It’s a hot day today. It’s rained here all week which helped the firemen to control the wildfire. I am ready for more sun though. I planted a spearmint seedling in the garden. It didn’t regrow this spring. My garden is just beautiful and everything is growing so fast!
I finished the bookcase project. The two bookcases are now at my Mom’s house and I have one tall bookcase holding a LOT of books. I also switched the witch books with my writing books. That was a huge undertaking. I sorted out the ones I wanted to donate which left me with enough room to hold all the books I did want. It took me a couple of hours to sort through. I have way more room in my bedroom now. I love it!
I finished binding my Herbal Academy lessons in the Intermediate level into books. I had to touch up the covers with green tissue paper, paint and glue but it looks great now. The Celtic dragon trim arrived in the owl mail. I can’t wait to sew that onto the black wool cloak. The cloak will look great.
Midsummer is almost here! The Wheel of the Year turns again. It’s a magical Sabbat! Honour the fiery power of the sun by going outdoors! Yup that’s right. Let the warm breeze sweep away your troubles. It’s summer, after all. Gather flowers, herbs, leaves and press them or use them to decorate cookies. Host a summer party, go to the beach or indulge in forest bathing. Plant herbs , veggies and flowers and tend them as they grow. As you plant each seed, empower it with your intention and bless the seeds.
Try a new herbal recipe, educate yourself about herbs that you aren’t familiar with, and go for a long walk on a nature trail or to the forest with a plant guide book or your cellphone app to help you identify plants. Take your dog with you! They love the outdoors.
Burn candles to celebrate the solstice! There is a ban on fires here in Nova Scotia so I have to settle for candles. Bake garlic and herb bread, brew some mead or cider, and wear a pretty sundress and pair it with a witchy hat. Spritz on an essential oil perfume mix and sunscreen. Men can wear whatever they feel comfortable in too. Then get out there! Summer was meant to be enjoyed.
My indoor herb and vegetable seed starting project is progressing nicely. I love my grow light kit. I used to grow plants like herbs and flowers without a grow light. I don’t know how I ever managed. I will never go back to not using a grow light kit. It is amazing. I’m growing tickseed, parsley, thyme, Vietnamese Cilantro, onions, kohlrabi, carrots, radishes, calendula, celeriac, bunching onions, and winter squash. The seedlings are all arranged near or at my grow light kit. I love having a grow light kit. I will never go back to the old way. The parsley and thyme I bought in pots sit at a sunny window in my office. I bought a potted rosemary and arranged that near my grow light.
I used seed starting soil, water and pots to start the seedlings in. I sprinkled mycorrhizae in the soil and Gaia Organics fertilizer. I sprinkle the seedlings with water. The window faces north but it is the only spot I can have them in that my cat Penny doesn’t disturb. I also have a few tablespoons of patience as this project requires patience. Seeds will germinate in their own good time. Then, once the seedling is up, it needs to receive all the care it can get. They can grow big, or small, wide or narrow, bright green or red, but whatever they do, they need a lot of attention and your time.
Some plants may need supports or something to grow up on, to be trained on. Some plants grow leggy and stretch toward the light. Some plants need deeper soil. Some plants can take forever to grow into a carrot or a pepper plant. They are all individual green seedlings that depend on YOU. They depend on you for good quality soil, for their growing needs, for getting the adequate amount of light. Using a grow light can help take the load off a lot of the effort for you. Seedlings growing without the benefit of a grow light don’t grow as strong. I leave the light on for my grow light kit from about 7:00 – 8:00 am in the morning till about 9:00-10:00 pm at night. That means that my seedlings definitely receive the necessary amount of light. I mist them a lot during the day. The temperature is warm enough in my kitchen.
I remove the weak seedlings and tend the strongest seedlings. A nod to Darwin here for his theories about survival of the fittest. I also label what I am growing. It is a good idea to know what you are growing! It is easy to label, you can make artsy labels or use something as simple as a popsicle stick for labeling your precious cilantro seedlings.
The carrots and parsley were a real headache to get growing. Yes I did thin them out. I waited till the carrot seedlings were about two inches in height and arranged them into rows. I discarded the weak ones. Now they all have more space from each other and are growing their trademark true leaves. I misted them with water from my spray bottle and would gently water them from a measuring cup. I use toothpicks to support them as they grow up. A measuring cup is better than a regular drinking glass. It has that dip for pouring that I love.
