Seasonal Solstice Greetings
The winter solstice is here —the time of year when we collectively realize that the sun hasn’t. In fact, abandoned us forever. It’s just been dragging its heels, much like we all do on cold, frosty mornings. Sure, the mornings are gloomier than a power cut, and the evenings arrive before you’ve even had a chance to find your other glove. But here’s the good news: this weekend marks the turning point.
From here on out, the days will grow longer, even if it’s just by a fraction of a second at first. It’s a reminder that brighter times are coming. Even if it currently feels like life is a never-ending cycle of frozen car windscreens, eye-watering heating bills, and wondering how many layers of thermal socks are socially acceptable.
So let’s take comfort in the little victories—a steaming cup of tea, an unexpected patch of blue sky, or that first snowdrop poking its head through the mud-caked leaf litter. At Elemental, we’re all about finding joy in life’s simple, natural moments and sharing them with you.
Winter Solstice (Yule)
Let’s have a quick look at Yule and the winter solstice… If you’ve never dabbled in the Druidic Wheel of the Year, don’t worry—no secret handshake is required. You’re already halfway there if you’ve ever looked out at a cold December morning and thought, “When is it getting lighter again?”
The winter solstice, or Midwinter, is the year’s shortest day and longest night. The cosmic equivalent of someone turning the dimmer switch all the way down. It’s the day when the sun seems to hover at its lowest point in the sky. Taking what can only be described as the most dramatic pause in nature’s calendar. But here’s the thing: from this moment on, the days begin to stretch out again. Slowly, mind—don’t be packing away your woollies just yet—but there’s a shift. And Yule, (an ancient celebration with pagan roots), is all about marking that shift, that quiet promise that the light is on its way back.
For our ancestors, Yule was a time of firelight and evergreen boughs. A way of keeping hope alive while winter did its best impression of a miserable neighbor refusing to leave. People gathered around the hearth, sharing stories, songs, and a strong belief that brighter days were coming. And let’s be honest—doesn’t that still feel incredibly relevant? These days, the candles and fairy lights on your windowsill are doing the same job. They’re a little rebellion against the gloom, a way of saying, “Not today, darkness.”
Yule is a reminder to slow down and find some magic in the small stuff. Light a candle, hang some greenery, or just stick your nose out the door and take a deep breath of frosty air. It’s about noticing the little sparks of life that carry us through the cold. Because even in the depths of winter, nature’s quietly gearing up for a comeback.
