Celebrating the Darkness

Solstice Reflections

It’s mid-December, and we’ve already had ice and snow and overnight temperatures frequently down in the teens. Every day, the dawn creeps into the cold and silence a bit later, and each sunset cuts the days shorter. Bedtime comes earlier too, because the house is cold!

Nature calls us into a time of pause and rest in the darkness. All the while, there’s the cultural buzz of impending celebrations, creating a whole new to-do list that hurls us in the opposite direction of peace and reflection.

In slow living through the seasons, we can observe what we love about this time— to identify what nurtures and delights us— and separate that from the artificial hustle designed to drain us of our time, energy and money.

We speak of the “holiday season” as that stretch of weeks leading into winter, from Thanksgiving through New Year’s and all that’s in between–including Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. All of these refer to specific religious and cultural traditions, which means we aren’t all celebrating the same thing. “Yuletide,” is commonly used as a synonym for the Christmas season, though it comes from a Norse word that actually predates Christmas, and refers to the time around the winter solstice.

Since all of us experience the solstices and equinoxes, despite our cultural history, we can think of Yuletide as being inclusive of all beings on the planet, regardless of religion or tradition.

This year, the Winter Solstice occurs Sunday, December 21, 2025, at 10:03 AM EST. At this point in the northern hemisphere, the days start getting incrementally longer again. In a single instant, the very darkest time shifts in the direction of light and hope. It might be imperceptible at first, but to those observing this phenomenon, as our ancient ancestors certainly did, it is a certainty. I think that we must feel this somewhere deep in our ancient bodies, even though the noise and lights of our modern existence obscures this miracle almost to the point of being ignored.

From just a few centuries ago when humans lived close to the land and in true relationship with the seasons, we’ve come to the present time having experienced seismic shifts in the way we live. Since the Industrial Revolution just a couple of hundred years ago, humans have experienced head spinning advancements in transportation, communication, and quality of daily life. We’ve seen the introduction of personal computers, the plastic revolution, email, cell phones, TEXTING (instant contact with anyone across the globe), the ability to cross the country or the ocean in a matter of hours in a machine that flies miles in the air, carrying hundreds and hundreds of people…and on and on.

When we stop to think about all of this, we can hopefully appreciate how we are linked to our ancestors, who in this season were feeling cold and hungry in the darkness, anxious about food for the winter and gazing at the sky in eager anticipation of that moment when the sun would begin its return. In ancient times, this was their moment of hope for survival, this was their reassurance. The return of the light was the celebration!

Whatever we’re celebrating in December, whether it’s the birth of the Christ child, or the miracle of light in the darkness, cultural heritage or family tradition— the urge to gather together in feasting and celebration, seeking warmth and light, is something that connects us to the common human experience of being vulnerable to nature. Perhaps we don’t regard the winter solstice with the same reverence as humans once did, we don’t fear for our survival until the light returns, yet – how we love our twinkly lights, our candles glowing in the darkness, our fireside gatherings. I think it’s a vestige of the comfort those earlier humans felt at this time of year in the warmth and light of community, fire and food. And perhaps it’s why all these many thousands of years later, it’s the time for celebrating so many different traditions.

So how do we celebrate? There’s a BIG holiday machine out there telling us of the many things we need to have, to buy, give, etc. in order to do it right–whatever that means. But very few of those things actually have anything to do with the real experience of this season.

Consider that the impulse for gathering and celebrating in the darkest and coldest time of the year might be more primal than cultural. Perhaps the simplicity of this idea is something that can guide us in slow living through this season. What more do we need than seeking warmth and cheer in meaningful interactions with others, enjoying good food and celebrating hope?

Ask yourself, what is your delight? Whatever part of the cultural celebration you enjoy, embrace it! If you’re struggling with all that noise, bring yourself back to the idea of humans seeking comfort and celebrating the promise of the sun’s return. As always in slow living through the seasons, nature shows us the way.

Welcome Solstice! The light is coming!

Yuletide Blessings,

Mary (and Emma)

At your next winter gathering with friends, test out our favorite Peppermint Hot Chocolate Recipe. There’s nothing better for an evening at home than this healthy traditional holiday classic.