winter solstice activities – Page 2

13Nov 2024 by catbird No Comments

Magical Winter Solstice Rituals & Traditions

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…

03Nov 2024 by catbird 1 Comment

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! Click on the image below to go to the calendar!! (This will take you to a new window) Click once to open the door and click a second time to open the tutorial. 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…

30Oct 2023 by catbird No Comments

Cinnamon Birds

Craft Project, Winter, Winter Solstice

These are a classic holiday craft-- I remember making them as a kid and I now make them with my kids. I love the birds strung on a garland and paired with dried orange slices, they look and smell amazing. They are also super easy to make with kids and are basically play dough until you dry them. Use cheap bulk cinnamon for these not the nice stiff you use in baking. This is a rare case of quantity over quality. When I made these as a kid I always added glue, and I do think it makes them a little sturdier, but they work fine without it and leaving it out makes them compostable which is nice. You can paint or decorate these but I never do because I…

30Oct 2022 by catbird No Comments

Yule Tea– Guest Blogger!

Recipes, Winter, Winter Solstice

A huge thank you to Anna Reisz for today's guest post!! Check out her beautiful site The Herbology Faerie and her IG feed here. She is sharing her recipe for Winter Solstice Tea with us-- take it away Anna! The last festival on the wheel of the year, Yule, takes place on the winter solstice. This marks what is also called the Longest Night, when the hours of darkness exceed the light. We feel drawn to twinkle lights, candles, cozy fires, and warming festive spices to help keep the darkness at bay and remind ourselves that the warmth of the sun will cycle back as it does each turn of the Earth. Celebrate this occasion with Yule Tea, a cozy and warming mix of rooibos, cacao nibs, orange peel, cinnamon,…

28Oct 2022 by catbird No Comments

Hand Rolled Herbal Beeswax Candles– Guest Blogger!

Craft Project, Winter, Winter Solstice

A huge thank you to Harmonie O'Loughlin for today's guest post!! Check out her beautiful sites Flora's Feast Botanicals and Plant Wonder Collective and her IG feed here. She is sharing her hand rolled herbal beeswax candles with us-- take it away Harmonie! Making DIY rolled beeswax candles is astonishingly simple and has both a functional and beautiful outcome. It is a satisfying craft project for adults and kids alike. Keep your hands busy while enjoying teatime with friends. Encourage fine motor skills in children. Savor the honey sweet scent of the beeswax and the aromatic notes of crushed herbs. What are rolled beeswax candles? Rather than melting beeswax and pouring it in a vessel, you roll sheets of beeswax to make tapers. The sheets look similar to the beeswax…

28Oct 2022 by catbird No Comments

Risgrøt: A Yule Tradition That Warms the Soul– Guest Blogger!

Folklore, Recipes, Winter, Winter Solstice

A huge thank you to Jenn Campus for today's guest post!! Check out her beautiful site Old Ways for Modern Days and her IG feed here. She is sharing her recipe for Risgrøt with us-- take it away Jenn! Ah, Risgrøt – creamy, comforting, and wonderfully traditional! This Norwegian rice porridge has become a staple in our family's Yule celebrations ever since my first snowy winter in Norway. Back then, as an exchange student, I had no idea this dish would burrow its way into my heart (and stomach), becoming a must-have every year when the days are shortest. Whether you're in for some ancestral vibes or simply craving something hearty with a hint of sweetness, this recipe will surely please. A Little History About Risgrøt Risgrøt is a dish with deep roots…

28Oct 2022 by catbird No Comments

Brown Butter Fennel Cookies– Guest Blogger!

Recipes, Winter, Winter Solstice

A huge thank you to Summer Crosby Hennessy for today's guest post!! Check out her beautiful shop Acorn Moon Mercantile and her IG feed here. She is sharing her recipe for Brown Butter Fennel Cookies with us-- take it away Summer! These are dense, chewy, decadent, not even kidding around, brown buttery avalanche of yum in your mouth, with just a slight holiday spice vibe. Fennel is a favorite of mine, but truthfully, I consistently forget about it until it’s put in front of my face and then I just gobble it all up and think about it for a week. Fennel is traditionally used in banishing spells and rituals. It keeps away negativity and ill will. I read that sprinkling Fennel seeds in doorways and windowsills will protect the home…

Tag: winter solstice activities