Winter solstice rituals

for the shortest day, longest night

The winter solstice marks the shortest day and longest night of the year. It’s been celebrated since Neolithic times (think Stonehenge and Newgrange). Celts had their Yule logs, Romans went wild with Saturnalia, and cultures from the Incas to the Hopi all threw feasts and lit fires to honor this turning point. Light overcoming darkness, rebirth, longer days ahead—a theme that echoes through basically every modern winter holiday.

I can lean a bit woo-woo. I believe in the mystical powers of the universe and the gravity of manifestation. I fuck with astrology because the common tropes are all too accurate: Libras are indecisive and will break your heart, fire and air signs are a hoot, and Scorpios are usually well-endowed and will screw the daylights out of you (but might also suck your soul out in the process). And of course, Aries are the best sign of the zodiac with absolutely zero flaws (can you guess my sign)??

So yeah, tarot and astrology and moon rituals are a very fun hobby for me, especially as a girlie who struggles with making decisions and listening to her intuition.

The 13 wishes ritual

This winter solstice, a friend told me about the 13 wishes ritual. You basically just write 13 wishes on a piece of paper, cut them into little squares, fold them up, and toss them in a bowl. For 12 nights leading up to the new year, you pull one wish, read it aloud, and burn it. The 13th wish—the one that remains—is what you focus on for the new year.

my 13 wishes

I wrote a few basic ones: financial abundance and freedom, learning a new language, bringing in romantic intimacy (I’ve somehow flip-flopped from anxious attachment to avoidant, yippee). Then the bigger ones: making a film, landing an amazing job doing something I love.

Coming up with 13 wishes was harder than I expected. It made me realize (sadly) that I must have some reservations about asking for what I want or envisioning these bigger things for myself. That’s something I’m working on in the new year too.

I also did a cute little tarot spread for the solstice that you can try:

After the darkness, A little light

Winter is a rough season for many, myself included. Seasonal depression can hit hard. I’m better these days with my sidekicks (5mg of Lexapro and my dog), but I’ll happily celebrate the longer days and more light ahead.

This year has been a lot. I’m looking forward to a fresh start in Portugal, eternally grateful for the friends and family by my side, for the jobs and money I do have. Most importantly, I’m grateful that I hold within me a hope and knowing that when things suck in this moment, they will pass and life will get better. There was a point in my life where this wasn’t the case, where I didn’t cherish my life the way I do now. For that, I am very, very thankful.

The shadows are worth wading through, though. They give us rest, show us our secrets and innermost desires, all the things we need to work on. They also remind us how brilliant the light actually is when we find it again.

So if you’re in the dark right now: just remember the light is coming and the days are already getting longer. Your 13th wish is waiting :)