catbird – Page 4 – Wineberry Woods

18Nov 2024 by catbird No Comments

Longest Night Constellation Luminaries

I remember luminaries being a bigger deal when I was a kid than they are now-- did they go out of fashion? Is it the fire hazard angle? Regardless, I have always loved them and have been pondering a luminary project for awhile now. First off, if you weren't born in the 80s you may not even know what a luminary is. It's just a paper bag, usually a whole row of paper bags, lining a walkway or a driveway or something, that has sand or clean kitty litter in it to weight it down and a candle. Yes people probably still use real candles in paper bags, but I am 100% LED myself, doesn't seem like there is any good reason to tempt fate there. I decided to do…

14Nov 2024 by catbird 1 Comment

Mother’s Night Bath Bombs

Bath & Body, Winter Solstice

Treat yo'self! This is one of the most cliche parts of self-care for moms, but honestly it's a cliche for a good reason. So rather than fighting it, I decided to lean it and make some Mother's Night bath bombs. So take a fancy bath, read a book or do whatever brings you a little joy this holiday season. These also make great gifts for other stressed out moms. To make it even easier you could just add the herbs to some epsom salt and make bath salts without the bomb or the drying time. A little more about the ingredients: evergreen is a powerful symbol of long life and the Winter Solstice season. Rose reminds us to practice self love. Chamomile grants patience, wisdom and long life. Linden soothes and…

13Nov 2024 by catbird 2 Comments

Jolabokaflod

Winter, Winter Solstice

A few years ago pinterest was flooded with adorable memes about Jolabokaflod, otherwise knwn as the Icelandic Book Flood. As we Americans tend to do, this beautiful tradition has been distilled down into a soundbite so dug in and spent some time researching what Jolabokaflod is all about. It is indeed a flood of books that are all published around the holidays, that people exchange with friends and family, but the rationale behind it is kind of beautiful. Icelandic is not a widely spoken language, so less books are printed in the language. As an english speaker, this isn't something I had ever really thought about before. Whole languages could disappear because they aren't profitable. So the publishing companies in Iceland decided to make the release of their new titles…

13Nov 2024 by catbird 1 Comment

A Modern & Magical Mother’s Night

Craft Project, Mother's Night, Recipes, Winter Solstice

Mother’s Night or Mōdraniht is a lesser known holiday shrouded in mystery. Different people celebrate it on different dates. Some mark it as one of the twelve days of Yule, and there is some historical evidence that it was once celebrated this time of year, however there is only one direct mention of it in scholarship and it is exceedingly brief. It comes from the historian Bede who was an English monk and historian living in the early middle ages. Historians at that time did not, of course, remain impartial and his accounts, particularly of pagan customs, are often viewed through the lens of his occupation. All of that said, there is no reason to disbelieve his account of Mother’s Night, and there are some corroborating references that, while they…

13Nov 2024 by catbird 3 Comments

Candlelit Winter Solstice Fireplace Picnic

Recipes, Winter Solstice

Every Winter Solstice my family turns off all the lights in the evening, lights a fire in the fireplace, lights a million candles, spreads a blanket in front of the fireplace and has a special dinner on the living room floor. Not only is it a lovely way to celebrate the darkest night, but it’s also a great opportunity to turn off electronics and lights and just enjoy each other’s company. We do this every year, no matter what else we do (or don't do.) The kids think it’s hysterical to walk around the house with a lantern and it’s an incredibly relaxing night in a busy stressful season. We always have Swedish meatballs (which are referred to as ikea meatballs in my house... ) with mashed potatoes, green beans…

13Nov 2024 by catbird No Comments

Magical Winter Solstice Rituals & Traditions

Folklore, Winter, Winter Solstice

The Winter Solstice is the day that the earth is tilted the furthest away from the sun and consequently has more hours of darkness and less hours of light than any other day of the year. Every day after the Winter Solstice there is gradually a little more light until the Summer Solstice. Ancient people thought that the sun was dying and being reborn on this day. The Winter Solstice most often falls on December 21st and has long been a day of celebration. In fact, it was a whole season of celebration in ancient times. The sun is at its lowest point in the sky on the Winter Solstice and shadows become stretched out and longer than usual. The word solstice comes from the Latin, sol means sun and stitium…

13Nov 2024 by catbird 2 Comments

Winter Solstice Jokes for Kids!

Winter, Winter Solstice

The world needs more bad, punny Winter Solstice Jokes! Can you think of any to add? Leave them in the comments! Why was the snowman digging through a bag of carrots? He was picking his nose. What is the Winter Solstice's favorite song? "Here Comes the Sun" Why was the kid obsessed with the moon on the Winter Solstice? It's just a phase. How do mountains stay warm in the winter? They put on their snowcaps. What do you call a bear who is too hungry to hibernate? It has insom-nom-nom-nom-nia. What does Jack Frost like to eat for breakfast? Frosted flakes. What did the planets say to the sun on the Winter Solstice? We'd be in a dark place without you! What is a snowy owl's favorite subject in…

03Nov 2024 by catbird 2 Comments

2024 Winter Solstice Picture Book Countdown

Picture Book Buds, Winter, Winter Solstice

You might know that every year I make a Winter Solstice Countdown calendar full of crafts, activities, and recipes. This year I wanted to add picture books to each day to make things even more festive! These books correspond to the activities in the main countdown calendar, so you can read them along with the calendar or just read a book each day if that's more your speed. Happy Solstice! December 1, 2024 Share Some Kindness, Bring Some Light by: Apryl Stott December 2, 2024 Hiders Seekers Finders Keepers: How Animals Adapt in Winterby: Jessica Kulekjian December 3, 2024 Wintercake: A Winter and Holiday Book for Kids by Lynne Rae Perkins December 4, 2024 Grandmother Winterby: Phyllis Root December 5, 2024 A Cozy Winter Dayby: Eliza Wheeler December 6, 2024 Winter Is…

31Oct 2024 by catbird No Comments

What is Samhain?

Autumn, Folklore, Learning, Samhain

Samhain is a celebration halfway between the Autumn Equinox (the official start of fall) and the Winter Solstice (the official start of winter). It is observed on November 1st, although the technical astronomical midpoint varies slightly. It is what is known as a “cross quarter” day on the Wheel of the Year. These days are seasonal midpoints in between the “quarters” or solstices/ equinoxes. This celebration can be known as Halloween, All Souls Day, Dia de la Muertos or Samhain. It is the end of the harvest season and begins the darker half of the Wheel of the Year. It is the last harvest of any remaining food before the killing frost sets in, but it’s also the time to harvest seed for next year. For our ancestors this time…

28Oct 2024 by catbird 11 Comments

2024 Winter Solstice Countdown Calendar

Play, Recipes, Winter, Winter Solstice

Countdown to the Winter Solstice with activities, recipes and crafts. Come back each day for a new surprise! The doors won’t open until the correct day (So 1 opens on December 1st, on December 5th you’ll be able to open 1-5, etc.) The calendar includes a new exclusive excerpt from my Winter Solstice book that will only be available through this calendar and only in December 2024. It also includes four guest blogs from other talented makers! This calendar is now closed. Look for a new calendar in November 2025!! Click Here for the materials list– there are some spoilers here, but I tried my best to give you the info you needed without giving away all the surprises! Click Here for the accompanying Picture Book Countdown. Happy Winter Solstice!

Author: catbird