Winter – Page 3 – Wineberry Woods

13Nov 2024 by catbird 2 Comments

Jolabokaflod

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 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…

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!

16May 2024 by catbird No Comments

“Mother Holle”

Craft Project, Folklore, Learning, Midwinter, Picture Book Buds, Recipes, Winter

Picture Book Buds are a fun and easy way to incorporate literacy into nature study. Read a book (you can even read it outside!) and then enjoy the related activity and snack suggestions! Mother Holle Written by: The Grimm Brothers & Illustrated by: John Stewig Mother Holle is a classic Grimm’s fairytale in which a mistreated step sister falls down a magical well to a fairy realm where she is rewarded for being kind to Mother Holle with gold. (There is of course also a “bad” sister who does everything wrong and is punished in proper Grimm fashion.) The moral of the story is that “industrious children are rewarded and lazy children are punished” although I like to view it in a more modern sense- that kindness is rewarded. Mother Holle…

28Jan 2024 by catbird No Comments

Hibernating Bear Countdown Clock

Craft Project, Folklore, Midwinter, Nature Art, Winter

A few years ago I read about a folktale in passing that completely captivated me. It said that bears hibernating in their dens turn over on Midwinter. I spent years trying to track down this folktale, and finally determined it is a Norwegian story. I still haven't found a text, but I have done a ton of research and written my own retelling. (More on that later) In Celtic tradition this time of year is called Imbolc and in that climate people are starting to see signs of spring. In many other parts of the world, mine included, Midwinter is the dead of winter with the worst still to come. I like to call this holiday Midwinter, not just because it is the secular names, but because it is so…

28Jan 2024 by catbird 1 Comment

What is Midwinter?

Craft Project, Folklore, Midwinter, Winter

Midwinter is a celebration halfway between the Winter Solstice (the official start of winter) and the Spring Equinox (the official start of spring.) It is a time that straddles between winter and spring. The date changes slightly from year to year, but is generally on or around February 2nd. 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 in the dead of winter is about looking forward to spring, and while it often doesn’t feel that way, the days are steadily getting longer and brighter and the earth is slowly waking up from its slumber. Deep underground seeds are just beginning to think about stirring. Sap is starting to…

28Jan 2024 by catbird 1 Comment

Brigid Weaving

Craft Project, Midwinter, Nature Collection, Winter

Brigid's crosses are a traditional thing to make this time of year in Ireland and the UK. They are part of the observance of Imbolc which is one of the many names and traditions surrounding Midwinter. I have never really gotten very into these because crosses aren't my thing, but upon further research they almost certainly predate the cross as a Christian symbol and were just repurposed by the church when the goddess Brigid became a saint. Most people recognize the four armed version, but there are literally hundreds of different ways to make these little weavings, many of which are hyper local to specific areas and towns. Most frequently they are made with rushes or straw, but the material used can also change depending on the area. I like…

25Jan 2024 by catbird 1 Comment

Frost Moon Sun Catcher

Craft Project, Frost Moon, Full Moon, Play, Winter

This sun catcher uses the exact same solution as my frost paint, but creates a thick layer in a clear lid instead of a thin layer on a piece of paper. It's extremely simple to make, but will take several days to dry out completely. It is a super saturated salt solution which will grown into crystalline feathers as the water evaporates. Because it's trapped in a plastic lid instead of expose to the air on your paper it will take longer. It’s fairly unpredictable and it’s best to embrace that and enjoy the process. The way the crystal grow is similar to the way frost forms! Materials: 1/2 cup epsom salt 1/2 cup water jar with a lid a clear plastic lid watercolor (optional) Method: Put the epsom salt…

Category: Winter