Did you know the Ancients built Stonehenge to celebrate Sunset on the Winter Solistice?
The Winter Solstice marks the first day of winter according to the astronomical calendar, which is also the shortest day or least amount of sunlight.
The reason for the season is that the earth is tilted slightly (take a look at a globe) and this along with the orbit of the earth around the sun, as it moves away or closer to it, creates the seasons. At the orbit point of the Winter Solstice the earth is titled away from the sun.Days have been growing shorter every day since the Summer Solstice (the longest day) and will grow longer again after the point of the Winter Solstice.
The Solstice itself is not a whole day, it is just one moment – this year that time is 9.47pm, the point when the earth is tilted farthest away. We live in the northern hemisphere (the top half of the earth above the equator, the mid-point) for those in the southern hemisphere it will be their Summer Solstice.
Historically, the Solstice was used to prepare for winter, make sure enough food was preserved to last all winter. It was a time to celebrate and thank nature for what we have grown, what it has provided and to energise our gardens for next year which is why we decorate our homes/rooms and go a wassailing.
Wassailing is like carol singing to our gardens (traditionally to garden spirits/fairies, trees and farmland) because the positive vibrations from music and singing put good energy in to the soil and nature for next year’s growing season.
To celebrate Yule with your children you could set up an Altar. An altar is somewhere we put all our special things we have collected and treasured items for that month etc, and we always have one inside and outside as things found in nature will usually last longer outside and may also attract insects etc.
For Yule, you could create your own Yule log for your altar, which we then burn on the Solstice whilst making our "wishes" (or setting our intentions) for the coming month.
The Winter Solstice marks the first day of winter according to the astronomical calendar, which is also the shortest day or least amount of sunlight.
The reason for the season is that the earth is tilted slightly (take a look at a globe) and this along with the orbit of the earth around the sun, as it moves away or closer to it, creates the seasons. At the orbit point of the Winter Solstice the earth is titled away from the sun.Days have been growing shorter every day since the Summer Solstice (the longest day) and will grow longer again after the point of the Winter Solstice.
The Solstice itself is not a whole day, it is just one moment – this year that time is 9.47pm, the point when the earth is tilted farthest away. We live in the northern hemisphere (the top half of the earth above the equator, the mid-point) for those in the southern hemisphere it will be their Summer Solstice.
Historically, the Solstice was used to prepare for winter, make sure enough food was preserved to last all winter. It was a time to celebrate and thank nature for what we have grown, what it has provided and to energise our gardens for next year which is why we decorate our homes/rooms and go a wassailing.
Wassailing is like carol singing to our gardens (traditionally to garden spirits/fairies, trees and farmland) because the positive vibrations from music and singing put good energy in to the soil and nature for next year’s growing season.
To celebrate Yule with your children you could set up an Altar. An altar is somewhere we put all our special things we have collected and treasured items for that month etc, and we always have one inside and outside as things found in nature will usually last longer outside and may also attract insects etc.
For Yule, you could create your own Yule log for your altar, which we then burn on the Solstice whilst making our "wishes" (or setting our intentions) for the coming month.
Created with
