Ember Grant
This is the longest night of the year, but also the time when daylight grows steadily stronger in the days and weeks to come. Traditionally, at the Winter Solstice we celebrate the return of the sun. This ancient celebration, acknowledged by many cultures around the world, is often a time we draw close to one another to celebrate and renew peace, faith, and love.
Circle of Light
This ritual is for peace of all life and for Mother Earth. Choose an object for the center of your altar layout that represents life—a tree of life symbol, for example, or a photo of the earth. Surround this symbol with as many candles as you can gather—arrange them in a circle around it. It’s actually best if you use different candles in a variety of sizes and colors because this represents the variety of beings on earth.
On each candle, write an expression you wish to evoke. For example: peace, love, kindness, forgiveness, understanding, acceptance, healing—anything you wish for our world, the planet, and all living things. If you wish, you can write these words on the bottom of the candle if it’s big enough, or on the sides if using taper candles.
If you wish, decorate your altar with seasonal decorations such as pine, holly, and other evergreens or acorns and pine cones. Just be sure the plant materials don’t get too close to the candles. You can use candleholders if that helps. You can add crystals to the arrangement as well.
When you’re ready, visualize a divine, sacred, loving, and life-giving light—the light of life itself—embracing the entire world and every being in it. This light is filled with peace, healing, and love. As you light each candle, speak the word you’ve carved on it.
When all candles are lit, say:
Circle of light, embrace us all, children of Mother Earth.
Circle of light, heal us all, including Mother Earth.
Help us see that we are one.
Unite us. Protect us.
Circle of light, connect us.
Blessed be.
Since you may be using a variety of candle sizes, you don’t need to allow them all to burn out. Instead, burn them as long as you wish and then snuff them out. Repeat the ritual as often as you wish until all the candles have been spent.
Year and a Day Resolution Spell
In ancient Rome, in 46 BCE, Julius Caesar wanted the new year to begin on the day after the Winter Solstice. It makes sense to have the new year begin as the days begin to lengthen. But because the “rules” at the time dictated that the new year begin on the day of the new moon, that didn’t happen (Frederich-Mueller 2020, 182). Despite the fact that our new year celebration is about a week after the solstice, we still approach the new year with a sense of renewal, often seeking a new outlook and planning to make change. To that end, make a traditional New Year’s resolution and perform this ritual on the day after the Winter Solstice.
This spell could get messy depending on how comfortable you are working with hot wax, so be sure you have an appropriate place to work. Use a red or white candle; a taper works best. Anoint the candle as you choose and create your sacred space.
Write about your hopes and dreams for the year ahead. You can also express your fears and concerns. Write down goals you have and things you hope to accomplish. Write secrets too—things you may not want to express to others. Use magical intent to overcome obstacles and achieve goals. As you write them, see them becoming reality; see your fears diminishing.
Fold the paper, place it in an envelope, and seal it with wax. If you have a formal seal, you can use that, but if you don’t, that’s fine. Just drop some wax on the envelope flap. After adding the wax, speak these words:
Keep these words and wishes well—
with this wax I seal the spell.
Let the wax dry. Do not break the seal for a year and a day. Keep your goals in mind, but don’t obsess over them. Put a reminder in your calendar to open it, but hide the envelope until then and try to forget about it. Allow the candle to burn out. When you do open the envelope, revisit your feelings and reflect on the previous year.
Yuletide Hearth Blessing
If you don’t have a fireplace or wood-burning stove, this ritual can be done using an outdoor firepit. If you don’t have any of these items, use a heatproof dish to symbolize the hearth. If possible, perform this ritual as close to the solstice as possible—ideally on the longest night.
Gather seasonal decorations based on what you have accessible. Depending on where you live, look for acorns, cones from conifer trees, or other nuts and seeds. Also obtain 3–5 evergreen branches such as pine, cedar, or holly. You can purchase these if you don’t have a place to gather them. Be sure you choose a branch size appropriate to your hearth space. If you’re just using a heatproof dish or cauldron, you’ll need smaller branches. The final thing you’ll need is a red candle of any size.
Arrange the candle, branches, seeds, cones, nuts, etc. around your cauldron or place them on or near the hearth (but not too close to the candle or the fire). If you have a mantle over your fireplace, or even just a mantel shelf, decorate that area. If you’re using a smaller container, find a safe place for it, a place where you can leave it for about a week.
Light a fire and the red candle; alternately, just burn a red candle in the container you selected. Be careful that the branches aren’t too close to the flame. You can incorporate a Yule log into the ritual if you wish. After the arrangement is in place and the fire has been lit, speak these words:
Bless this hearth,
may it bring
a wonderful year to come.
Bless this home
as we await
the returning of the sun.
Allow both the fire and red candle to burn out. Discard the wax. Remove the plant materials after the first of the year and toss out the seeds and nuts for wildlife; bury the branches.
Reference
Frederich-Mueller, Hans. The Pagan World: Ancient Religions Before Christianity. The Great Courses/The Teaching Company. Chantilly, Virginia, 2020.