The year’s shortest day, Winter Solstice will soon be upon us in the Northern Hemisphere.

This culturally and spiritually important day has been observed for millennia across the world. Celebrated under numerous names such as Alban Arthan, Yule, or simply Midwinter, this holiday invites us to seek comfort in the warmth of our hearths and welcome the return of sunlight.

Symbolism of Midwinter

For most cultures, the Midwinter solstice hails the return of the Sun and longer days. It comes in the middle of the cold and barren season. You will notice that the sun rises late and sets early, and the noontime shadows stretch long on the ground as the sun hangs low in the sky.

This year, the solstice falls on the East Coast on December 21st, 2024 at 4:21 a.m. (EST). This is when the Earth’s tilt is the farthest away from the sun in the Northern Hemisphere. 

Many pagan cultures celebrated this day as “the birth of the sun”. For Druids, a ritual is needed to reverse the course of the waning Sun, which is performed on the winter solstice. After the ritual, the sun is “reborn” and begins to move higher into the sky with every new day. 

In other traditions, such as the Iranian Shab-e Yalda, the Sun God, Mithra, triumphs over the darkness of winter. People will observe this holiday by gathering together by a hearth fire, protecting each other from evil, sharing in a feast, and reciting stories and poems throughout the long night. When the sun rises, they celebrate the victory of Mithra and the banishment of evil. Other deities that are observed around the Winter Solstice include Odin, Frau Holle, Saturn or Kronos, Cailleach, and Horus.

Feasting and Rituals

Food, as with all holidays, is an important part of midwinter celebrations. Even in this agriculturally barren time, people would hold feasts with their loved ones, friends, and neighbors. In China, Dong Zhi, or “Winter’s Arrival” is celebrated by eating traditional foods such as tang yuan (glutinous rice balls in broth) and meat-stuffed or plain dumplings. 

In Japan, the yuzu fruit is considered sacred and used for its healing powers. On the winter solstice, it is common to take a ritual bath with the yuzu fruit to ward off illness and bring good health and luck. Some seasonal foods and herbs you may want to include in your rituals include oranges, cloves, cinnamon, rosemary, and evergreen plants. 

The Zuni and the Hopi Native American nations have their own sacred rituals performed during the Winter Solstice. The Zuni Pekwin, or “Sun Priest”, will announce the moment of the rebirth of the Sun with a long mournful call, and the occasion is marked with a ceremonial dance called Shalako. The Hopi celebration of the solstice is called Soyal. Similarly to the Zuni, an appointed Sun Chief announces the time of the solstice which begins the all-night ceremony. Soyal includes kindling fires, dancing, and even gift-giving.

Make Your Own Traditions

The dark and coldness of Midwinter can affect our mood and spiritual health, which is why so many of our ancient ancestors made traditions that included festivals, feasting, and community. You may find inspiration in these celebrations to create your own traditions for this time of year. Spend the night of the solstice in a protective circle with your loved ones or coven members, and celebrate the sunrise after the longest night of the year. You can give offerings to the Sun God of your choice. If you need more inspiration, you may find it in our Yule Sabbat box, which comes with a wassail mix, ritual oil, incense, and other handpicked ritual items for Midwinter spellwork. You can find our Sabbat boxes and other supplies in our Asheville shop or online store.

Yule is the festival of the Winter Solstice, on or about December 21, the shortest day, and the longest night of the year. Celtic pagan traditions celebrated with the symbolic battle between the Oak King who represents light (summer) and the Holly King who represents dark (winter) , the lighting of large bonfires to keep evil spirits from their crops through the dark months, and feasting.

Io Saturnalia! Ancient Rome’s Winter Holiday

During the dark winter months, ancient Romans turned to Saturn, the god of farming and the harvest. He was celebrated in a days-long festival called Saturnalia, originally taking place on December 17 but eventually extended to December 23. This public holiday brought a carnival-like atmosphere and included animal sacrifices and feasting, as many Roman holidays did.

What did pagans do during Saturnalia?

Societal rules were set aside for Saturnalia, so the usual strict social boundaries were ignored. This extended to slaves and their masters: it was common for these roles to be reversed during the festival. Some households would elect a “King of Saturnalia” or a Lord of Misrule, who had permission to cause mischief and chaos during the festival.  Activities such as gambling and drinking in excess were prominent during Saturnalia, as they were normally discouraged in Roman society. 

Romans typically adorned their homes with evergreen foliage and wore their finest clothing during the celebrations. Of course, it couldn’t be a holiday without a proper feast for the whole community. Lavish banquets were organized by prominent leaders, and townspeople all chipped in and brought their finest food and wine. 

Offerings and prayers would be given to Saturn, showing thanks for a good harvest and ensuring a successful farming season in the next year. At the Temple of Saturn, priests would ritualistically unbind the feet of the god's statue, symbolizing Saturn’s joining the celebrations.

