Celebrating the Winter Solstice

[Katherine]

Does anyone do anything to mark this?

I would like to celebrate it with my kids this weekend. Think it will make a nice change from all the tinsel and gift wrap. Thinking of a walk in the woods with a trip out to watch the sunset and maybe a bit of outdoor art with leaves, twigs, stones etc. Was thinking of a non-functional sundial or something.

A lot of our christmas traditions come from the solstice so I think its nice to celebrate nature in this way. The children are obsessed with how the nights have been drawing in (does this mean we have to go to bed NOW!)so be nice to tell them that now the days will start to get longer again.

Just wondering if anyone else celebrates it in any way and if so what do you do?

I always thought this was on the 21st but I agther it is the 22nd this year. Anyone know why this is?

Never celebrated but sounds like a nice idea too.

I thought it was the 21st too but apparently its between the 21st and 23rd. Still plannning to celebrate it this weekend though - something fun and relaxing to do before Christmas hits!

I usually try and have a big roast meal and get some friends around - a fairly low key celebration, but I count it as "friends" christmas rather than "family" christmas if that makes sense? Although, saying that, it'll probably just be me, dh and ds this year because I'm not organised enough grin I used to put my Christmas Tree up on the 21st and not before, but this year I succumbed early

I don't generally do much more than that, but lighting candles on the darkest night is quite symbolic. I'm sure other people will come up with better ideas though.

We turn off all the lights and then light candles (as many as we can find) to celebrate the returning sun. And then run around the house and turn on ALL the lights. And then have a special tea.

Georgina - we normally decorate the house on the Solstice too - go for a walk to find greenery to hang up as well, as long as it is not p*ssing down. Not doing that this year though - I'm too lazy (new baby - can't be bothered to fiddle around with decorations this time!)

Merry Meet!As a family we do lots of outdoorsy stuff-walks,then craft stuff with what we have gathered,collect holly ,branches etc to decorate house.i have a yule branch tree,everyone who comes to our house over yuletide is invitited to hang a decoration and make a wish!yule meal is big roast affair-vege and meat-.Personally i spend time alone in the late evening when ds is in bed and i have solstice rituals i like to perform,mainly about reflecting over past year and how to makenext year better in general,also giving thanks for all theat i have.lots of candles everywhere too!

The Solstice is governed by the Sun and is timed to when the Sun enters Capricorn - hence this year it is the 22/12 and in 2004 it will be on 21/12.

We like to have a bonfire in the evening and burn a Yule log - starting the fire with a piece saved from last year's log. We all sit around the fire making holly wreaths to decorate the house and then celebrate with a big family meal. The following morning I gather the ashes from the bonfire and in spring I sprinkle them on on my garden to bless it with the sun's gift of life.

Spent dusk yesterday hanging pine cones painted with glitter by the kids on the sycamore tree just outside our house. Then came across a bag of beautiful leaves we collected in half term so hung those on as well. Afterwards the leaves seems really symbollic. Was great fun. DH laughed and suggested we dance naked round the tree!!!!!!! I would have obliged but it started to snow.......