The carrots and parsley are growing in the deep pot for their roots shown in the photo. They were the hardest to get started but the hard work was worth it.
I also use good quality seeds. I use organic, non GMO, heirloom seeds. Good seeds, good soil and good water and good tending make great seedlings. I watch a lot of videos on Youtube for good gardening inspiration. I store my seeds in their paper packets in a metal box. The seeds stay fresh too with a silica gel packet. I just rearranged the seeds. I store the herbs and flowers in one metal box and the veggie seeds in the other.
The best tool in your toolbox is patience. They don’t get perfect overnight and grow overnight to their ideal size. They take their time. They grow at their own rate and they are fine with that, your green charges, oh yes. Cultivate patience as you cultivate your little green friends and they will try to grow their very best for you. I hope the tips in this post help you and inspire you to exercise your green thumbs. Happy growing!!
Hello my lovely readers! Even though we are on the cusp of spring, winter lingers. Last night, the howling wind kept me up half the night.
I have a lot on my mind right now. My grandmother is not well. She has to be moved to the city and that means uprooting her. I hope it all works out smoothly. I am very worried about her. My grandmother is in her nineties but is in otherwise good health.
I scattered birdseed at the Mumford Terminal and in my backyard. I saw the rat and waited and watched for a sign that the birds had found the seed. Indeed they did. I look after all my little ones. It’s cold out and I worry about them. Food is scarce for my avian friends.
I just watched the amazing movie Alien with a friend. I respect the exhausting effort that must have gone into making the movie. Yes art means effort. And that movie truly is amazing. I remember watching the sequel years ago.
I donated my copy of Todd Keisling’s book to the library. Due to my negative experience with him, I saw no sense in keeping it. I only welcome positive energy here.
It is spring in my apartment! If it can’t be spring outdoors, it will be so indoors. I’m growing a pot of basil and rosemary cutting and I have a pot of parsley. I set up my grow light kit where I am growing a number of herbs by seed. I have another pot with radishes and carrots germinating. I hope they all grow well. I know the herbs will grow well in the grow light kit. I will post what I am starting by seed in the grow light kit soon once I find the list. I can’t remember right now. I keep watering the herbs a little, enough to moisten them but not drown them.
I love herbs. I’m progressing nicely with the herbal courses at the Herbal Academy. I am on Unit 2 in Advanced and I am enjoying the Mastering Herbal Formulations course too. I recently reviewed the Becoming a Herbalist mini course that the Herbal Academy once again offered for free. Tomorrow I no longer have access to it and so I ensured I downloaded the pdf of the course.
I have to work harder at composing the 15-20 monographs for the Advanced course. I hate distractions and I am my own worst enemy. The herbs and flowers are dormant now but soon spring will raise her green head. I cannot wait. It cheers me though I love the dark half of the year. I am a herbalist/ gardener by heart. I water the seedlings in the grow light kit the most because the soil dries out so fast. The green seedlings need moist soil. That is how they thrive.
I am so grateful the Herbal Academy gives me so much time to complete the courses. I can study at a better pace that way. I never stop learning and I love everything I am learning. There is so much for me to learn. It is a truly fascinating subject!
Happy Samhain! Today is warm and sunny even for October. I was dressed very witchy today from my witch hat to the witchy dress to my laced up boots. I got a lot of stares and compliments. Ah let’ em. I think it’s great that the weather is cooperating. Children have their warm wonderful hearts set on trick or treating. I bet they are all driving their addled parents crazy, eager to march out on the streets, engaging in a old, old tradition of scouting for candy. I have a bowl of candy ready for the kiddies!
I strained the hawthorn cordial. I didn’t really get as much as I would have liked. That’s ok. I performed one more bonfire last night. The air was chilly but that didn’t stop me from enjoying seeing the dancing flames from the burning hag tapers. The fire warmed me. Today I shared some of the frosted chocolate cake with my Mom. I offered a slice for my brother too. I tossed in some lollipops for them as well. It felt good to share that with them.