What are the traditional gifts of Saturnalia?

Another prominent activity during Saturnalia included gift-giving. Close friends and family members would exchange small, low-cost gifts as a sign of affection. These gifts were usually handmade by the giver during the festival. Some common gifts to give during Saturnalia were silver, preserved fruits, and small clay or wooden figures known as sigilla. 

Candles were the most common gift to give during Saturnalia. They were lit during the festival much like advent candles are used today. Typically the last day of Saturnalia, called the Sigillaria, was dedicated to gift-giving and opening presents.

Is Saturnalia still celebrated today?

Do lavish feasting, evergreen decorations, and gift-giving all sound familiar? That is because, when Catholicism took over the Roman Empire, parts of the Saturnalia celebration were pieced together to make the modern Christmas holiday. Although Christmas has largely taken over our winter holiday season, there are a number of modern pagans that include Saturnalia in their practice. 

You can easily follow suit and work elements of the Saturnalia festival into your own practice, especially if you already work with Saturn or Saturnian energy. A good first step would be to make offerings to Saturn or Kronos, his Greek counterpart. Great offerings would be red wine, meat, dark fruits, or incense. You can even mimic the ritual of unbinding Saturn’s feet with a bit of cloth and a statue to represent the god. Candles are an important part of Saturnalia because they represent the promise of the return of the light in the dark of winter. You can dress a candle with oils and herbs as part of your worship. 

Most importantly, indulge in old-fashioned hedonism this season: wear your finest clothes, play your favorite music, and feast to your heart's content—embracing the true spirit of Saturnalia. Any supplies you wish to gather for your rituals can be found online or in our brick-and-mortar store. Io Saturnalia!

Ancient Pagan Winter Nights: Honoring Ancestors & Spirits

Winter Nights is a period of holy observation for Heathens and Norse Pagans, it marks the beginning of the Winter season. Also called Vetrnaetr and Winterfylleth, this festival blends feasting, rituals, and offerings to ensure protection and prosperity throughout the harsh winter months ahead.

The Historical Traditions and Rituals of Winter Nights

The medieval, Icelandic historian, Snorri Sturlusson, includes the celebration of Winter Nights as one of the three major Pre-Christian holidays in Northern Europe. There are many different records for when Winter Nights begins: some say it starts on the first or second full moon after the Autumn Equinox, some say it takes place in mid-to-late October depending on the year, and others say it starts with the first winter frost. We know that Winter Nights was traditionally observed over some time, from 3 days to a month.

 

As is typical for many pagan festivals, a feast was given as part of the celebration and included a series of sacrifices as part of the holy rituals. The items sacrificed to deities would typically be the blood of whatever animal was slaughtered for feasting. Two sacrificial rituals are mentioned consistently in historical texts: Álfablót and Dísablót. Álfablót was an offering to the spirits of the land and community, while Dísablót was an offering made to the family’s spirits. Both were private events closed to non-family members. The participants thanked deities and local spirits for a fruitful harvest, and they also connected with the spirits of ancestors at this time.

How Winter Nights Links with Modern Paganism

You may find similarities between Winter Nights and the Celtic holiday Samhain: the two share themes surrounding the start of winter, the final harvest, and the memory of loved ones who have passed. This time of year in the Northern Hemisphere inspires us to consider these topics as the daylight dwindles and the barren winter approaches. Winter Nights offers those interested in Norse paganism or Heathenry a chance to explore winter celebrations with roots in those cultures. Although there are few historical records detailing how pagans observed Winter Nights, we know there was a toast to honor deities, a sacrifice made to family and communal spirits, and a feast.

 

You can follow in the footsteps of many Scandinavian pagans and observe Winter Nights in the modern day using this blueprint. Hold a feast with your closest friends and family, and remember your loved ones beyond the veil: friends, family, and familiars alike. Share stories of them to celebrate their life and memory, light a candle next to their photo, and leave them a food offering during your observances. Your “blood sacrifice” to the gods and spirits can be a cup of red wine, or a morsel of meat from your feast. Deities associated with Winter Nights include Odin, who commissioned the holiday, and Freyr, the god of the harvest. You can take the opportunity to bring any deity into your Winter Nights observances: clear a space for them on your altar and make an offering to them.

 

However you choose to incorporate Winter Nights into your practice, our pagan supply store is here to support you on your journey. You can find oils, candles, herbs, and other ritual tools in our online store or at our Asheville shop, and our knowledgeable and skilled staff will guide you in the right direction.

Samhain, the third and final harvest, is one of the major festivals of the Wheel of the Year. For many Pagans it is the most important festival. The harvest is complete, it is the end of the cycle of birth and growth, the point of death. Traditionally the veils between the worlds are at their thinnest and it is the time to honor and offer hospitality to our ancestors.


