Today we will mark the Winter Solstice with a nature walk, connecting with nature, taking a pause from the bustle of the season to notice the season. For centuries this day has been celebrated, the coming light has been honoured by rituals and candlelight, the growing season to come has been blessed with greenery decorations,  temples were similarly decorated to symbolize life’s continuity, friends would visit and celebrate this special time, bringing good-luck gifts (fruit, cakes, candles, dolls, jewellery…).  Many of my family’s Christmas traditions started with Winter Solstice traditions and I love honouring this special day with my kids.

We will read The Shortest Day: Celebrating the Winter Solstice by Wendy Pfeffer and The Night Tree by Eve Bunting.  The latter has inspired us to collect fir cones on our early evening Solstice walk, to come inside at sunset to a house where electrical lights are turned off and candles and lanterns glow.  We add peanut butter and string to the cones to make special treats for the birds and squirrels that visit our yard.   We string cranberries & popcorn and make fresh apple ornaments to decorate our own Solstice night tree.  Once we are done these quiet preparations, we head outside into the now dark night, with our flash lights (candles for the older ones could work too) and decorate our “night tree”.  By gifting food to the critters outside and returning to dine on a simple home-made Solstice Soup (pumpkin from last year’s garden) , we honour the coming harvest season and the return of the light. Just as families have done for thousands of years.

I hope your family will also find some magic in this special day. Happy Solstice!