I can’t wait to try the hawthorn cordial. Tonight I am cooking a Shepherd’s Pie for the ancestral supper. I am so craving this meal. I have never cooked it before. It should be good! Afterwards, I plan to perform a ritual.
Whatever fun you plan to have, whether you are bobbing for apples, enjoying pumpkin pie or trick or treating, keep your pets inside and eat lots and lots of candy! Remember, the spirits are out and about tonight. Be sure to light a candle at the window to help lost spirits find their way.
I was just out harvesting MORE dandelion roots. They are drying now on the kitchen cupboard. I’m buying another bottle of vodka soon and tincture the roots. Or maybe I will use brandy, no, I should stick with vodka. The alcohol acts as a natural preservative.
Dandelion, Taraxacum Officinale, is so good for your health that I really question why anyone wants to spray or kill it. Dandelion root is bitter and its actions are diuretic, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, and it has hypeglyemic properties. “Dandelion root is a powerful diuretic, stimulating kidney function as well as the movement of bile from the gallbladder and liver. Folklore and scientific evidence supports the use of dandelion as a diuretic with intriguing possibilities that it may help with controlling blood sugar and inflammatory processes (Castleman, 2001). Due to its diuretic properties, dandelion may help PMS (Castleman, 2001, Hoffman, 2003) and, most recently, andropause symptoms (Noh, H-Y, 2013).” *Copied and taken from the Herbal Academy website.
Digging up a dandelion root isn’t easy. Dandelion root, like yellow dock and burdock roots, have a single long stemmed taproot. I have gotten the hang of digging up the roots. If you don’t dig it up right, the root cracks. I ease my trowel into the soil slowly, and I take all the leaves and stems in one hand, then push the trowel in and around the root. Then I tug gently and the root leaves the soil. It is an art. Now you all know why I want to dig up dandelion roots. They are full of vitamins as well as the listed above benefits.
I bring the roots home, avoiding the curious eyes of passerby, and fill a bowl with clean water. I dunk the roots in the water in the bowl outside, then empty the bowl outside. I bring the roots in and I scrub them clean with an old toothbrush. Soon I will chop up the roots and dry them on low heat in the oven. They can’t be left on the counter for long or they will mold and be tossed to the compost pile. All of those nutrients would be lost. I have to store them and get the vodka then I plan to make the tincture. It will be amazing! You can dry the chopped roots in the oven on parchment paper at 350 F for thirty minutes.
I already have a tincture of burdock root and dandelion roots tincturing. I plan to leave it for 3 months! But you usually wait 4 to 6 weeks or a full moon phase, if you want to get witchy about it! You can store the roots in the alcohol for a long time. Some people make dandelion tea or wine. I would love to try dandelion wine!
I’m harvesting the elecampane root tomorrow. It better not rain tomorrow or I may do it today after all. Today’s weather is overcast and clear. I have never done this before. I don’t want to kill the plant. I know how to harvest the root, I am just not experienced enough at it. I guess this is all part of learning to be a herbalist. I watched Youtube videos to see how it’s done. It will be fine. I will dry, chop and store the roots over the winter in a labeled dated jar. I love to get artsy with the labels too.
Digging up a plant for its roots is killing the plant. In terms of elecampane, I hope to leave the roots or new buds for replanting. I have found an amazing article all about harvesting elecampane roots. I’m going to soak the roots once dug up to see the new buds. That will tell me I can successfully replant the elecampane. I have no intention of killing the roots. I just wish I had a pitchfork but my big garden shovel will work. I’ll use my boline to gather the roots I want to harvest. The rest goes back in the soil with a sprinkle of fertilizer.
I still have to wash the pots, harvest the beans once they turn brown and hard, and make my offering. I am almost done my garden chores. I am sad and happy at the same time. I love the harvest but the harvest signifies the finale for my garden for the year. The rich gifts the earth blesses me with makes it all worth it.
Candles are the purest form of Magick. I love staring at a pure bright candle flame. It just stirs my heart and warms my heart. I want to share tips and to burn candles magically and safely this Samhain:
Burn a white candle on the windowsill this Samhain to guide lost spirits.
Store candles in the freezer for a while. The wax will drip less.
Burn a candle for one hour and remember to trim the wick. Never leave a candle unattended.
