Celebration of Winter Solstice

High Priestess Performs Celtic Ceremony

That first night of the new winter we might have all been in an oak grove in ancient Hibernia, known to us today as Ireland. We were all clad in our ritual finest, which is something like Sunday best. The circle had been cast in the backyard of the officiating High Priestess and decorated with boughs of evergreen and hints of mistletoe. We held hands as we awaited the rebirth of the sun and the light. We celebrants stood ready to welcome back the sun with song and dance and a deep appreciation of this astronomical moment.

Welcome to the celebration of the Winter Solstice, the first day of winter, the longest night of the year, after which the light will slowly and steadily return.

Awareness of the Solstice as something to celebrate seems to be spreading—not as a holiday to oppose Christmas, but as a special event that happens as part of the Christmas season. The Winter Solstice as an astronomical phenomenon is far older than Christmas and appears to have been observed around the world for many thousands of years. But the celebration of Christmas as we know it is derived from many Solstice traditions. By entwining into a jubilant whole, both special days have continued through the ages and remain a time of joy and celebration.

Observing the Winter Solstice Celebration

On this particular Solstice night I was the guest of the Circle of the Knowing Raven, a group practicing Celtic Wicca. Inviting guests to observe the Winter Solstice is traditional for this celebration. Moira has been High Priestess of Knowing Raven for more than a decade. She leads the circle and performs all the necessary duties of clergy.

Moira has been holding this Winter Solstice celebration in her backyard for more than 10 years. It is her gift to the dedicated people of her circle and the loved ones they are asked to invite. “I’m always amazed at how everyone seems to just fit,” she said, laughing about her improvised urban grove. “Maybe it’s the spirit of unity, maybe it’s the sense of fellowship, but somehow there’s always enough room in the Solstice circle.”

The first Winter Solstice celebrations were festivals of light. Accordingly, people welcomed the return of the light with brightly lit candles. In the dark chill of the winter, the lights were a cheerful reminder of the return of the sun. This tradition continues today with the great variety of electric lights, from multicolored strings to pure white brightness reminiscent of those original Solstice candles.

Moira gives each of us a battery-powered bulb candle as we enter the circle. The end result is breathtaking—more than 20 of us forming a ring of light. Wearing a pine wreath with the same candles on her head, Moira stands in the middle and begins with an opening invocation.

The Goddess in Wicca

Wicca is different among most Western European religions in that it embraces the female deity, or the Goddess. A beloved custom is to view the Goddess in three parts representing the three stages of a woman’s life, called the Triple Goddess: Maiden, Mother, and Crone. In Moira’s circle she plays the role of the Mother. The Maiden is a young woman in her last year of college and the Crone is a grandmother several times over who still teaches in a local elementary school. Together this trio unites the circle and directs the energies of the celebration.

The Maiden walked clockwise around the circle, swaying a censer of cinnamon incense and leaving us all in a cloud of gingerbread thoughts. As she traveled, she spoke to the circle and to the universe beyond.

As the Maiden returned to the center of the circle, Moira stepped forth to speak to the circle. In honor of the ancient Celts who first created this holiday, Moira handed a sprig of mistletoe to everyone in the circle, a gift that 2,000 years ago would have been considered truly divine.

From the center of the circle, Moira offered two greetings. Finally the Crone took her place in the priestess pageant, magnificent in a deep purple gown. She bestowed a blessing on the circle. Taking the cauldron into her hands, the Crone spoke the words of an Irish proverb.

Always remember to forget the things that made you sad But never forget to remember the things that made you glad Always remember to forget the friends who proved untrue But don't forget to remember those that have stuck by you