Winter Retreat Day 1: Welcome
Midwinter magic awaits
Hello and a very warm welcome to day one of our Winter Solstice Retreat.
I’m so happy you’re here, I’ve got such a lovely week of cosy seasonal reading lined up for us all.
If you’re getting these emails it means you’ve signed up to receive my free seasonal newsletters. A few times a year I send out an extra bundle of emails around the Solstices and Equinoxes. This is your Winter Solstice email package!
From today up until the Solstice on the 21st I’ll be sending you a short email each morning with a Wintry theme or activity. Read them at your pace or just gently leave them in your inbox if you’re feeling overwhelmed at this time of year. Completely up to you. Like everything I send there is zero pressure or obligation attached.
Today I’m going to start by quietly settling us into the magic and history of the Solstice, then I’ll give you the itinerary for the week.
I’ve also found us another ambient soundtrack to listen to which, like the one I sent at the Autumn Equinox, I’m slightly obsessed with. Skip to the end to grab that right now if you want to play it while reading this newsletter!
Right, let’s dive in shall we? I’m very happy to have your company this week as we step into the deep, quiet magic of the Winter Solstice.
What’s so special about the Winter Solstice?
Short days, long nights and frost-covered landscapes; December is a cold crisp month of deep hibernation. The Winter Solstice on December the 21st marks the shortest day and the longest night of the year; after this point the balance will start to shift in favour of the sun again, as the days start to lengthen and the light gradually returns.
The Winter Solstice has been celebrated as a significant time of the year since prehistoric times, with many civilisations and cultures creating rituals and festivals to mark this day. At a time when the days are short and the landscape is dark and quiet, Solstice celebrations focus on the rebirth of the sun and the return of the light.
Over time elements of these ancient festivals have merged with newer traditions to become the festive season as we know it today. From decorating our homes with evergreens and winter berries to lighting the dark with candles and fires, the Solstice is a time to gather together, give thanks for the past year, and look towards the new.
The Itinerary
From today up until the Solstice on the 21st I’ll be sending you a short email each morning with a Wintry theme to peruse at your own pace. Here’s the lineup:
Day 1: Welcome
Day 2: Cosy Book Club (10 Books that feel like Winter)
Day 3: Winter Baking (gingerbread everything)
Day 4: Hibernation Rituals (cosy socks on)
Day 5: Solstice Sunrise and a Midwinter Wish (It’s the Winter Solstice, hurrah!)*
Your Retreat Soundtrack
And finally, I’ve found us another lovely ambient soundtrack to accompany this week. This one has snow gently falling outside and a warm fire crackling indoors. You can just run this quietly in the background as you read or work this week and it’ll get you into the perfect quiet Winter mindset. Enjoy!
(I love the idea of all of us listening to the same soundtrack this week)
Ok, that’s it for today. I’ll see you again tomorrow where we’ll cosy up with some of the best books to read at this time of year.
(The Comments are also open if you’d like to meet others, say hello or share some Solstice chat!)
Until then,
Vicky xx
Missed a day? You can catch up with all our Retreat activities on the Seasonal Retreats tab on my homepage. Enjoy.
I would never have imagined an email feeling so inclusive, I'm so glad I joined. Thank you so much x
Crackles of firewood, flames reach up the chimney. Warmth of hearth cozy with dance of snow flurries out side. A little mulled wine and a good light to read to the last page when solstice candles relight. Popcorn’s made. Cat’s curled on my lap. Stockings hang from mantle. Cheer is drunk. Await sleigh bells ring. Sleep is nigh.