Carve symbols or sigils into the candle wax for an added boost of Magick.
Carve symbols or sigils into your pumpkin to keep bad spirits away or to empower the pumpkin wtih protective Magick.
Use coloured candles for certain spells: black is a psychic energy and draws in energy, blue is for emotion & intuition, orange is for creativity, white is for Spirit, purple is for psychic energy, brown is for earth-related matters, red is for Mars energy and fire.
To release the energy of a candle, blow the candle out when you’re finished a spell. To keep the energy of a spell in the candle, snuff the candle out with a candle snuffer.
Clean your candlesticks to keep them ready to use for new spell casting.
Gaze into a candle flame to scry your future or a message from Spirit.
Burn essential oils on candles or buy the scented candles. Try not to use synthetic oils. Use natural essential oils. They don’t always cost a fortune.
Keep your familiars away from candles. Burn candles where your furr-milairs can’t get to them. Always practice safety when burning candles.
Don’t burn your candles at your altar while wearing long billowing sleeves or near the curtains. Safety first.
Grind herbs to a powder if you want to burn herbs on your candles first. The candles will sputter less.
Bury the wax out in the garden when the candle is finished burning.
If you do burn a lot of candles indoors or outdoors this Samhain, keep sand, a fire extinguisher or a pitcher of water nearby to avoid a fire. Getting evicted is not cool!
Put your intention into the candle. That will add extra power to your spell. For example, I wanted a pet cat. I burned a cat-shaped candle. Sympathetic magic! Like attracts like.
Always put a positive intention into your spell workings, never negative. You want bad, you get bad. You want good Magick, you get good Magick! So be positive always! Energy always returns to the sender!
Spirits are around us everywhere this Samhain! Burn a candle you made yourself. Add graveyard dirt and clary sage essential oils to the candle at your altar to attract the spirits.
Gather a lot of oak leaves and dry them. Once they are thoroughly dry, grind the leaves to a powder. Use the powder like an ash for your cauldron. Nestle a cauldron or a charcoal disc in the oak ash. Store the unused oak leaf ash in the fridge or the freezer to keep it from spoiling. Oak leaves have a strong energy, and represent longevity, strength, stability, endurance, fertility, power, justice and honesty.
I hope the above tips help when you cast candle Magick this Samhain!
Happy Summer Solstice!!! I hope you are all celebrating the summer solstice. I did too and I’m going to tell you all about it in this post. I will post a link below to the blog post from Herbal Academy that tells you how to make it. I’m taking the summer course on how to press flowers at the Herbal Academy.
To make a Summer Solstice Lantern, clean and wash a large glass jar like one you use for pasta sauce. Let it air dry. For this project, I didn’t press the flowers first but they are supposed to be pressed. Also, instead of white glue or Mod Podge glue, I used a hot glue gun. I used the watered down white glue at first. I discovered that a hot glue gun was better at making flowers adhere to the jar. Afterwards, I bought and used Mod Podge to give it a permanent finish. It looks great and yours will too.
You will need the following supplies:
a hot glue gun and glue
tweezers
scissors
a clean dry jar
flowers
white glue
Mod Podge glue
paper towel and a work surface – glue can get messy
twine, a wire
salt
tealights
Ok let’s get started. So once your jar is clean and dry, set it down on your workspace. Have old newspaper and paper towel nearby. This can get messy. If you pressed the flowers ahead of time, that’s great. I used the flowers I picked today for this project. Clean off any bugs and snip off the stems. It’s a good idea to use flat faced flowers for this project such as buttercup, white Shasta daisies, violets, red clover leaves. Use a paintbrush to dab on the glue of your choice to the jar. Before the glue dries, pick up the delicate flower with the tweezers and stick it on the jar where you dabbed the glue. Apply the flower with gentle firm pressure.
This is tricky. You can’t tear or cut the flower. I brushed from the centre of the flower out to the petals. I dabbed the glue over the face of the flower in gentle, outward strokes. I suggest making sure the flower face stays flat. So be gentle with this step. Add more flowers to the jar. Think about the design you want it to have. Let the jar dry thoroughly. Be patient with this project. Arrange the flowers around the jar as you choose. Keep dabbing glue on to the jar and applying gentle firm pressure till you are satisfied with it. Place stems around flowers or under flowers or in whichever design you choose.
