Winter Solstice 2024 - Welcome Mother Sun!

Although we have been sinking into the dark since Samhain,the Solstice is the longest night of the year and signals the slow return of the sun. Winter Solstice is celebrated globally in

many different traditions with each having the keystone of rebirth of the sun.

Soyal is the Winter Solstice celebration of the Hopi Indians of northern Arizona. Ceremonies and rituals include purification, dancing, and sometimes gift-giving. At the time of the solstice, Hopi welcome the Kachinas, protective spirits from the mountains. Prayer sticks are crafted and used for various blessings and other rituals. 

Yalda, or Shab-e Yalda is a celebration of the Winter Solstice in Iran that started in ancient times. It marks the last day of the Persian month of Azar. Yalda is viewed traditionally as the victory of light over dark. Families celebrate together with special foods like nuts and pomegranates and some stay awake all night long to welcome the morning sun.

Dong Zhi the “arrival of winter,” is an important festival in China. Based on the traditional Chinese celestial calendar, the holiday generally falls between the 21st and 23rd of December. It is thought to have started as an end-of-harvest festival, with workers returning from the fields and enjoying the fruits of their labors with family.