When the Sun Pauses: 10 Ways to Honor the Winter Solstice

The Winter Solstice marks the longest night of the year, a sacred pause when the world seems to hold its breath. Outside, the land rests beneath darkness and cold; inside, we are invited to do the same. This is not a season of rushing or striving, but of slowing down, tending the hearth, and remembering that even in the deepest dark, the light has already begun its return.

For generations, people have gathered at this turning point to light candles, share food, tell stories, and honor the quiet magic of winter. Celebrating the solstice doesn’t have to be elaborate or ceremonial—it can be as simple as noticing the night, brewing a pot of warming tea, or setting an intention for the cycle ahead. In this gentle threshold between endings and beginnings, we are reminded that rest is part of growth, and that every seed of renewal is planted in darkness.

People have been celebrating the return of light after the winter solstice (from the word sol = sun and stare = stand), falling on December 25 (Julian calendar) and later December 21 (Gregorian calendar). The sun was the source of sustenance for both humans and animals, and its waning power and lengthening nights made prehistoric people afraid. Therefore, they tried to call it back by all possible means, especially by lighting fires, so typical for the winter solstice. The solstice log was supposed to burn for twelve days, but it was not allowed to burn completely - left over carbon ignited the next year's log.

At this time, the Egyptians celebrated the birth of the god Horus, the son of Osiris, and the Greeks the birth of the goddess Demeter.

The Romans celebrated the birth of Mithras, a god with Persian roots who brings light. They also celebrated Saturnalia, feasts of gluttony and drinking, when the difference between the rich and the poor was erased, the rich even served beggars at table, and there were also crazy parties and giving gifts of candles and cakes.

The Germanic peoples celebrated the so-called Yule. During the winter solstice, the god Odin always went on a wild ride with his band of warriors on his eight-legged horse to reward the good-hearted and punish the bad. The dead and the living thus celebrated at one table.

During the war against pagans, the Christian potentates agreed that instead of abolishing the holidays, they would simply adapt them. Christ represented the birth of light and the holy family a dream ideal, a kind of archetype of a loving family living in humility and obedience. The three kings represent the three stages of human life (the old Melchior, the bearded Balthasar and the young Caspar) and their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh have their own symbolism (gold for the king, frankincense divine origin and myrrh a sign that he must die).

Nowadays, ancient customs such as lighting fires, rituals at sunrise or building so-called cairns (as on the pic below) are starting to revive again. At the same time, it is necessary to pause and evaluate the past year. Whatever happened, know that darkness and death precede rebirth. The wheel keeps turning.

Here are 10 meaningful and cozy ideas for a Winter Solstice/Yule celebration, blending nature, reflection, and quiet magic.

1. Candlelight Returning-Sun Ritual
   Light candles one by one as the sun sets, each representing something you wish to nourish as the light slowly returns—health, creativity, resilience, or peace.

2. Evergreen & Herbal Decorating Night
   Create natural decorations using pine, fir, rosemary, bay, dried oranges, cinnamon, and cloves. Talk about the symbolism of evergreens as life that persists through winter.

3. Solstice Fire or Hearth Gathering
   If possible, light a fire (outdoor fire bowl, fireplace, or candle hearth). Write down what you’re ready to release and safely burn it, making space for the new cycle.

4. Quiet Reflection & Journaling Ceremony
   Offer prompts like: What did this year teach me? What inner light carried me through the dark? What seed am I planting now?

5. Herbal Winter Tea Ritual
   Share a warming tea (ginger, cinnamon, rosehips, elderberry, chamomile). Invite everyone to set an intention while holding their cup.

6. Solstice Feast with Seasonal Foods
   Prepare a simple meal featuring root vegetables, grains, stews, and baked apples. Pause before eating to acknowledge the earth’s rest and abundance.

7. Sun Wheel or Yule Wheel Craft
   Create a sun wheel from straw, twigs, or paper, marking the turning of the year. This can be especially lovely with children.

8. Night Walk & Star Watching
   Take a quiet walk after dark. Notice the stillness, the stars, and the long night. Honor the darkness as a place of rest, not fear.

9. Storytelling of Light in the Dark
   Share myths, folktales, or personal stories about resilience, rebirth, or hope—especially stories tied to winter, ancestors, or the land.

10. Planting a Solstice Seed (Literal or Symbolic)
    Plant a seed indoors or write intentions on paper and place them in soil. Tend them slowly over winter as a reminder that growth begins unseen.

Have a beautiful Solstice celebration!