to ask, if you celebrate winter solstice what do you do?

[staryellow]

I always feel an urge to do something to celebrate winter solstice but then I always don't because it's so busy in the run up to Christmas it passes me by. This year I really want do something. But what? 🤔 I know this is weird but maybe a like minded soul can help

We wrote down what we wanted to leave behind and burnt it in a jar in the garden.

I like the sound of this and might give it a go. DH will give me weird looks, but that's alright.

The Pagan Federation are also in Ireland, although I don't know what they organise. Worth checking their website though and maybe have a look for Irish pagan/witch groups on Facebook or similar, a lot of local events can be posted in those sorts of groups but wouldn't necessarily show up in a Google search.

I believe Newgrange also live-stream the winter solstice sunrise as Newgrange is aligned to it like Stonehenge is. That could definitely be fun to watch.

If you like the King Arthur idea, you could also read some of the Gaelic tales that are connected to the winter solstice as it's such a great time for cosy reading and storytelling. Some believe that the Celtic love God Aengus was born at the winter solstice because his father the Dagda made the sun stand still for days to conceal Aengus' birth, and Aengus later lives at Newgrange, which is aligned to the solstice. So, you could read the story of Aengus' birth or his taking of Newgrange from his father or foster-father by trickery!

A Scottish tale, also involving Aengus, relates to this time of year, so you might also want to read it. The winter crone Goddess the Cailleach kidnaps Brigid, who rules over springtime, and keeps her hidden in a cave so that winter can continue. Aengus dreams of this and is determined to rescue Brigid, but he can't cross the sea to get to her in the winter storms. So, he cleverly borrows 3 days from August so he can cross the sea in gentle, sunlit waters 😂The ending varies - some say that Brigid is then able to defeat the Cailleach to bring in the spring, and others believe that the Cailleach becomes Brigid (i.e. the Cailleach is the old, fierce form of the gentle spring maiden Brigid who then grows and matures into a mother in the summer, then a middle-aged woman in autumn and finally becomes the Cailleach again each winter).

They're beautiful stories so worth a read at any time of year, but the solstice is the perfect time! Many modern pagans who follow the Wheel of the Year then honour Brigid at Imbolc (also called St Brigid's Day) on the 1st February, so I recommend looking into the Wheel of the Year if it interests you - there are 8 seasonal holidays consisting of the 2 solstices, 2 equinoxes and then the 4 Celtic fire festivals. I love feeling so connected to the seasonal changes, of course the Wheel of the Year is a religious thing for me as a pagan but I also find it so beneficial for my mental health. Modern life is so disconnected from natural cycles and rhythms, and this really helps to remedy that, in my experience.

Sorry for the ramble! You've had some lovely ideas on this thread

I've been to Stonehenge a few times & really enjoyed it. It's much quieter than at summer solstice & is more friendly & welcoming.
A sunrise walk at old sarum is also good - feel connected to what's gone before & a bit of peace away from Christmas which I just find chaotic & stressful

Same, I make ginger and turmeric tea and go down to the sea with a candle
lantern to watch the sunrise. I burn last year’s regrets in the flame and scatter the ashes into the sea. This year I have to drive in the afternoon, otherwise I would have a glass of something sparkling to celebrate the turn of fortune.

I mark the solstices and equinoxes, rather than celebrate them. The weeks leading up to them are very special, so make sure to observe now, not wait. Unlike others, I enjoy the dark, rest and quiet of midwinter so the celebration of light for me is at the beginning of February. Do what seems right for you to engage with the natural world

I gather and sharpen and oil my tools, look at trees and plan pruning.

To me Solstices are something to be marked, they are periods of imbalance- compare with the balance equinoxes. They give the opportunity to pause (like the sun) and reflect (like the moon) to meditate on the darkness overwhelming the light. To balance the darkness with acts of light.

Its time to meditate on death and ultimately rebirth. The moving forward from darkness into light/to see the light coming from darkness.seek out the darker myths of winter, learn to accept the darkness as well as light, accept light should not be favoured over light.

solasbhride.ie/winter-solstice/

In case you are anywhere near Kildare ...

Also this.

www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-41533376.html

Hope these links work ..

@FrostedSunrise
Fascinating information, thanks for sharing.

Lovely thread. I usually light a firepit or candles in the garden and reflect on the year gone. I also buy a little nature themed gift for family.

We climb the local hill to watch the sunrise. Yoga, singing danceing... Then come down for breakfast.

We also listen to the dark is rising on the appropriate days, with the fire on and the lights off except for the Christmas tree.

I'm not too fussed about Christmas but the solstice and jolabokaflod (Icelandic book flood) where we exchange books and spend all day reading them suits me fine!

Watch the sunrise. We have a fire in the garden and marshmallows.

I usually go for a swim outdoors somewhere (I swim on both the longest and shortest days). Plant out autumn garlic (plant on the shortest day, harvest on the longest day).

Light a lot of candles to welcome the light back. Ask for a blessing for the turning of the year (2024 has been a shiter of a year).

I’m shocked.
You can find a virgin?

My friends and I do an outdoor run on the evening of the winter solstice. It's a local organised event with money being raised for a hospice. There's something wild and exciting about running through the woods and over the moors in Yorkshire on a pitch black night with just a headtorch, yet a lovely feeling of community being part of it. Last year it was a wild wet and windy night and that added to the atmosphere. We love it. There are often "Druids" at the top, with flaming torches, whom I hope will be there again this year (they weren't there last year because of the weather forecast!).

It's not everyone's cup of tea but it gets us outside where Mother Nature greets us with her weather of choice and a starry sky.

such gorgeous ideas! @frostedsunrise, those are beautiful stories 😍

I think I'll watch the sunrise and then maybe go to a lake not far that's meant to be a good place to see starling murmurations this time of year. Beautiful light anyway. Will drag dh and dc if they're convincable. Maybe a breakfast picnic. tell stories. Then candles and fire pit in the garden after sunset.

It'll probably rain all day of course 😂

This feels so much more natural to me than celebrating Christmas. I’ve hung up my wreath, have candles ready and will join you all being outside this year, with a fire.

Wrote down your wishes for the year ahead and burn them.

I do it in the reverse order and write down my regrets and leave them behind in the ash. But I might have to think about a way to do the wishes part!

I imagine the smoke carrying my intentions out there..,I hope!

Ooh I love that! I think I need two candles in that case - one for the past and one for the future - to the shops I go. Fab! Only eight more sleeps!

What a lovely thread @staryellow!

We always do goodbye to the past at solstice then light candles for the future at Imbolc.

So funny you say that star hug! As I was thinking about Imbolc as well.

burning to say goodbye feels natural.

I’m now thinking of the future - burning and carrying away intentions is lovely - but are there any other non-burning ways? Is lighting candles the way?