Issue 11. Through the Hedge
Winter solstice preparations! With a list of things to gather!
Hi.
Welcome to Through the Hedge! Every other week we will deliver the following, that is, a shorter, round-up style letter with links and recommendations for you that I have been thinking about, enjoying, and gathering this week. Next week we will return to regular longer-form writing and herbal medicine.
This week I offer a little list of winter solstice altar and offering preps. It takes a little planning and gathering to make a really sweet altar and/or Wheel of the Year observance and this time of year is bonkers so we’re thinking (just a little bit) ahead. Prep along for a witchy, Wheel of the Year moment with me!
The Winter Solstice is Sunday, December 21, though I usually celebrate these Wheel of the Year moments some time within a window of a few days on either side of the actual date. It’s not hard and fast rules. To prepare for this year, I plan to gather Winter Solstice/Yule altar elements and ingredients for a few special recipes this week.
Altars are useful for so many different things: for carving out a little space for paying attention, for connecting to ancestors or spirits or both, for paying homage, reverence, offering, praying, asking, and giving. This year I would like my altar to be for connection and thanks: to ancestors, and to the sun, for continuing to blaze on and return every solstice, through it all.
Some ideas for Yule altar elements to gather before this weekend include:
Candles (red, white, and green if you’re fancy); stuff from the green world, like evergreen sprigs, holly, rosemary, twigs, found acorns or pinecones, flowers, cactus fruit, whatever; water (water you left out to infuse with the energy of the recent supermoon if you’re fancy); incense or something else that smokes that evokes the feeling you’re after, including pine, cedar, frankincense, cinnamon, and other spicy, woodsy or green things; and pictures or some other visual representation of the spirits, deities, or ancestors you would like to commune with or offer to.
Next, the offerings: I like, always, to offer food and drink. What would your ancestors or the spirits or deities you’re speaking with like to eat or drink this time of year? What would delight them? I always include a little dish of oats for my way-back Scottish ancestors. Honey, for sweetness. Tea, for traveling. Whiskey or vodka for my maternal grandparents, who were drinkers. My paternal grandmother loved a box of See’s chocolates at Christmas— my uncle made sure it got to her every year and I’m sure I can come up with something similar for her. My sister loved peppermint bark, I think I’ll grab a tin at Trader Joe’s this week.
I’m also thinking of making something special from scratch this year, to sort of make an…impression. An extra special offering. We need all the help we can get, around here. Danielle Prohom Olson of Gather Victoria has a beautiful article on making what she calls “old food magic” for the holidays (Lutzelfrau & St. Lucy Tarts!). I love old food magic. I found a Christmas Cake in Celtic Folklore Cooking I think I might try. It’s basically a fruitcake…that you feed a sprinkle of rum every few days over the course of a week, or a month, whatever. Of course, you can make it without the rum.
I found a lovely herbal tea recipe that I’m going to gather for this week too, to have while setting up my altar on Saturday or Sunday. From The Kosmic Kitchen Cookbook:
Minty Holiday Tea
1 tbsp dried rooibos tea 1 tbsp dried lemon balm 1/2 tsp dried fennel seeds 2 tsp dried peppermint
That’s it! The Winter Solstice/Yule altar will stay up in my house probably until the next Wheel holiday. On Sunday we will dive deeper into the solstice/Yule, a really cool moment on the Wheel of the Year.