**21st December**

There’s something so magical about this time of the year. In the northern hemisphere we’re blessed with unpredictable wild weather, biting cold, frosty mornings and freezing fog. When the sun does say hello, the shadows and light cast upon the earth shines and shimmers through the weather.
As the winter solstice approaches, the shortest day of our year, a simple nod to the changing season can be as simple as lighting candles at the dinner table. Celebrating the solstice doesn’t have to be a grand affair akin to Stonehenge size gatherings. It can be simple, small and perfectly tailored to you and your family.
Below you’ll find the ways we’ll be honouring the return of the sun, please feel free to adopt these traditions too.

**Winter Solstice Spiral**

No solstice celebration would be complete without a trip around the spiral. For our winter celebrations we welcome the oldest child into the centre to be the light barer. They stand proudly with the flame of the sun in their hands ready to pass the light to the rest of the children.
As each child walks the spiral with their candle they think of the sun, why they’re thankful for it and all the wonderful adventures to come. They reach the centre, thank the light barer and receive a flame to their candle.
As they spiral outwards they protect the flame until they reach the outer ring and wait for their friends to join them.
Once everyone has their flame, we sing a song together and finally blow out the candle as one.

From clay or salt dough, we craft circular sunshine shapes and paint with all the warming yellows.
We have a little wooden stick sculpture, the rays of the sun stretching out from the centre. It sits proudly on our nature table as a little reminder of the celebrations.
Our go to books and stories for the winter solstice are:
The Solstice Badger by Robin McFadden
The Oak King and the Holly King - author unknown
The Return of the Sun - by Starhawk
Our tree made from hazel sticks starts the season looking pretty bare. As the month of December goes on, so do the beautiful handmade natural ornaments.
- Jam jars with candles to light on the less windy days
- orange slices
- sprigs of pine, cypress and fir.
- ice ornaments full of cranberries, orange slices, rosehips and green foliage
- wooden disks decorated by the children
- garlands of ivy and holly
On the day of the winter solstice we make a campfire at dawn and keep it lit until the sun goes down. Everyone pitches in, adding sticks and logs. Gathering to warm ourselves, to cook on and be together around it.
Each year we chop off the bottom of our Christmas tree and tuck it away to save for the following Winter Solstice.
We’ll burn the yule log in the fire then scatter the ashes around the garden, blessing the land for a great season to come.
Our favourite go-to recipe can be layered with beautiful citrus flavours.

2-3 large sweet potatoes
1 squash
1-2 red pepper
1-2 large onions
1.5 litres of veg stock (or enough to cover your veg)
1 tin of coconut milk
Half an orange cut into slices

- Add all the ingredients apart from the oranges to a slow cooker (or pan on the hob) and simmer until everything is soft.
- Half an hour before you’re ready to serve lay the slices of orange on the top of the soup and turn up the heat a little until you’re ready to serve.
- Remove the orange slices before dishing up.

All our celebrations are rooted in joy, in love and kindness. We speak of our thanks to the sun, for everything it gives us and everything it makes us feel. The group comes together to share the sense of togetherness.

For adult groups when we gather, we write our dark thoughts on scraps of paper, shedding them into the fire and releasing them to Mother Earth. We then speak our joys, our gratitude and the things we’re thankful for out loud for the group to hear. In the darkest part of the year we’re ready to welcome back the sun and feel the growth of the days ahead of us. I play the drum and sing all the drumming songs I can think of and those who want to join in can.

However you choose to celebrate this season, blessings to you.

Here’s to another turn around the sun. To adventures, family, friendships and new journeys into the beautiful natural world.