We have all heard that proverb “it’s always darkest before the dawn,” and that is never truer than on the Winter Solstice. Celebrate the Solstice and the return of sun’s light with these simple ideas.

The Winter Solstice is an astronomical phenomenon resulting from the Earth’s tilt away from the sun that marks the shortest day and the longest night of the year. In the Northern Hemisphere, the Winter Solstice occurs on December 21st each year.

While during this time of year many of us are caught up in the preparations for the various winter holidays, it’s important to remember that the celebration of the Winter Solstice is the original winter holiday. Many of the world’s cultural and religious traditions incorporated the marking of the Winter Solstice in one way or another into their celebration. To humans, both past and present, it’s been only natural to mark the day on which things seem the bleakest and darkest and to herald a return of the light. The Winter Solstice is a reminder of the awesome power of the natural world and a chance for us all to feel awed in the face of that power.

No matter your current status–whether secular, religious, or culturally religious–the Solstice is a time to reflect on the past and look forward to the future. It is a time to unwind, de-stress, be joyful, and to appreciate the remarkable beauty that the natural world has to offer.

While some cultural and religious traditions do celebrate the Solstice in a more official capacity, you can do whatever the hell you want to mark the occasion. We offer up some suggestions, though, in case you are overwhelmed by the busy demands of the season.

6 Perfectly Lovely Ideas for Celebrating the Winter Solstice

1. Make a point to catch the Solstice sunrise and/or sunset. Not only is the rising and setting sun a stunning sight to behold during December, but watching the setting and rising sun is wonderful way to reconnect with nature.

2. Plan a bonfire. Whether you can pull off a massive bonfire or just a small backyard chiminea fire, it makes no matter. Communing with family and friends around a fire in the middle of winter is an ideal way to relax and to mark the long Solstice night.

3. Take a hike in the woods. Honor the Solstice and yourself by taking a walk in the woods. Walking in nature is the perfect time and place to reflect back on your year and to plan for the future.

4. Drink mulled wine. There is no explanation needed for this suggestion. Mulled wine is just a good idea on any cold winter’s night. It’s as simple as that. On the other hand, if you are avoiding alcohol, hot spiced cider will also do the trick.

5. Throw a dinner party–by candlelight. Honor the longest night of the year by having friends over for a meal by candlelight. Candlelight provides for an enjoyable atmosphere by which to mingle with friends and it also helps to draw attention to the darkness and lightness theme for the day.

6. Make a big pot of soup. Nourish yourself and loved ones by making a hearty pot of soup. Making and eating soup with friends is a great way to feed yourself both inside and out. And what a wonderful way to honor the day!

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Decide to slow down, simplify, and actually enjoy the holiday season this year.

Somewhere along the way, how we celebrate the season has gotten out of hand. Back in the day, when my grandparents were still with us, the holiday was so much simpler. There was a tree, a great holiday meal, and the children of the family got a few gifts. Sure, there was a little more to it than that, but whatever was done was simple, enjoyable, and not about spending money. The emphasis was on having experiences. Adults didn’t exchange gifts for the most part; there were no holiday cruises to the Caribbean; baking was done, but there wasn’t the expectation that cookies had to be gifted to everyone including the teacher, mail carrier, bank teller, and every neighbor within a one-mile radius. The holidays were just simpler.

There is something to be said about getting back to that way of thinking of celebrating the holiday season without all the fuss, rush, and mass-consumerism. Instead, we can all make a conscious effort to buy less (and gift less, because most of us do not need more stuff) and spend more time with our families creating good memories–not memories of standing in line for stuff at the mall.

Need a little inspiration for how to slow down and ‘smell the mistletoe’ this holiday season? Here are some simple ideas for experiencing the joy of the season without all the stress.

11 Inspiring Ideas for Enjoying the Holiday Season

1. Make hot chocolate–from scratch. It’s super simple, and it tastes so much better than that powdered mix in a packet. You can find a recipe for a vegan version here.
2. Go ice skating! Instead of buying your kids the latest video game, take them ice skating. When was the last time you ice skated?
3. If you enjoy being crafty, make homemade gifts. Everyone appreciates a jar of handmade applesauce or homemade snowglobes!
4. If you are committed to shopping this season, participate in the Adopt-A-Program and buy gifts for a family who needs them.
5. Instead of rushing around in the evenings buying presents, spend the time opening the advent calendar and reading holiday season stories with your kids.
6. Create holiday memories by visiting a historic house museum all decorated for the holiday season with your extended family. Better yet, buy everyone a membership and support your favorite local museum.
7. Take a trip to a local sustainable Christmas tree farm to pick out a tree with your family. It’s much more environmentally-friendly and so much more fun than picking one up at the big box home improvement store.
8. Make homemade eggnog, Christmas punch, mulled wine, or some other tasty adult beverage to serve on Christmas day.
9. Give up gifting completely (at least for adults). My husband and I no longer buy gifts for adults. Instead, we donate the money we would have spent to a local food bank or shelter.
10. Only decorate if you enjoy it. Some years I forgo the tree and all the trimmings, and other years I go all out. I don’t feel obligated to decorate, and that means I thoroughly enjoy when I do it.
11. When I do shop (strictly for kids only), I try to buy local. I seek out small independent book shops, go to artisan fairs and the like. I find I actually enjoy the experience of holiday season shopping that way!

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Image: Father and Son Play via Shutterstock

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