Winter Solstice is coming up on December 21! After this day, the days begin to grow longer again even though the weather is cold. Winter solstice celebrations involve lights and greenery, to remind us that the Sun is returning and the world will turn green again. Here are some ideas:
Go for a nighttime walk and look at the winter sky
Observe and write down what time the Sun goes down. Save your result to compare with the Spring Equinox.
Make a lantern
Cut out shapes on a paper lunch bag and place a no-flame tea light inside.
Sleep with it under your pillow!
Only with an adult!
Make some decorations with evergreen boughs
KEEP ON CELEBRATING
Celebrating solstice and equinox days is fun – who doesn’t like an extra reason to celebrate? Becoming more in touch with the changing seasons by marking these special days might even help us appreciate our planetary home a bit more.
SPRING EQUINOX MARCH 20
- Visit a park or woodland and look for early signs of spring: new buds, the first brave plant shoots, robins.
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Decorate eggs (a symbol of life).
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Start seeds indoors for your garden or balcony pots.
SUMMER SOLSTICE JUNE 20
- Have a picnic lunch, or a dinner with the first harvest of the sea- son: peas, asparagus, lettuce, rhubarb and strawberries.
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Gather wildflowers (or garden flowers, with permission) and make a flower crown.
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Find a place where you can watch the sunset – on the longest day.
AUTUMN EQUINOX SEPT. 22
- It’s harvest time. Visit a farmer’s market or an apple orchard.
- Take a few cobs of corn, peel back the husks and tie together to hang on the door (multicoloured corn looks great!). Or dry and soak the husks to make corn husk people.
