January Notebook: All is Still

Permission to hibernate

Hello,

A very gentle and peaceful wave from me today.

I hope you had a wonderful festive holiday.

And now, if you need it, this is your permission ticket to rest.

Photo by Maksym Mazur on Unsplash

I have absolutely no time for New Year resolutions. In the ebb and flow of the year, this is still very much a season of rest. So there will be no mentions of goals or fresh starts in this newsletter.

Just as we did last January, we’ll be following the lead of our pagan ancestors instead, continuing the Midwinter festivities over into January and focusing on all the slow and cosy aspects of this month.

It’s hibernation season over here.

So let’s turn another page of that book, rummage in the tin for some leftover Christmas treats and put our feet up shall we.

Instead of setting a New Year’s Resolution this month, here are a few much nicer things to do instead.

Photo by Nachelle Nocom on Unsplash

---

1. Celebrate The TWELVE Days of Christmas

Step away from the Christmas decoration box and put those fairy lights back up. As a Midwinter festival ‘Christmas’ traditionally carried on for twelve nights from the 25th December right up to the 6th January. It’s only in recent times that we wrap things up to quickly after the 25th.

January is a dark month; we are still in Midwinter. So anything that cheered us up in December (fairy lights, indoor trees, cosy socks, peaceful carols) should be extended for as long as possible, if you ask me.

Or at least until the 6th Jan.

2. Look up at the Moon

The moon always has the answers and this month the folk names of the Full Moon seem to be giving us a very clear message. According sources here and here, some traditional folk names for the January Full Moon are:

• Stay Home Moon (Celtic)

• Quiet Moon (Celtic)

• Cold Moon (Cree)

• Frost Exploding Moon (Cree)

• Freeze Up Moon (Algonquin)

• Severe Moon (Dakota)

• Hard Moon (Dakota)

So if you needed any further proof that this is not the month for expending energy on fresh starts or resolutions, let the moon tell you. It’s very cold out there. Stay at home.

3. Wassail

What’s a Wassail? I hear you ask. Well, it’s an old English folk ritual of blessing fruit trees in the depths of Midwinter, in the hope of ensuring a good harvest in the coming year. It’s fun and there’s hot cider and apple cake.

It’s traditionally celebrated on Twelfth Night which falls on January 6th as the culmination of twelve days of Midwinter festivities. It involves singing and dancing, to ‘wake up’ the spirits of the apple trees, toasting the year ahead and drinking plenty of hot, spiced cider.

And you can go back into hibernation once it’s all over.

Like the sound of it? Take a look at my Wassail newsletter from last year for ideas on how to Wassail yourself gently into the New Year.

Photo by Svitlana on Unsplash

---

Ok, that’s all for now. I’m keeping it short and sweet this month, so I’ll release you back into the comfort of your hibernation den.

I hope you have a wonderful month filled with Midwinter cosiness, spiced cider and Moon gazing.

Now it’s over to you to share your January rituals and traditions in the Comments. I’m really interested to know if anyone else loves January and if so what your rituals and traditions look like?

I’ll see you next month for a February edition of the Monthly Notebook. We’ll be diving into early Spring rituals and Imbolc festivities. Look forward to seeing you there.

If you haven’t already Subscribed, just click below to make sure that post arrives safely in your inbox.

Vicky xx

---