“In the depths
of winter, I finally learned there was in me
an invisible summer.” ~ Albert Camus
Good
Morning!
While tonight is
technically the darkest night of the year,
it is a great time to light things up around the house. Celebrate this
solstice
by creating your own luminarias
(decorative
lanterns).
Here is our
household solstice routine:
***Pre-dinner: Enjoy
hot apple cider and appetizers while we make luminarias
(instructions below)
***Enjoy dinner
together
***After dinner:
Light the luminarias, bundle up and
go star-gazing (or cloud-gazing)
depending on the weather. Take
turns making
a wish for the holidays as we look up at the stars.
***Later that
night:
Warm up by a fire and hot chocolate with
marshmallows to boot. Talk
about wishes and dreams and the spirit of
Christmas.
How to make
a luminaria:
Materials:
Brown lunch
bags, sand, votive candles or small pillar candles (any candle with a
sturdy
base); scissors and stencils or decorative hole punches (like those
used for
scrap booking)
If using hole
punches, randomly punch holes in the bag or do
so in a pattern – create enough holes to let some light shine through. If using stencils, you can
create a design
and then cut out the design. Or
you can
gently fold the bag either vertically or horizontally and cut random
snippets
from the bag (similar to how you make paper snowflakes). When done, place the bags
outside and pour an
inch or two of sand into each of them.
Secure
a candle in the middle of the sand.
Light and enjoy.
Typically, lumiarnias
are set out to mark a path up
to the house, placing one on each side of the walkway up to the house
every
four to six feet. (Of
course, keep an
eye on the candles throughout dinner and make sure to snuff them out
when
done.)
Your Turn:
Whether you
make your own luminarias or simply
step outside to stargaze, take a moment to celebrate the solstice.
Today’s Affirmation:
Each day holds special joy and something to celebrate.
