Winter
Cold weather is coming and nature is slowly falling asleep.
I’m ready to hibernate into my cosy home, eat soup and drink hot tea.
In the heart of Winter, there are a lot of celebrations with fairy lights, feast, family gathering, parties, gift-giving and good intentions.
Nights are long, but we are going to emerge from the darkness.
Ideas to decor my home
Colours : green, red, silver, white, golden, yellow, black, brown.
Branches of holly, mistletoe, pine tree, rosemary, laurel, cedar. Pine cones. Rose berries. A wreath made of pine tree’s branches.
A decorated tree. (Yule tree, became the Christmas pine tree we know today)
Fire log.
Candles.
Pictures and symbols of Sun, snow flakes, stars.
A little altar with pictures of our loved ones deceased during the past year.
To celebrate we can
Paint little jars to make lanterns with a tea-candle inside, and put it on our windows and balconies.
Observe the predawn stars. In Aotearoa we can try to catch Matariki rising in the sky before sunrise.
Plant garlic.
Rest, practice introspection and self-care. Think about our gratitude for the ending year and our goals for the incoming year.
Hang fat balls on trees for the birds.
Make a little wish jar, to offer or to hang on the decorated tree.
Go to a Christmas’ or midwinter market.
Make a fire into the fireplace. Or outside, and dance around it.
Organize feast and parties with family and friends.
Exchange gifts.
Ideas to have a feast
Apples, pears, oranges, mandarins, walnuts.
Kumara (sweet potato), kamokamo (a variety of squash), taro, puha (thistle), uwhi (yam).
Soup, casseroles.
Round biscuits.
Dry fruits.
Seeds, spices.
Ice cream log.
Apple juice.
Hot chocolate.
Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow may never come.
Some traditional landmarks
Festival of Lights
Lyon, France
Every 8th of December
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Winter solstice or Yule
ancestor of Christmas
The longest night and the shortest day of the year.
This year, in the North hemisphere (Western Europe) :
the 21st of December 2022.
In the South hemisphere (Aotearoa) :
the 22d of June 2023.
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Midwinter festivals
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Christmas
The 25th of December.
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New year celebrations
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Matariki
Māori new year in Aotearoa
This year :
around the 14th of July 2023.
