Winter Solstice Celebration Ideas
Winter solstice, the first day of winter and the longest night of the year. It’s a beautiful time to turn our attention inward, to rest in order to allow for renewal, and to celebrate the ever changing beauty of nature. Here you’ll learn 5 Winter Solstice Celebration Ideas to help you celebrate this seasonal shift.
What Is The Winter Solstice?
The winter solstice marks the first day of winter and is the longest night of the year. There are two solstices each year, winter and summer. On the winter solstice we experience the longest period of darkness and on the summer solstice we experience the longest period of light.
This makes the winter solstice a wonderful day for rest, introspection, and slowing down.
Though there may seem like so much darkness in the winter season, the days are actually gradually becoming longer after the winter solstice. So while we can take this day to honor the darkness, we also can celebrate the gradual return of light.
This year (2023), the winter solstice will occur on December 21st.
Honoring & Celebrating Seasonal Shifts
Celebrating the shifts in the seasons is a wonderful way to connect with the cycles of nature.
Feeling connected with nature can be more challenging in this modern day, but maintaining this connection is just as important as it has been in the past. Though I do believe we are spiritual beings, we are living a human experience and as humans, we are part of nature.
By simply taking the time to honor the seasonal shifts, we can reconnect with this part of ourselves.
Below, you’ll find 5 winter solstice celebration ideas to help give you inspiration on how to foster this connection and honor the start of the winter season.
5 Winter Solstice Celebration Ideas
1. Have Dinner By Candlelight
This is one of my favorite ways to celebrate the winter solstice. Though this is the longest night of the year, the light will soon return.
This celebration idea is nice if you want to include others in your celebration!
To make this idea even more specific to the winter solstice, try cooking with seasonal foods. Making something that’s warming like soups or stews can also help you to connect with this time of the year.
2. Take Some Mindful Moments Outside At Night
Bundle up, get outside, and breathe in the cool night air.
What better way to truly honor the winter solstice than by spending some time outside on this beautifully long night.
Obviously, only do this if you are in an area that is safe to do so!
3. Meditate In The Darkness
I don’t know about you, but I do normally meditate in a somewhat dark room, but usually I have a dim light on.
To celebrate the winter solstice, try meditating in complete darkness with all of the lights off. Take time in this meditation to really allow yourself to rest and turn inward. I know this is normally the goal of meditation, but really try to focus on this.
You can try placing your palms face down instead of up to really facilitate the feeling of rest and grounding.
4. Indulge In A Self Care Night Ritual
The season of winter reminds us that rest is just as important as taking action.
So a wonderful winter solstice ritual can be to indulge in some self care at night.
Try to do activities that help you to slow down and that facilitate the feeling of being rested and renewed.
5. Take Some Time To Notice The Changes In Nature
This is the only tip on this list that’s for during the daytime, so if you’re looking for a daytime tip, this is for you!
Each season comes with its own unique appearance in nature.
Take time during the day to observe these seasonal changes where you live. This helps draw you closer to nature.
There you have 5 different winter solstice celebration ideas. The more you take time to pause and recognize the shift in the seasons, the more you see beauty in all times of the year. I hope you all enjoy this day and use these tips to honor and welcome the winter.
Winter solstice blessings to you all!
Read This Next: Ideas To Connect With Nature In Winter
