12/21/2025
Second Night of Yule. The Solstice.
Tonight is the longest night of the year, and because of that, it is also the turning point.
In Celtic lands, this night marked the moment the balance began to shift. Darkness reached its fullest depth, and from here, the Sun began its return. Slowly. Gently. Surely.
The Celts honored this moment with intention and awe. In Ireland, that reverence still stands. More than five thousand years ago, the great stone mound of Newgrange was built so precisely that on the morning of the Winter Solstice, the rising sun shines through a small opening above the doorway and carries light deep into the heart of the chamber. For a few quiet minutes, darkness is touched by gold. It was a message written in stone. The light always comes back.
At the darkest of times, we remember… the light always returns.
The Solstice was not about banishing the dark, but about welcoming what follows it. Hope lived in the knowing of the cycle. Even at its quietest, life was already beginning again.
Evergreens held deep meaning on this night. Pine, fir, holly, and ivy stayed green when everything else slept. They were living proof that life endures through winter, that vitality does not disappear just because the world grows cold. Bringing evergreens indoors was a way of inviting that endurance and protection into the home. It is from this ancient practice that the tradition of decorating evergreen trees was born, a symbol of life carried forward, still alive and familiar today.
Fire was just as important. The Yule log was gathered with care and brought to the hearth as a blessing. Lighting it was an act of welcome. A way of honoring the Sun’s return and asking for warmth, protection, and good fortune in the year ahead. Families would sit together by the fire, telling stories, sharing food, and letting the light hold them through the longest night.
If you wish to mark this night in a Celtic way, keep it simple and joyful.
You might choose one or two of these:
• Light a candle or a Yule log after dark to welcome the returning Sun and fill your space with warmth.
• Bring evergreen branches inside, pine, fir, or holly, as a reminder that life continues even in the depths of winter.
• Share a warm meal or drink with those you love, lingering at the table or hearth a little longer than usual.
• Speak one hopeful wish for the year ahead, something you want to tend as the days slowly brighten.
This is not a closed tradition or a guarded path. It is simply an act of noticing the season, honoring the earth, and pausing long enough to mark the turning of the year. Anyone who wishes to do that, quietly or joyfully, is welcome.
However you choose to observe, may this night bring warmth, quiet joy, and a sense of belonging as the light begins its return.
