The Winter Solstice

[Anonymous]

I was just wondering. Those of you who celebrate the winter solstice, what traditions do you have and how are they relevant to the festival?

I usually celebrate festivals alone, and this year my family want to get involved.

[Zorro]

I follow no traditions.  I belong to no religion.

My celebration is strictly a personal one.  It is fashioned by my mood at the moment.  Sometimes, it's nothing more than the lighting of a candle and meditating in a darken room on the night of the solstice.

I hate the dark, cold, barren landscape of the winter.  Summer is warm, bright, colorful, and full of life.

And so, to me, the return of the sun marks the beginning of a new year for it marks a renewed beginning through the return of life.

[Anonymous]

Interesting take on it. Thanks.

[Kaguya]

I, too, celebrate in various ways -- whatever feels right at the time.  Some years are more spiritual than others.  

This year some friends are going to have an online get together -- a coast to coast chat party.   It should be fun.

Chris

[Lark]

My coven will be celebrating to Solstice tomorrow night. (I just stuck an eggnog cheesecake into the oven to bake for feast!)  Our coven celebration always starts with a huge potluck feast with everyone bringing their favorite holiday dishes that were traditional in their families.

Then we hold the actual ritual to welcome back the Sun.  Yule rituals tend to be very upbeat and happy...after all we're trying to entice the Sun to come back and join the party.

After ritual we always do our gift exchange where everyone gets to take home a gift they can use in their magical practice.  The evening generally runs late with much mirth and merry-making.

And this year we get to celebrate two special events.  Tangled Moon Coven will be 10 years old this Yule!  Whew, who'd have thought it when we started out.  And our second special event is welcoming the newborn daughter of one of our coven members who was born yesterday.  What a great start to the year!

-Lark-

[Sewa Yoleme]

Our local shamanism group will be meeting tomorrow, and I'll be serving my famous CraigNog, but otherwise it will be shamanic work as usual. I might write a little solsticial meditation, since most of the group are more-or-less pagan, but I don't think we'll be doing a ritual.

On the other hand, one of the shamans' group members is holding a Solstice Spiral, with the spiral made out of candles, at his home on the 21st. I don't know how much of a ceremony he's planning; it's pretty much a gathering of friends. I'm really looking forward to it.

.:. Sewa Yoleme

[Zorro]

Lark,

Any chance of you posting the recipe for that eggnog cheesecake?

My mouth hasn't stopped watering since I read your post.

[Blayze]

We celebrated midsummer with our group this morning as we won't be able to get together midweek.

Up at 3.00 am to meet everyone at a beach before dawn.

It was a very funny clandestine meeting in a dark carpark, then a hike over the dunes to the water. The ritual area was a beach with a lagoon in the west and the ocean in the east. Since this is Sydney and midsummer equals total fire bans, we stuck shepherds crooks into the sand and lit them with tiny elementally coloured, battery powered fairy lights. They glowed beautifully in the pre-dawn light.

 The priestess running the ritual timed it perfectly. Our Sun priest came out of the ocean and our Earth priestess from the lagoon across the sands. The sun peeked above the horizon at the exact moment of the conclusion of the drawing down the Sun. Our Sun god/priest then peformed a rune divination for the group.

Wow, is all I can say.

We then had breakfast on the beach.

Happy Yule to all you Northerners.

Blayze

[Still Kate]

Ah ha ......   this is always great for me as its my birthday on the 22nd.  
I guess thats not really relevant to the festival.
Jon and Ryan usually plan something, this year it was a lovely meal with my parents and two of my parents friends that I get on really well with, and Jon, Ryan and Mellissa.   I was given a pair of georgous earings, a silver bracelet and a really lovely ring, all that Ryan and Jon had choosen.
And dinner was fantastic at a very good restaurant.

When we got home I lit a candle and some incense and then I celebrated the festival the next day.  

Kate. xx