Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast
Results 11 to 20 of 22

Thread: Winter Solstice

  1. #11
    Geila
    Guest
    You guys, I found it! Some parts of it I don't remember and the whole candle colors thing is missing (maybe I made that up or got it from somewhere else). But the parts I really liked are there. Here is the website: http://greenhaventradition.weebly.com/yule.html

    Ritual for Yule 2003
    is the one I liked the best, although the other ones have some parts that I like as well. The colors that are traditional (at the top where the decorations are listed) are green, red, deep blue, gold, and silver so I'll go with that. I have to see if I have something in deep blue. I'm also going to see if I can pick up a sun mirror. And we don't have a fireplace so I'll use the small log idea with a birch branch from our tree.

    Thank you so much for helping me look. I read the ones you guys found quickly, looking for the sections I remembered, but I'm going to go back and read them slowly for ideas on other things I can incorporate.

    I'll post updates on how the preparations are coming along. If anyone wants to join in we can make this into a Winter Solstice thread and post the rituals and celebrations that we want to do.

    Thanks again!

  2. #12
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Posts
    7,454
    I think a thread is a nice idea. I just hung my wreath and I guess that means I am observing the old ways!

  3. #13
    Geila
    Guest
    Tybee - I was at Costco earlier in the week and marveled at their gorgeous wreaths, both natural and synthetic. What does yours look like? Maybe a pic?

    I'm excited to go to Ross and see what they have for my ceremony. We haven't done xmas in ages so the shopping thing is a rare experience this time of year.

    Debating whether I want to have it be just DH and I or if we should invite a couple of people. I'll wait and see, play it by ear I guess.


    We'll be taking a birch tree out this winter and I'm going to see if DH can make me one of these:
    Birch Winter Wonderland: https://www.restorationhardware.com/...egoryId=search
    Last edited by Geila; 11-30-17 at 8:03pm.

  4. #14
    Geila
    Guest
    Mods - can we change the name of the thread to just read "Winter Solstice"?

    Thanks!

  5. #15
    Simpleton Alan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    9,389
    Quote Originally Posted by Geila View Post
    Mods - can we change the name of the thread to just read "Winter Solstice"?

    Thanks!
    Done!
    "Things should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler." ~ Albert Einstein

  6. #16
    Geila
    Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Alan View Post
    Done!
    Thank you!

  7. #17
    Geila
    Guest
    I had a successful Ross trip to complete my solstice preparations. I've decided to do three color pairing: green & red, gold & silver, and midnight blue & orange. Orange was not listed as a traditional color but here we have persimmons and oranges in season and they're just too gorgeous not to include.

    What I bought:
    silver & gold sparkly candles - 2 of each
    2 mismatched midnight blue candles - very limited selection
    3 small sunburst glittery decorations that look enough like suns to serve the purpose - these can probably go up on the wall year round
    20" cone with lots of silver, gold and midnight blue sparkly things on it
    a midnight blue tablecloth - I'm kinda wishing I'd bought the gold table runner instead... I don't think I'll have much use for the tablecloth. I mainly bought it because I have hardly any midnight blue stuff.

    Most of this stuff can probably stay out year-round, but I might pack it up in a small bin to make it more special when I bring it out each year for the ceremony.

    What I already have:
    Lots of small candles to set up around the house.
    Lots of red and green plants - pepper plant with small red peppers in bloom, camellias with red blooms and blossoms, nandina with orange and scarlet foliage and red berries, orange and red fall color on the trees.
    Birch branches for the yule log
    Persimmons, oranges and gorgeous orange glass orbs
    6 or so small midnight blue round ornaments
    A long string of red beads
    2 red berry wreaths
    A green Christmas tree decorated with red, silver and gold ornaments

    Oh, shoot! I forgot a string of bells! I'll pick that up next week. Since I need to get that, I might exchange the tablecloth for the runner. I'll test the cloth out this weekend.

    For food, I won't be making much of a fuss. We'll have soup or stew for an early dinner and I'll put out nuts, fresh fruit, spiced chai cinnamon tea, maybe hot chocolate, and this persimmon cake that I've been making for 15 years: http://www.foodlibrarian.com/2009/11...-magazine.html

    Eggnog is traditional and I bought some spiked with rum at Costco. But it's so strong! I tried it and couldn't drink it.

    I think that's it. I might pick up some pinecones when I'm about if I see them on the ground. But other than that, I'm done. I won't set everything up till that day or a bit before because I don't want the house to look cluttered.

  8. #18
    Geila
    Guest
    Well, I put the stuff out to see how I would like it. And it was way too much. So. I'm returning all the navy stuff I bought and I will not be buying a table runner. I'll see if I can borrow a bell instead of buying one. And what I'm keeping will be spread out rather than having it all in one room.

    Dining room- silver and gold, and small birch log
    Kitchen - oranges, persimmons and chili plant
    Family room & living room - already have potted plants so will just add a couple of candles.

    The day of, I will cut a few small camellia branches with buds on them to represent new life. And that's it.

    I'm also removing some things to keep the house from feeling cluttered and crowded with the new additions. I'm boxing up a red berry wreath, a medium round basket, a few tabletop decorations, a couple of framed photos, etc. This will restore the energy balance in the house.

    I was surprised at how overwhelming the addition of just a few things felt after having Kondo'd my house.

    The food is also being taken down a notch. Hot tea and persimmon cake will be plenty.

    Now I know why last time all I did was place a few candles on the table and called it good. Less is definitely more for me.

  9. #19
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Posts
    6,248
    Very cool everyone, I don't know exactly when I will be getting together with my kids however I want to do a more solstice type celebration. My parents won't be coming this year and all my kids are open to the idea, so I am following with interest.

  10. #20
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Posts
    4,192
    As the actual solstice was just before noon today, I am having an extended celebration. We went to the Festival of Lights at the zoo last night with my daughters (dd1’s treat) and I splurged on fried food for dinner. We opened gifts from my mother when we got home last night, and I was up this morning to watch the sun rise.

    dh and I spent the day cleaning for the new year and the next round of holiday visits - bleaching, and mopping and dusting and vacuuming, laundry and dishes and the rearranging of furniture, and I have a pretty good sized pile of things that can leave my life. I wanted to actually take them today, but it will have to be tomorrow.

    i was supposed to go to a party tonight, but I couldn’t face it. So I made a small fire outside just before sunset and kept it going until full dark. Now I am back in the house with a cozy wood stove fire and ready to spend some reflective time with my journal. Dh is out late and I have a gift for him when he gets home.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •