, weaving spells that invite transformation and renewal. The solstice embodies the essence of transition, and it can guide you toward cosmic alignment and personal growth.
Creating a Sacred Space
Crafting a sacred space for the Winter Solstice means arranging altars adorned with potent symbols resonant with the season’s essence. You can use elements like evergreens to signify resilience, and crystals like quartz and obsidian to channel transformative energies.
Candles can help evoke warmth amid darkness, representing the returning sun’s light. Seasonal items like pinecones, mistletoe or holly can also infuse rituals with nature’s vitality. This is where placement and arrangement are important; you have to align the elements with cardinal directions or personal intention.
These altars will become portals where you commune with cosmic energies, facilitating connection and manifestation. Each symbol chosen has a deeper meaning, creating a sanctuary where your intentions will converge with elemental forces during this sacred celestial juncture.
Candle Magic for Illumination
Candle magic during the Winter Solstice serves as a beacon, illuminating the darkness of the longest night. Lit candles symbolize hope, inviting the returning sun’s warmth and guiding lost spirits towards renewal.
Moreover, colors like gold and silver embody the sun’s vitality, while blues and purples evoke tranquility and introspection. As flames flicker, you can infuse your intentions into the wax, manifesting your desires and dispelling negativity.
This ritual involves consecration, visualization and focused intent, harnessing the elemental power of fire. Through this ancient practice, you’ll embrace the transformative potential within the solstice’s shadows, kindling your inner light.
Herbal Enchantments
As a witch, the Winter Solstice is the ideal time to harness the enchanting power of seasonal botanicals in spellwork and rituals. For instance, sacred herbs like cinnamon, juniper and mistletoe infuse ceremonies with their potent energies, invoking protection, renewal and abundance.
By crafting herbal sachets, teas or incense blends, you can honor nature’s dormant yet vibrant essence, inviting its transformative forces. Each botanical holds unique properties—pine for purification, chamomile for inner peace—aligning intentions with nature’s wisdom.
Through these herbal enchantments, you can embrace the solstice’s essence. This will help you commune with the earth’s dormant energies to facilitate personal and cosmic metamorphosis.
Reflection and Intention
During the Winter Solstice, reflection and intention is a sacred ritual that facilitates the transition from darkness to light. As a practitioner, you can engage in introspective ceremonies, honoring lessons learned amid the year’s shadows.
Through meditation and journaling, you can reflect on personal growth and release that which no longer serves you. You can meticulously craft intentions, infusing them with newfound wisdom and aspirations for the returning light.
These rituals may involve symbolic actions like burning written reflections or lighting candles to signify newfound clarity. This marks a pivotal moment, guiding you from the depths of introspection into the dawning promise of renewal and illumination as the sun’s rebirth draws near.
To Wrap Up
By engaging in these profound rituals during the mystical Winter Solstice, you can honor the dance between darkness and light. This is the time to weave spells, kindle inner flames, and commune with nature’s wisdom.
The solstice reminds us of life’s cyclical nature—of endings that birth beginnings. As you step forward, carrying the solstice’s transformative energy within, may your intentions continue to blossom.
May you navigate the year ahead with the resilience of evergreens, the clarity of candlelight, and the wisdom gleaned from this sacred journey from darkness to light. May you continue to be connected to the celestial rhythms of our world.
Happy Yule
From all of us at WOTC may you and your family have a blessed Yule!
Winter starts in the southern hemisphere on 22 June 2023 at 12:57 PM AEST
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A Yule Drink and Litha Cake Combined Them for Brunch Solstice Feast – Flashback to 2012
I know I have been doing separate posts for Yule and Litha things but when I came across these two recipes, in Llewellyn’s Witches’ Datebook 2012, one for each season of the year the two hemispheres are going into, they sounded yummy to me to have together. I apologize in advance for not calculating from American measurements to other parts of Mother Earth. I just found this website https://www.europeancuisines.com/ while it says European Cuisines it covers other countries measuring styles as well.
SIDE NOTE if you do not have a Sun shaped disc to pour the batter in use cookie cutters for whatever shapes remind you of the Sun or use a knife to cut out a shape. Even a young child could use cookie cutters with the child’s caregivers supervising. Than either eat the scraps from the cut outs or put them outside for the wildlife in your area to celebrate the Solstice with your family. This is a good day to have breakfast for dinner/supper/tea or use for part of your feast after your families Solstice ritual
Sun God Supreme
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 Tablespoons of melted butter or oil
1 egg
3/4 cup yogurt
Garnish with 3 cups cubed fruit, all colors
Sift dry ingredients together. Then separately whisk wet ingredients together. Combined wet and dry ingredients, mixing for no more then 20 strokes, one for each day in June (or December) until the Solstice. Let mixture sit for 10 minutes while you prepare the fruit, set the table, and heat the frying pan lightly coated with oil or butter on a medium heat.
