Winter Solstice Celtic Celebration

The Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year in our hemisphere. The North Pole is tilted as far away as it will be from the sun. It is midwinter, when the world rests in darkness. The next day will be just a few minutes longer and the night a little shorter as the balance tips toward spring.

This is a time of quiet, of firelight and dreaming, when seeds wait in the cold earth. All around us the season seems to reach a standstill, a point of rest. We might think of the darkness of our mother’s womb where we all had our beginnings and first growth. We light candles in the dark and look toward the coming of spring.

Christians have long marked the seasons and given thanks. In the Christian church, the feast (or festival) day at or near the Winter Solstice is Christmas, marking the birth of Jesus Christ, December 25. The Solstice occurs during the season of Advent, a time of anticipation and preparation for the Light of Christ to enter the world.

This can also be a season and time of sadness or anxiety because grief, the death of a loved one, or the perceived demands of the holiday season may weigh heavily upon us. Our worship service marking the Winter Solstice is a way to mark the changing season and to pay attention to God’s good creations of nature and of human relationships. We take time to honor the sadness and stress of the season with plenty of quiet and light, while we also intentionally step into the light of Christ. We begin with brief readings from Christian tradition and contemporary writers, followed by our spoken or silent reflections on the readings. After sharing God’s Peace, we celebrate the Great Thanksgiving or Eucharist. We complete the evening with light refreshments and fellowship.

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