December Offering
Why not take time out from the busyness this month? Join our fill up fridays for gorgeous offerings throughout December.
Mistletoe
Winter's plant is Mistletoe. Mistletoe has traditionally represented peace, hope and prosperity, as well as being a potent fertility symbol. As the mistletoe grows high up on the tree, it was considered sacred. The mistletoe never grows on the ground. It was thought that this plant preferred to be closer to the gods and heaven.
Shooting stars
There's lots going on this month in the night sky. It's new moon on 12th, so perfect stargazing conditions for the peak of the Geminids meteor shower on 13th and 14th December.
The meteors of the Geminid meteor shower are very bright, moderately fast, and are unusual in being multi-coloured – mainly white, some yellow and a few green, red and blue. These colours are partly caused by the presence of traces of metals like sodium and calcium, the same effect that is used to make fireworks colourful. The shower has been known produce over 150 meteors per hour at its peak.
The Ursid meteor shower occurs around the time of the winter solstice, when the moon is waxing crescent, so you will have maximum hours of darkness for stargazing!
For the best conditions, you want to find a safe location away from street lights and other sources of light pollution. The meteors can be seen in all parts of the sky, so it’s good to be in a wide open space where you can scan the night sky with your eyes. But if you trace the paths that the meteors take, they seem to originate from the Gemini constellation.
Winter Altar
Why not set up a winter altar in readiness for the Winter Solstice on 22nd December.
Here are some ideas below:
Winter Solstice
Winter Solstice. The shortest day of the year, with the least light, the Sun will set just before 4pm and the longest night of the year will begin. So although we feel in the depths of darkness and summer feels so far away, Winter Solstice actually heralds the returning of the light, as the days begin to slowly lengthen in the rise up to mid summer at the Summer Solstice.
To find out more about Yule, with some rituals, journal prompts, and a winter playlist, click below.
Liz and Susanna's Winter read
Wintering is a poignant and comforting meditation on the fallow periods of life, times when we must retreat to care for and repair ourselves. Katherine May thoughtfully shows us how to come through these times with the wisdom of knowing that, like the seasons, our winters and summers are the ebb and flow of life.
With love,
Liz & Susanna
x
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