Connecting with Nature on the Winter Solstice: Pagan Celebrations

The winter solstice, also known as Yule, is a significant occasion in pagan tradition. It is a time to honor the changing of seasons and the rebirth of the sun. This celebration typically takes place around December 21st, marking the shortest day and longest night of the year. One way to honor the winter solstice is by lighting candles. Candles represent light and warmth, symbolizing the return of the sun. Many pagans light a special candle on solstice eve and keep it burning throughout the night.

Step 1. Use a pair of scissors (not your fabric ones!) to cut off the back portion behind the handle of the plastic cauldron. Be careful and go slowly, as there may be cracks along the way. Don’t worry, though—the crack filler will cover them up!

They had two skeleton witches, one of which was playing the drums with music playing and the other standing there moving around upper body, was otherwise in place. chienfou We usually set up a row of them on the porch rail on Halloween; as trick or treaters walk up they trip them in sequence so they do a lot of cackling.

Many pagans light a special candle on solstice eve and keep it burning throughout the night. This act signifies the hope for the sun's return and the lengthening of days. Another common tradition is to create a Yule log.

A Mediocre Halloween special at Dollar Tree

Mediocre (though not yet cracked) flasks in stock at Dollar Tree in the Halloween section (get there now, buy it before its gone).

Also new cackling witches and skulls/ghosts that moan out Happy Halloween. This year they do NOT come with built in batteries; you need to provide your own but the upside is the battery case and switch is much nicer than previous years and you CAN replace the batteries without breaking the figures apart…

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@chienfou We usually set up a row of them on the porch rail on Halloween; as trick or treaters walk up they trip them in sequence so they do a lot of cackling. Sorry, no bananas

@duodec
I was just in a dollar tree (not my dollar tree though) yesterday and we didn’t have Halloween stuff up yet actually happy bc it still summer and I want to enjoy it.

@duodec @Star2236 Around here, you’d have trouble getting the candy out to the car before it melted into a solid mass - and if you didn’t bring a cooler and some ice packs, the heat inside the car will finish the job anyway.

Needs a banana for scale!

@tinamarie1974 Did you see what Costco has.
My favorites are the pumpkin lights, but they’re expensive. (Not as $$ as the ghoul, though!)
https://www.costco.com/halloween.html

@tinamarie1974 I’m a little unhappy about it; stuff sells out and now I’m having to buy 3 months ahead to make sure I have it. Dollar Tree may or may not restock any particular item. The motion sensing witches and skulls are already half gone at the closest store.

@Kyeh @tinamarie1974
Bandit on the other hand would leave a trail of tiny holes as he climbed up to get to his face.

@chienfou @Kyeh Charlie would be terrified, as would my niece. But it is pretty cool. Still trying to figure out what this years costume will be. Niece recently discovered Kiss and she is in love! Wants the two of us to dress up as them. I really hope she changes her mind between now and October. Not that I dont love Kiss, I just dont want to be Paul Stanley.

@duodec @tinamarie1974
I agree way too early for Halloween stuff. And most of the time with dollar tree when an item is gone it’s gone so you have to get it now.

@duodec @Star2236 @tinamarie1974 I only accept the Christmas stuff I see in August when it’s in the craft store. People need time to make their cards, decorations, etc., so putting the supplies out now makes sense. Halloween stuff should stay in their boxes until mid-September.

@sammydog01 Maybe you can develop an adaptor that takes them and wire that in. Between yours and what others have I am sure you could keep it going all season.

@sammydog01 The new ones this year all seem to use a pair of AAA batteries. The previous year ones that you had to break open to replace batteries, sorry I don’t remember the battery number but they were button cells, not ‘coin’ type.

@duodec I have an unreasonable number of AAA batteries from Woot events. I hope I can find a witch in stock.

@duodec I’m stealing your idea about lining the front walk but it will mostly be with orange lanterns that stay lit and don’t scare the kids. I checked and I have two unopened boxes of 36 AAA’s I got at Woot because they were cheap and I’ll probably use them someday? AND I AM!

@sammydog01 Huzzah! FWIW the little ones were not scared, more fascinated by the witches, But last year the ghosts didn’t growl Happy Halloween, they did a kiddy-voice “Trick or treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat”. The witch’s cackling has stayed the same for at least the last 2 years.