Gently dab glue over the flowers. I suggest using Mod Podge for this step. It gives the flowers a frosted finish. When it has all dried, then you can proceed to the next step. You can wrap a wire around the opening of the jar. I secured mine with a dab of hot glue. I love my hot glue gun, can you tell? The instructions on how to do this are in the link. Then add a few inches of salt into the jar. Put a tea light in perhaps one with essential oils added to the candle, and watch the candle glow in your personal Summer Solstice Lantern. I hope you have fun with this and show me pictures of your own summery crafts.
Below is the link to the blog post from the Herbal Academy:
We had a big rainstorm over the last 2 days. It was amazing how much rain there was. I just checked my garden and everything survived. Now the sun is shining his hardest.
A word of caution here: Pretty Litter is the biggest money grab scam EVER. Yup I will never buy cat litter from them again. My Mom gave me money for cat litter. I had already bought a bag of cat litter. They withdrew the money as if they had every right before I could even get to the store to buy the shoes. I checked my account thanks to a mobile app. The money was gone and I knew who the rat was. Pretty Litter has some dodgy crap excuse and some serious erroneous self-entitlement attitude problem. They stole the money, refuse to issue a refund despite me making it amply clear I never wanted a second box of cat litter. They refuse to refund my Mother. They never sent a second box of cat litter. I am so contacting the Better Business Bureau to report their sorry butts. I bet I won’t get the second box of cat litter either. I never received a confirmation email. They now have some unbelievable non refund policy. They ever withdraw even a dime from my account again. They will regret it. I just reported them to the Better Business Bureau. I feel so good right now.
The Summer Solstice approaches! My garden is in full gorgeous green swing. It already is summer in my garden. Everything is in bloom and every insect in creation is enjoying it. Litha is the summer solstice and marks the beginning of the summer season. It is the longest day of the year and the shortest night of the year. It marks the height of the sun’s power.
The God is now in his power and the Goddess brings forth abundance. The crops are full. Ancient Witches and pagans celebrated Litha with torch processions and maintaining a balance between the Elements of Fire and Water. Herbs were gathered for their healing powers.
Decorate your altar with fresh flowers, herbs and fruit. Perform a re dedication ritual to the God and Goddess. Burn a candle to show a devotion to the Horned God.
Litha is also known as Midsummer. Now is a good time to perform faerie Magick. They are out and about now. Offer them blessings and they will help you in your garden!
SYMBOLS OF LITHA
Colors: Blue, green, yellow, pink, purple (look to nature for the colors of Litha, as seen in the sky, woods and flowers)
The invasion has begun! It is inescapable. Penny has run out of play room too! Oh my what am I to do? Did I get your attention? Ok I’m referring to the invasion of seedlings that have taken over my home, Goodness there are so many plant pots in here. Burn a candle and light some incense! Play relaxing music.
This post is about how to create your own soil mixes for your own tender seedlings. You DO have young green seedlings in your apartment right? lol
Well let’s get started. I like mixing up the soil.
Ever notice that plant pots are round in shape? I like to think of the planters and plant pots as cauldrons. They have a lot more to do with cauldrons than you think. This may just change the way you garden from now on. Grab a cup of tea and join me.
I mentioned the benefits of purchasing and using good quality soil in the last post, right? There is a good reason for that. It helps your plants get off to their best start, off to the races running. or, in this case, growing. Let’s take it a step further.
Set down newspaper on the counter or wherever you choose to work in your home. Put the plant pot or seedling plant pot on the newspaper. Be willing to get your hands dirty. I love getting my hands right into the soil but that’s just me. Place a pitcher full of cold water nearby. Open the bag of soil. Next tip: I put a cloth grocery bag (plastic bags are banned here). It keeps the bag from spilling or making a mess. Just don’t forget about it but you won’t, will you?
