Celebrate winter, it’s more than just Christmas.
In western countries December is dominated by Christmas and then by New Year, but there is more to this month than these two celebrations. If you are on your own or find Christmas a stressful period then here are five ideas to reduce stress and increase happiness.
Five things to do in December to increase being present and to enjoy the opportunity of this season
1. People
People, connection and community are all things which help our mental health. Take a look at your diary and plan in advance who you would like to see. Remember that if you run out of Fridays and Saturdays for a meal out you can do a Wednesday zoom or a January ‘pick me up’ get together. You can still celebrate winter in January! Limit time with people that don’t make you happy.
2. Reflect and let go!
What went well this year, what do you want to do more of? What do you want to do less of? Reflect and let go of anything that no longer serves you. If it helps, write it down and burn it. Give your woes to the stars and start anew!
3. Environment
What environment makes you feel safe, rejuvenated, inspired or calm? Celebrate winter by seeking out your special spaces this season. Do you like the cafe down the road for a hot chocolate for a bit of comfort, or going out with the dog on cool clear days? Get it in the diary! Make space now before it is overtaken with other people’s needs. Is it time to bring out a colourful jumper to raise your vibration every day? Brightly coloured umbrella? New cheerful socks?
4. Have a Mid Winter Festival Celebration!
If Christmas isn’t your thing, consider a mid-winter festival to celebrate winter. More information about the traditional mid winter festival can be found at English Heritage. The natural calendar date is 21st December when it’s the shortest day or longest night, so celebrate. Use winter foliage – holly and mistletoe – to decorate your space. Add a colourful blanket to your front room to keep your feet warm or even better – invite someone else to keep warm with you. Candles and open fires are a great addition to the mid winter festivities. Candles can also be replaced with artificial lights. There is also a lot of music that celebrates this time of year but isn’t a Christmas tune.
What is on your playlist? As Phil Beer would say, “Now is the time for Fire and Wine!” Haley Stuart has created a lovely list on Spotify. For food, make it warm, maybe spicy and seasonal. Why not make it a curry! Make some Wassail! I have included a recipe below. So you have a great environment, you have invited people you want to be with. Now, what to do? Here is a fun family book, the poem is below. Watch the sun coming up at Stonehenge on YouTube. Chat, connect, play board games, sing, knit, do whatever makes you happy!
5. Make a wish!
Wishing Wall at Charlie Fridays Cafe, Lynton
Create a wishes jar. What do you want from the next twelve months? Celebrate winter by setting out your intentions for spring. Write each wish on a separate piece of paper, fold it up and pop it in the jar. You can add other aspects of this year you want to take forward to next year – wrist bands from festivals, shells, pictures – whatever you want. And now make a wish. Seal up the jar and open it on 1st January 2025. How many wishes have come true? This is also something you can do with friends as a cheap but fun and connecting exercise. You can also do the same thing with a Wishing Wall like this one in Lynton in Devon.
This poem is available in a beautifully illustrated book called The Shortest Day
Let’s Make Some Wassail
This is a traditional warming drink for sipping during a solstice celebration. For this traditional winter solstice drink, simply combine 2 parts apple cider, 1 1/2 cups orange juice, 3/4 cup pineapple juice, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, 2 cinnamon sticks, a dash of ground cinnamon, and a dash of ground cloves in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Lower the heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Discard the cinnamon sticks, pour into mugs, and serve. You can add a splash of rum or cinnamon whisky. Combine with other winter solstice food, celebrate winter and have fun!
For more guidance and ideas in 2024, treat yourself to our new planner. It has a focus for each month and for each season as well as some rituals for the start of the year.
If you liked this blog on how to celebrate winter, you may also like our November blog on creating sanctuary, our blog five ways to help with Christmas anxiety and our 12 days of Christmas
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