@sammydog01 We also got a mister (amazon has them) with different color LEDs that runs off a USB power supply; its meant for tabletop water displays. Put that in a halloween store black kettle filled with black and dark purple/blue glass stones then top with water, so in the corner of our porch there’s a cauldron that glows and has steam flooding off it and onto the ground. It puts out enough mist to visibly travel a foot or so from the kettle and it gives a cold clammy feeling if you get your hand in the mist. That one gets attention. Wish we could easily get 120v power to that corner; I’d put a more powerful one in a larger cauldron. No need for those fogger fluid boxes that you need for larger spaces.

@duodec I have a little mister in a plastic cauldron. It’s one thing that makes it out every year. I love the glass stones idea, I bet I can get some at the craft store. Foggers didn’t work that well for me and were a pain in the ass, especially the bubble fogger that I had high hopes for.

@sammydog01 I saw mist cauldrons, scary doorbells, and snack holders that look like scalped skulls held up by bony hands (in multiple colors) today, many of them in the plus aisle (which is $3 - $5) Also some interesting candles, I’ll try to post pics. The ribcage is also a candle, and there are flask candles behind them that I just noticed.

@sammydog01 The mist cauldron is wimpy. It works but the mist is thin and faint, would only work in a dark area where the LEDs in the cauldron are the only light. I’m going to stick to a pond mister.

I was at Lowes yesterday. They had two skeleton witches, one of which was playing the drums (with music playing) and the other standing there moving around (upper body, was otherwise in place). A bit bigger than human sized tall. No idea if they were for sale or just obscenely early decorations.

Dollar Tree is going to bankrupt me a buck and a quarter at a time. (Love the flowers with eyeballs.)

@sammydog01 There is a shoe company on Amazon that has a mid-heel printed with flowers with eyes, and if I were bold enough to order heels online I’d have had them for months by now.

The Yule log is a large piece of wood, often decorated with greenery and other natural elements. It is then burned in a ceremonial fire to symbolize the release of the old and welcoming of the new. Families and communities gather around the fire, offering prayers and intentions for the coming year. Feasting is also an important part of celebrating the winter solstice. Pagan traditions often include a grand feast with family and friends. Traditional foods, such as roast meats, root vegetables, and spiced drinks, are enjoyed to commemorate the abundance of the season and to give thanks for the nourishment provided by the earth. In addition to these practices, many pagans use the winter solstice as a time for reflection and introspection. It is seen as an opportunity to let go of what no longer serves us and to set intentions for personal growth and positive change. Meditative practices, such as journaling, are commonly utilized during this time to facilitate self-reflection. Overall, honoring the winter solstice in pagan tradition involves embracing the darkness of the season and celebrating the return of the light. It is a time to connect with nature, express gratitude, and set intentions for the coming year. Whether through candle lighting, Yule log burning, feasting, or personal reflection, pagans find various ways to honor this sacred time of year..

Reviews for "Harnessing the Power of the Winter Solstice: Pagan Rituals and Beliefs"

1. Sarah - 2 stars - I was really excited to learn more about honoring the winter solstice in pagan tradition, but this book fell flat for me. The author seemed to be more focused on explaining the history of paganism rather than providing practical tips and rituals. I was hoping for more hands-on guidance on how to celebrate the solstice, but I found myself getting lost in the lengthy explanations and historical context. Overall, I was disappointed with the lack of practicality in this book.

2. Mark - 1 star - As someone who was looking for a step-by-step guide on how to celebrate the winter solstice in pagan tradition, this book did not meet my expectations at all. The instructions provided were vague and not detailed enough for a beginner like myself. Additionally, the author constantly went off on tangents about unrelated topics, which made it difficult to follow the main theme of the book. I would not recommend this book to anyone who is looking for practical advice on honoring the winter solstice in a pagan way.

3. Emily - 2 stars - I found "How to honor the winter solstice in pagan tradition" to be quite disappointing. The author seemed more concerned with promoting their personal beliefs and opinions rather than providing objective information or guidance. It felt more like a manifesto than a practical guide. I was hoping for more concrete rituals and traditions to incorporate into my own solstice celebration, but instead, I found myself wading through pages of philosophical ramblings. Unfortunately, this book did not meet my expectations.

Elevating Spirits: How Pagans Mark the Winter Solstice