Mix the soil into the plant pot. As you do this, envision that you are filling the pot with the energy of the Goddess. (Use a round pot for this.) You will see why now. The pot is round, so is a cauldron. The pot is deep ( well, most of them are). So is a cauldron. The cauldron is the deep earthy womb of the Goddess. The pot is too once it is full of soil. Once it is full of soil, meditate and reflect on the earthy goodness of the soil from the Goddess and the pot too. Mix that soil up in your hands. Smell it, feel it, cradle it in your hands. Visualize the energy traveling from your hands to the soil. Feel the energy traveling from the soil to you. I always do feel the energy of the soil. That is why I never wear gardening gloves. I love feeling the connection.
Stir the soil with a wooden spoon or your own eager hands. Loosen up any clumps and remove rocks. If you want, depending on what stage of growing your seedlings you are at, you can add fertilizer. Mix in bonemeal, bloodmeal, worm castings, coffee grounds or ground eggshells. Be sure to stir thoroughly. As you do, mix well and visualize. Direct the energy of your intention into the soil.
If you choose, you can put the seedling into the plant pot THEN fill it with the soil. After that, when you have centered the seedling into the pot, and placed it in deeper than it was before in the starter pot, add the soil. Be sure to visualize, direct the energy and feel the soil in your hands. Grow with love and you will get love. The DNA of the future plant is contained within the seed. So planting a seed truly is an act of magic!
Once the seed is planted, in a matter of days a cotyledon emerges, a tiny sprout. That sprout can grow into an oak tree, parsley or a pumpkin. Don’t crowd your seedlings – their tender roots need room to grow. I watched my Mother transplant over three dozen cherry tomato plant seedlings. Some of the starter pots contained up to five seedlings! They are all growing in their own pots now, much less crowded.
A plant is a living being with feelings. Treat the plant like that and you will be rewarded many times over with a plant happy to grow and bloom and/ or bear fruit or seeds! If it is thirsty, water it. If it droops, place it in more light. If it is crowded or rootbound, repot it. I can sense when a plant is thirsty. You can also use your hair dryer to blow for a few seconds on your plants. That signals to them that they should grow strong stems. If it is warm enough where you live, leave the window open. The wind that wafts in will help them grow!
I hope this post inspires you to get growing your own plants! Let me know in the comments below.
Winter Solstice is the time when the astrological moment when the sun reaches the Tropic of Capricorn. It’s the shortest day of the year and the first day of winter. During the solstice, the sun rises in the lowest part of the sky. It appears to remain in the same spot for a few days leading to and after this astronomical event.
After the Solstice, the days begin getting longer again. Many cultures view this day as a rebirth. The Winter Solstice occurs annually on December 21st. The Solstice celebrates the beginning of the winter season, the time of the Cailleach.
Winter solstice traditions, meaning and rituals for the shortest day of the year
The Winter Solstice is observed with celebrations at Stonehenge by Druids and PagansCredit: Alamy Live News
What is the Winter Solstice?
The shortest day falls on December 22.
It is known as the winter solstice, marking the day of the year with the fewest sunlight hours.
The solstice always falls between December 19 and 22.
Most years, it falls on the 21st in the UK, but sometimes it lands a little bit off-kilter, because it takes the Earth 365 and a quarter days to go around the sun.
This extra quarter day is why we add a day to the calendar every four years with a leap year – to stop the dates drifting gradually through the seasons.
It is worth noting that December 22 is the Winter Solstice in the northern hemisphere – those south of the equator will be marking the Summer Solstice tonight.
What is the meaning behind the Winter Solstice?
The word “solstice” comes from the Latin solstitium meaning “sun stands still”.
It refers to the point when the apparent movement of the sun’s path seems to stop briefly.
The event is one of the oldest winter celebrations, and it is still marked by a number of different cultures around the world.
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument which is carefully aligned on a sight-line that points to the winter solstice sunsetCredit: Getty – Contributor
Why is Winter Solstice so important?
Winter solstice is an important time for cultures across the globe.
Under the old Julian calendar, the winter solstice occurred on December 25.
With the introduction of the Gregorian calendar the solstice slipped to the 21st, but the Christian celebration of Jesus’s birth continued to be held on 25 December.
The day is primarily observed by Pagans and Druids who descend on Stonehenge to mark the occasion.
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in Wiltshire, which is carefully aligned on a sight-line that points to the winter solstice sunset.
Archaeologists believe it was constructed from 3000 BC to 2000 BC and it is thought that the winter solstice was actually more important to the people who constructed Stonehenge than the Summer solstice.
The winter solstice was historically a time when cattle was slaughtered (so the animals would not have to be fed during the winter) and the majority of wine and beer was finally fermented.
The only other megalithic monuments in the British Isles which clearly align with the sun are Newgrange in County Meath, Ireland and Maeshowe situated on Mainland, Orkney, Scotland.
Both monuments famously face the winter solstice sunrise.
Druids, pagans and revelers gather at Stonehenge annually to celebrate the first sunrise after the solstice Credit: Getty Images – Getty
How is the Winter Solstice celebrated in the UK?
While many associate December 21 with the solstice, in the pagan and druid communities the celebration comes the following day.
These communities will dress in traditional costumes and mark the first sunrise after the astronomical event.
What are some other Winter Solstice celebrations like?
Celebrations of the lighter days to come have been common throughout history with feasts, festivals and holidays around the December solstice celebrated by cultures across the globe.
Saturnalia:
The winter solstice festival Saturnalia began on December 17 and lasted for seven days in In Ancient Rome.
These Saturnalian banquets were held from as far back as around 217 BCE to honor Saturn, the father of the gods.
The holiday was celebrated with a sacrifice at the Temple of Saturn, in the Roman Forum, and a public banquet, followed by private gift-giving, continual partying, and a carnival atmosphere that overturned Roman social norms.
The festival was characterized as a free-for-all when all discipline and orderly behavior was ignored.
Wars were interrupted or postponed, gambling was permitted, slaves were served by their masters and all grudges and quarrels were forgotten.
It was traditional to offer gifts of imitation fruit (a symbol of fertility), dolls (symbolic of the custom of human sacrifice), and candles (reminiscent of the bonfires traditionally associated with pagan solstice celebrations).
The Saturnalia would degenerate into a week-long orgy of debauchery and crime – giving rise to the modern use of the term ‘saturnalia’, meaning a period of unrestrained license and revelry.
Saturnalia would degenerate into a week-long orgy of debauchery and crime and gave rise to the modern use of the term ‘saturnalia’, which means a period of unrestrained license and revelry.
The event is one of the oldest winter celebrations and it is marked by a number of different cultures around the world Credit: Alamy
Feast of Juul:
The Feast of Juul (where we get the term ‘Yule’ from at this time of year) was a pre-Christian (Pagan) festival observed in Scandinavia at the time of the December solstice.
People would light fires to symbolize the heat and light of the returning sun and a Juul (or Yule) log was brought in and dropped in the hearth as a tribute the Norse god Thor.
The Yule Log was often an entire tree that was carefully chosen and brought into the house with great ceremony.
The largest end of the log would be placed into the fire hearth, while the rest of the tree stuck out into the room.
The log was burned until nothing but ash remained, and this was collected and either strewn on the fields as fertilizer every night until Twelfth Night or kept as a charm and or as medicine.
A piece of the log was kept as both a token of good luck and as kindling for the following year’s log.
Yalda:
Yalda or Shab-e Chelleh (‘night of forty’) is an Iranian festival celebrated on the “longest and darkest night of the year”.
Every year, on December 21, Iranians celebrate the arrival of winter, the renewal of the sun and the victory of light over darkness.
Pomegranate, watermelon and dried nuts are served as a tradition and classic poetry and old mythologies are read in a family gathering, led by an elder member of the household.
It is believed that eating watermelons on the night of Chelleh will ensure the health and well-being of the individual during the months of summer by protecting him from falling victim to excessive heat or disease.
Santo Tomas in Guatemala:
December 21 is observed as St Thomas’s Day in the Christian calendar.
In Guatemala, this day sees Mayan Indians indulge in the ritual known as the Palo Volador, or “flying pole dance”.
Three men climb on top of a 50-foot pole as one of them beats a drum and plays a flute.
The other two men wind a rope attached to the pole around one foot and jump.
If they land on their feet, it is believed that the sun god will be pleased and that the days will start getting longer.
I hope you enjoyed this post. It’s cool to see how other cultures all celebrate the Solstice. Let me know you celebrate the longest night of the year.
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heddyjohannesen @ gmail.com