Colors of the Season
Traditional colors of the season are black for death and endings, orange for fire and the bounty of the final harvest, and purple for insight and inspiration.
Plants of the Season
Pumpkins, Gourds, Apples, Nuts, Berries, Mugwort, Rosemary, Marigolds, Chrysanthemums.


Symbols
A cauldron, photos of deceased relatives and loved ones honor the passage to the Summerland and the Ancestors, the besom broom, black candles.
Additional suggestions for celebrating.
Take a walk in a natural area near your home. Observe the colors, aromas, sounds, and other sensations of the season. Gather some natural objects and add them to your altar.
Samhain is a fire festival. If possible, have bonfire outdoors or light a fire in your fireplace or even a small cauldron. Write down a habit that you wish to end and cast it into the flames seeing it being released.
Use Tarot, Runes, Scrying, or some other form of divination to seek guidance for the coming years.
Have a craft day. Gather leaves and make leaf prints, carve a pumpkin or a turnip, bake a sweet treat.
Tap into the Halloween interpretation and pile up on the couch with a bag of candy and your favorite horror movie.
Find a way to celebrate that brings you happiness.


Suggested Ritual
Start by creating the altar. While setting up your altar anoint the items and yourself with the Samhain oil. Think about those departed by death from your life, (family, friends, pets) as you place photographs of them on your altar. Offer them your hospitality and welcome their presence into your home.
For those who have lost loved ones in the past year, Samhain rituals can be an assistance in the grieving process and an opportunity to spiritually commune with your loved ones.
Blessed Samhain

What is Samhain? Unearth the Ancient Fire Festival

Following the Autumn Equinox, the ancient pagan world celebrated many holidays, and the next in our series is Samhain, one of the Celtic fire festivals. Samhain marks the end of the harvest season and the transition to the barren winter. Celebrated on and around November 1st, it is the traditional Celtic New Year. Although it is often associated with the modern Halloween, its roots are in ancient Celtic beliefs surrounding death, the supernatural, and the cycles of nature.

Origins of Samhain

Samhain is one of four Celtic fire festivals, and shares many of the same significations and traditions as Imbolc, Beltaine, and Lughnasadh. Some sources say that Samhain was the only mandatory fire festival for all townspeople. The ancient Celts used this festival to petition for protection over their harvest and livestock, which would have been put away for winter storage by Samhain. 

A large bonfire would be lit at night to drive away evil spirits. At the end of the festival, everyone would light a torch with the Samhain fire and re-light their hearths with it, taking home the protective powers of the bonfire. The Celts believed at Samhain, the veil between the physical and spiritual worlds thinned, and communication between the two became easier and more tangible. As a result, they would wear disguises or costumes to avert evil or avoid the unwanted attention of spirits and ghosts, as otherworldly beings were known to kidnap humans from the physical world. Candles would be placed inside carved squash, pumpkins, and turnips to confuse and drive away evil spirits, which is where the Jack-O-Lantern gets its origins. 

Feasting was also an important part of Samhain celebrations. The community would come together and share in the final harvest. A seat at the head of the table would be left empty for the ancestors of those at the feast. They would be served food and wine, and the dinner was had in total silence. After the fest, the ancestor’s food would be taken out and left in the woods. This is known as a “dumb supper” and is one of the Samhain traditions that has lasted through the centuries.

Samhain and Modern Paganism

Samhain is still celebrated today by pagans of all different practices. Wiccans adopted Samhain into their wheel of the year, and it is generally considered important to many pagan practices for its connection to the changing of seasons as well as the heightened communication with the spirit world. Many Celtic nations still hold a festival for Samhain, especially in Scotland and Ireland, and each has its regional traditions. In all of them, Samhain is known famously as the Witch’s Sabbat: this is a night when witches come together to cast their spells, and they can be seen flying through the night on broomsticks, ravens, and black cats. 

As with all the fire festivals, fire has remained a central theme for modern Samhain rituals. It is used to cleanse and protect homes and people. You can incorporate fire into your practice by lighting a hearth fire, using a candle, or using a corresponding crystal, like Carnelian or Red Jasper if a fire is not possible. Many modern pagans use this time to connect with the dead while the veil is thin. You can create a space for your ancestors at your altar, or call them into any spellwork done on this day. Additionally, divination powers are amplified during Samhain, making predictions more accurate. Matrimonial divination was a popular practice at these festivals, and apples and hazelnuts were used to predict couplings for the next year. 

Whatever your Samhain celebrations look like, you can find all the supplies you need in our supply shop. If you need a place to start, look into one of our Samhain Sabbat boxes, which supply you with seasonal tea, incense, candles, and more tools for you to plan your rituals. You can shop online, or visit our brick-and-mortar store in Asheville, and our experienced staff will help guide you on your journey.