As the days shorten and the weather turns cold and crisp, families are warming up with their winter holiday celebrations. Candles, lights, sweets and gifts highlight this time of year in many areas across the world. During this often-hectic holiday season, let’s remember the value of slowing down, connecting to the earth’s vast changes, and finding sweet moments to reflect within and renew.
There are many reasons, which play a pivotal role in this season but experts at LetsCelebrateEvents prioritize the following five as primary contributors in celebrating this season.
- Winter Rituals – Some of us are naturally enchanted by winter’s magical qualities, while others experience hardship from the cold weather and decline of the sun. Whatever your constitution, we hope these practices inspire more ease and play for you this season!
- Learn to Connect – Carve out tranquil moments to pause and connect with winter. What does this time of year mean to you? Savour simple pleasures like watching the snow fall, taking a contemplative walk to appreciate nature, making a snow angel, or admiring the sun’s reflection upon a luminous blanket of snow. Make a warm beverage, rest, and soak up the long, still nights.
- Make a Winter Altar – Bring winter inside your home! Collect pine cones, aromatic greens, dried berries, or some mistletoe. Adorn a special table with these winter delights and top it off with a string of colorful lights! Let this altar serve as a reminder that we can sink our own roots deep into the earth to find strength during the cold, just like the plants and trees.
- 2R’s for self-nourishment – What nourishes you? Just like many animals that undergo hibernation, we also need to conserve energy and replenish our reserves. Engage in restorative activities, like enjoying healthful foods, naps, creative activity, yoga, meditation, relaxing with friends, or curling up with an inspiring book. Simply be yourself, breathe, and practice gratitude.
- Reflect on yourself – Contemplate your life experiences during this past year. What do you most appreciate? What have you learned? What brought you the greatest joy and love? It’s equally important to consider what may be missing in your life, what you are most deeply longing for. Listen closely to these desires in your heart. Write them down or speak them aloud while you light a candle, symbolizing that the expanding sun will nurture your dreams.
Learn to Appreciate Different Cultures – Winters represent significant events in a lot of different cultures across the world. Try to find at least one book to read out loud for each of the celebrations. To make things light hearted try to read books that include holidays and their significance in a culture.