(SIDE NOTE Depending on the ages of the people attending your celebration feast designated cutting the fruit, setting and clearing the table, and doing dishes along with wiping the table and kitchen surfaces. If you allow a child of 3 to cut up their pancake with a plastic knife this can also be used to slice bananas or other soft fruit. This is a family celebration so let the family help with the work and as you are your homes’ Priestess or Priest you can relax and enjoy the feast and time together with a lot less stress)
Pour batter into sun-shaped discs (or pour batter from a measuring cup with a lip to get lovely round pancakes.) cook until bubbles that have formed in the batter burst and make little dry craters. Flip one and briefly cook the other side. Serve on brighly colored plates surrounded by fruit of all colors, which represent the abundant growth and glory of the Earth Goddess. Drizzle with honey or maple syrup and enjoy.
Pancakes combine the traditional foods of Litha — butter, milk, cakes, and honey — represent the Sun God at the height of his reign.
Copyright Dallas Jennifer Cobb page 77
Magical Mulled Cider
(SIDE NOTE This cider contains no alcohol so the whole family can enjoy it. If you want to spike it for the adults I have used dark rum measured to taste of the person drinking it. It is also good cooled to room temperature but I did not like the taste will chilled in the refrigerator)
1 quart (or 1 liter) apple cider
6 orange, sliced to look like the sun
12 whole cloves
1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 cinnamon sticks
Honey to taste
Toast the return of the Sun God, and the holy rebirth, with this warming drink when you gather with friends and family on the longest night of the year, Best made over an open fire, but easily concocted on a stove indoors will warm the hearth, heart, and home. Sip this and know anything is possible.
In a large pot combine apple cider which represents the Sun God, cloves, nutmeg, and ground cinnamon. Simmer for at least half an hour to make your house smell wonderfully festive, or longer for a stronger mulled taste. This simmering symbolically brings the God and Goddess together. and adds a little “spice” to the mix. Pour into a mug, carefully an orange slice into each cup. Add cinnamon stick and serve. Makes 6 servings.
Copyright by Dallas Jennifer Cobb page 129
As the Oak King is Reborn…
From all of us at WOTC we wish you and your family the best of luck as the days get longer.
Yule and Winter Solstice 2022: Meaning and Traditions For Yuletide
Yule and Winter Solstice is the most magical time of the year, and 2022 is no different! However, it can also be one of the most stressful. Remember to take a moment to notice the beauty around you during this yuletide season. Reflect on the current position of the Winter Solstice sun and feel its light shining down on you.
Nature is slowing down, and so should you. Be still and observe the peaceful silence and renewal taking place.
Engage all your senses, take deep breaths, and be truly present. Pause for a few moments to look at the beautiful sparkling lights, listen to your favorite winter song, smell the cold crisp air mixed with the scent of cinnamon or pine, taste your favorite warm drink, or snuggle up with a cozy blanket. Turn off electronics and be still.
Many Pagans, Witches, and those interested in Nature Spirituality celebrate the seasonal cycles. Sometimes referred to as the Wheel of the Year, and consisting of eight celebrations. Four of these festivals (Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasadh, and Samhain) are rooted in Celtic history and origins.
The other four (Spring Equinox, Summer Solstice, Autumn Equinox, and Winter Solstice) represent the sun’s location. I created a complete guide to each season, including history, traditions, symbols, correspondences, ritual ideas, and how you can celebrate.
Please note that I make every effort to ensure this information is correct and accurate through my own experiences and referencing sources throughout AND at the bottom of this article.
Posts on this site may contain affiliate links that allow me to earn a small commission from your purchases (at no extra cost to you!)
Table of Contents
When is Yule and Winter Solstice in 2022?
How Do You Pronounce Yule and Winter Solstice
Yule and Winter Solstice Spiritual Meaning
Yule and Winter Solstice Traditions
Yule and Winter Solstice Correspondences
Simple Yule and Winter Solstice Rituals in 2022
Yule Music or Winter Solstice Songs
How To Celebrate Yule and Winter Solstice in 2022
How To Have A (Stress-Less) Present & Mindful Yule and Winter Solstice Holiday
From thepeculiarbrunette.com
For Your Viewing Pleasure – Summer Solstice vs. Winter Solstice: Side-by-Side Time-lapse 2017
Summer Solstice vs. Winter Solstice: Side-by-Side Time-lapse
Synchronized side-by-side time-lapse of the summer solstice and winter solstice from Manchester, UK, at the latitude of 53.5°N. Music: Discovery One Orbits Jupiter by TeknoAXE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGH5G…)
© Scott Richards 2017 •
Difference Between the Winter and Summer Solstices?
To understand the difference between summer and winter solstices, we need to have a clear understanding of the word solstice. We know that earth revolves around sun in an elliptical orbit, but it also spins around its own axis. This is an imaginary line going right across the planet from North Pole to South Pole. Fortunately for our planet, this axis is not perpendicular but tilted about 23.5 degrees and it is this tilt that gives us seasons on earth. This tilt makes one half of earth receive more direct rays from sun than the other half which remains away from earth.
The axis, when it tilts towards the sun, it makes northern hemisphere receive more direct rays from the sun than southern hemisphere. This phenomenon occurs between June and September and thus this is the period when it is summer season in the northern hemisphere. Again, this axis tilts away from the sun between December and March which is why we have winter season in the northern hemisphere during this period. While it is summers in northern hemisphere as it receives more direct rays from the sun, it is winter in the southern hemisphere, and vice versa in winters.
