2024 Winter Solstice Countdown Calendar

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…
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Magic Crystal Geode Lanterns

Magic Crystal Geode Lanterns

Craft Project, Winter, Winter Solstice
Fall and winter are prime lantern time, and I am constantly thinking of different ways to make lanterns this time of year. It feels like it suddenly gets dark at 4 or 5 pm so the desire for more light is almost instinctive I think. Winter and Winter Solstice seem like the perfect time for sparkly magical lanterns, and they have serious snow queen vibes. It was really hard to capture the extreme sparkliness in photos, so I did my best, but these are way more sparkly in person. This is actually a pretty simple craft, but will need too cool overnight and dry out for at least another day.These little lanterns are perfect for a Winter Solstice lantern walk or party! Magic Crystal Geode Lanterns I’ve always loved making…
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Fun Winter Solstice Craft Ideas for Kids

Fun Winter Solstice Craft Ideas for Kids

Craft Project, Nature Art, Nature Collection, Winter, Winter Solstice
Looking for fun crafts to do with (or without...) kids for the Winter Solstice? Click the text next to the images for the tutorials. Save for later! Lanterns & Light Crafts: Make a star shaped Winter Solstice lantern to light the longest night! Craft these simple snowy tree lanterns from a recycled jar and some unexpected evergreen plants. Geode Lanterns Make ice lanterns with natural materials! Orange Pomander candles are the perfect way to decorate a winter nature table Ornaments & Decorations: Make Winter Solstice Tree & sun ornaments with a golden sun tree topper Make beautiful spice mosaic ornaments Craft some stars from twigs Make some woodsy mushroom ornaments Craft dried orange garlands to decorate your home Decorate your windows with lovely stars that also diffuse scent Gifts &…
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The Best Winter Solstice Party Ideas

The Best Winter Solstice Party Ideas

Craft Project, Nature Collection, Play, Recipes, Winter, Winter Solstice
We love to celebrate the changing of the seasons and the longest night! Looking for some fun and easy ways to celebrate with friends and family? Check out some of our favorite parties and celebrations! Fun for all ages! Winter Solstice Bonfire Party A warm bonfire is always welcome on a cold winter day and the perfect way to have fun with friends outside for the Winter Solstice. Ancient people traditionally burned huge bonfires on the Solstice to welcome back the sun. So invite some friends over to welcome back the sun and keep toasty warm while celebrating! Make sure you have plenty of chairs and warm blankets to keep everyone cozy. Hot chocolate is always a good choice this time of year, you can even make it over the…
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Cinnamon Birds

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…
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Yule Tea– Guest Blogger!

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,…
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Hand Rolled Herbal Beeswax Candles– Guest Blogger!

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

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…
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