10 Special Ways to Celebrate the Winter Solstice Around the World

The Winter Solstice, Thursday, December 21, celebrates the shortest day of the year and marks the beginning of the winter. Celebrate Winter Solstice festival traditions closer to home with these crafts and activities from around the world.

Scandinavia: St. Lucia Day

St. Lucia Day marks the season with a procession of young women in white robes, red sashes and wreaths of candles on their heads, lighting the way through the darkness of winter. Honoring St. Lucy, this festival incorporated pagan winter solstice celebrations marked by bonfires. Gingersnaps, saffron-flavored buns and glögg are also traditionally served.

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United States:

Soyal

In the Southwestern United States, Native American groups, most notably the Hopi, observe a mid-winter celebration called Soyal. This 16-day ceremony includes a variety of events, and most of them mark the beginning of a new year as the sun returns to the world. During the winter solstice, it was believed that the sun god was furthest from the tribe. The Kachinas and other warriors from the tribe would dance to entice him back, and these activities are still part of Soyal celebrations today.

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England: Winter Sunrise

The ancient circle of Stonehenge lines up with the movements of the sun making modern revelers rejoice every winter solstice by gathering at dawn on December 21. It is magical to witness the sun rising through the stones.

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China: Dōngzhì

This end of the harvest season festival is celebrated with family gatherings and a big meal, including rice balls called tang yuan. In some parts of China, dumplings are another popular Dōngzhì food. Some families will also visit their ancestral temples to worship, creating even more of a ‘reunion’ on Dōngzhì.

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Iran: Shab-e Yaldā

This ancient Persian festival celebrates the end of shorter days and the victory of light over darkness. Meaning “birth,” Yalda is marked by family gatherings, candles, poetry readings, and a feast to get through the longest night of the year. Nuts and fruits, including watermelon and pomegranates, are traditionally eaten—legend has it that eating the fruits of summer will protect you from illness in winter. Many people celebrate Yaldā night with family and friends, celebrating the passage of the darkest day of the year.

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Vancouver: Lantern Festival

Vancouver’s Secret Lantern Society holds workshops to create lanterns for a night of the solstice processions march throughout the city, culminating in fire performances and a Labyrinth of Light maze of 600 candles that invites visitors to let go of old thoughts and find new possibilities for the coming year.

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Japan: Tōji

The winter solstice in Japan, called Toji, has a few interesting customs associated with it. Traditionally, a winter squash called kabocha is eaten, one of only a few crops that would have been available. A hot bath with yuzu citrus fruits is believed to refresh body and spirit, ward off illness, as well as soothe dry winter skin. And apparently, rodents called capybaras love yuzu baths as well—it’s become popular for Japanese zoos to throw the fruit into the warm waters the animals soak in on the winter solstice.

Activity: Take a yuzu bath. Simply run a hot bath and add yuzu (whole or cut) to release their aroma. It is said to guard against colds, treat the roughness of skin, warm the body, and relax the mind.

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Guatemala: Fiesta de Santo Tomás

The most famous festival in Chichi is marked with brightly colored traditional costumes, parades, fireworks and music honoring the town’s patron saint where colorful masked dancers perform.

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Ireland:

Yule

Some Wicca also celebrate Yule with private ceremonies at home or with their covens. Most of us celebrate the modern, Christianized interpretation of Yule when we celebrate Christmas! Even the Yule log many people burn has its roots in celebrations of Yule, giving heat against the winter cold.

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California’s Mission Churches: Illuminations

At dawn on the winter solstice, people gather at the churches to witness sunbeam penetrating the church’s front window to bathe the altar and the sacred objects in light.

LOCAL EVENTS

Just have fun what ever you decide to do to celebrate the shortest day of the year! Start planning now and Happy Winter Solstice!