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The Holly King and The Oak King
The legend of the Holly King and the Oak King is oft referred to as we approach Yule and start decking the halls with boughs of holly, but what is it all about and where does the story come from?
There are two main versions of the story, each with slightly different characters. In one, the Oak King is a figure similar to the Green Man; a summer God of warm smiles and broad green leaves, while the Holly King is a similarly benign and jolly chap dressed in red and with holly tangled in his long white beard (sound familiar?), associated with winter. He even rides a sleigh pulled by deer. This version has its roots in Wiccan belief, and tells of two battling kings; the Holly King reigns the waning year and is defeated at the Winter Solstice by the Oak King, who then reigns the waxing year in turn until he is defeated at the Summer Solstice by the Holly King, and so on ad infinitum.
The second version of the story has older roots in European witchcraft traditions, and as with so much goes back …
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Flashback 2005 – Yule
Gather with friends at sunrise, or as soon after as possible, on the Winter Solstice. Meditate on the idea that this is the darkest time of year, but that light will return. As it is the circle of the year, so may it be in the world: that as the light grows, illumination and warmth extend through-out the globe. Concentrate on the idea of peace, understanding, and harmony between all peoples spreading as the light of the Sun spreads. Resolve to be a more peaceful person in the coming year and think of ways you could promote understanding. Feel in your heart of hearts that peace is not only possible be inevitable, that the time of war is over, that the human race is evolving past such foolish pursuits. Then sign a song of peace, like “Imagine” or “Give Peace a Chance” by John Lennon; “Universal Solider” by Donovan; or “Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream” which has been recorded by Joan Baez, the Weavers, Pete Seeger, among others. If you are alone and don’t wish to sing, play a peaceful selection of music – either folk songs or music like Pachebel’s Cannon or Dubussy’s La Mer –while concentrating on the same idea.
By Magenta Griffith in Llewellyn’s Witches’ Datebook 2005 Page
December Solstice: Longest and Shortest Day of the Year
Solstice and Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere
Solstice and Equinox in the Southern Hemisphere
There are two solstices every year: one in December and one in June. The December solstice marks the shortest day north of the equator and the longest day in the south.
Sun Reaches Most Southerly Point
The December solstice is the moment the Sun is directly above the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere. This is the southernmost latitude it reaches during the year. After the solstice, it begins moving north again.
10 facts about the December solstice
Solstice Local Time & Date
In Plainfield, Illinois, USA: Wednesday, December 21, 2022 at 3:48 pm CST (Change location)
This corresponds to Wednesday, December 21, 2022 at 21:48 UTC.
Sun rise/set and day length around this solstice
Local times for this solstice worldwide
Shortest Day in the North
Since the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun in December, it receives less sunlight during the course of a day. At the solstice, the North Pole’s tilt away from the Sun is greatest, so this event marks the shortest day of the year north of the equator.
This effect is greatest in locations that are farther away from the equator. In tropical areas, the shortest day is just a little shorter than 12 hours; in the temperate zone, it is significantly shorter; and places within the Arctic Circle experience polar night, when the Sun does not rise at all.
Longest Day in the South
Conversely, the day of the December solstice is the longest day of the year in the Southern Hemisphere. Here, too, the effect is greater the farther a location is away from the equator.
Places within the Antarctic Circle experience Midnight Sun, when the Sun does not set at night.
Sun times at the South Pole in December
What Does “Solstice” Mean?
During the course of a year, the subsolar point—the spot on the Earth’s surface directly beneath the Sun—slowly moves along a north-south axis. Having reached its northernmost point at the June solstice, it starts moving southward until it crosses the equator on the day of the September equinox. At the December solstice, which marks the southernmost point of its journey, it stops again to start its journey back toward the north.
This is how the solstices got their name: the term comes from the Latin words sol and sistere, meaning “Sun” and “to stand still”.
Initially, the naming arose from observations of how the Sun’s apparent path across the sky changes slightly from one day to the next, which is caused by the same process as the subsolar point’s movement described above.
In the months leading up to the December solstice, the position of sunrise and sunset creeps southward. On the day of the solstice, it reaches its southernmost point. After that, the daily path of the Sun across the sky begins to creep northward again.
Why Does the Sun Move North and South?
The subsolar point moves north and south during the year because the Earth’s axis is tilted at an angle of about 23.4° in relation to the ecliptic, an imaginary plane created by Earth’s path around the Sun. In June, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun, and the subsolar point is north of the equator. As the Earth travels toward the opposite side of its orbit, which it reaches in December, the Southern Hemisphere gradually receives more sunlight, and the subsolar point travels south.
The Solstices and the Seasons
The December solstice marks the start of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and the start of summer in the Southern Hemisphere, according to one definition.
Equinox and solstice dates—years 1-2149
Sunrise and Sunset Times Lag Behind
The shortest day of the year is commonly associated with the latest sunrise and earliest sunset of the year. However, in most locations, the earliest sunset happens a few days before the solstice, while the latest sunrise occurs some days after it. Find out why
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