3 Ways to Welcome Winter with Warmth
Depending where you live, you may have noticed vast quantities of acorns scattering the ground. This is one of the sure signs it will be a long, cold winter. While it may already feel like winter to many of us, the official start of winter is December 21, 2019. This is the time of the Winter Solstice, the day with the shortest daylight hours, and the longest night.
Solstice comes from the Latin words sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still) as “the angle between the Sun’s rays and the plane of the Earth’s equator appears to stand still.”
Winter offers a range of activities like sledding, baking Christmas cookies, caroling, and gift giving. Here are some more ways to bring extra warmth to your winter.
Hold or attend a Solstice party.
Get festive and think outside of the box. Invite your friends, family and neighbors over for a solstice party. Make it a pot-luck where each person brings their favorite holiday dish, beverage or treat. Depending on the interests of your guests, there are plenty of activities to do. One idea is to all pitch in with decorating a wreath or have each person decorate their own. Do a guided meditation and have everyone write down their goals and resolutions for the new year on small scraps of paper, roll them up and tie them onto the wreath. It may not be the new year yet, but writing down and engaging with your goals can help you solidify your vision for the coming year.
Research a new tradition.
There are many solstice traditions out there, from ancient to modern-day practices. The Dongzhi Winter Solstice Festival, for example, is a Chinese celebration in which the whole family gets together and celebrates the past year’s victories and the increase of yang energy. It is noted that dumplings are generally eaten. Branch out and have a celebratory meal and invite others from your community. What a delightful way to celebrate winter, with dumplings!
Take time to connect with your soul.
According to the Farmer’s Almanac, “In Druidic traditions, the Winter Solstice is thought of as a time of death and rebirth when Nature’s powers and our own souls are renewed.” Find what nourishes your soul by revisiting your local library and see what grabs your imagination. If you haven’t noticed, libraries have more than just books! If you haven’t taken time for your inner child, explore a new medium like “Art Journaling” or making a “Soul Collage” where you can combine therapeutic soul searching with a creative outlet.
It’s easy to feel weighed down by the cold, wanting to stay curled up and cozy in your bed, but the world keeps turning. Maybe we can’t do as many things outside as we would like, but that only means we have to turn inwards. God is everywhere, so make the most of this pivotal time of year and reassess and connect to what matters most.