Solstice Sips
Making spirits bright
Happy Yule, Vintnerds!
Winter Solstice (Yule*) begins Saturday at 4:21 a.m., and Christmas and Hanukkah are right behind. We hope that your Yule season brings renewal and peace whatever you celebrate!
Yule* is the current catch-all word for the celebrations that happen trans-culturally around the end of the year.
Although timings vary (Divali was a bit early this year, Hanukkkah a bit late), there’s a universal desire to celebrate this time of year, as we face the longest night and official turn to winter.
Here, we’ve gathered our favorite rituals, drinks, activities for you to harken in the winter season, no matter what you call it.
Do
Space Cleansing
Open all windows for an afternoon to allow fresh air to circulate and cleanse your space. Only 30 minutes is needed for an average house to circulate all its air. Pair with a deep breathing meditation.
Walk your house from east to west, with a smudge stick comprised of lavender and cedar, while thanking your home for its continued protection against the elements.
Note: smudging with white sage is a closed practice, but you can smudge with anything that smells good! Pick some scents from your culture or childhood.
Clean out your home, literally. While many associate Spring with cleaning, winter is a great time to clean so that it’s done by the time you’re ready to move outdoors in the spring. Plus, guests are almost sure to pop by this time of year!
Dry Oranges
Dried oranges represent the returning sun for Yule and have become popular seasonal and Christmas decor. They’re also easy to make (albeit time consuming), economical, and compostable.
Slice oranges as thin as possible.
Lay out in a single layer on a sheet of parchment on a cookie sheet, they will shrink as they dry so you can put them close together.
Set oven to 200 degrees and place tray in over.
Flip oranges every 30 minutes. If you don’t flip them, the sugars will burn.
Continue until the oranges are completely dry. Depending on the humidity in the are, this can take 1-4 hours, so throw on some holiday movies and have a drink. Just don’t warm the oven up to speed up the process. Some slices may dry faster than others, just remove them and continue with the others.
String twine through the slice (some holes will naturally form) and hang on your windows, garland, or tree.
Not just oranges: pretty much any fruit can be dried. We also love pears, apples, and persimmons as decor.
Drinking
Mulled wine which doubles as a seasonal scent for your space
Red wine hot chocolate (or spike with your favorite spirit)
Hot toddy (it’s medicinal!)
Gathering
Your thoughts: Yule is a great time to journal and manifest for the next year. Write down all you’re letting go and what you’d like to bring in.
Your friends and family: While originally Yule was a fertility festival 😏, it has since turned into a time to keep close all loved ones, as the deepest part of winter descends. Take time to play a new board game, watch a movie (Carry On!), or make a recipe together.
Other Fun Yule Things
Christmas Book Flood (Jolabokaflod): Have you heard of the Icelandic tradition of gifting books on Christmas Eve and then everyone sits down and reads? Best. Idea. Ever.
Bake it, burn it, either way a Yule Log is a good time.
Celebrate the (eventual) return of the sun with a bonfire or fire pit.
Happy holidays Vintnerds!
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