Winter Solstice Rituals & How to Celebrate with Incense

Nov 29, 2024Flore

What is the Winter Solstice?

An illustrated winter landscape featuring snow covered evergreen trees in front of a lake with a white sun in a grey sky.

The Winter Solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year, is a moment of profound significance across cultures and time.

This celestial event, occurring around December 21st is the first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and the shortest day of the year in terms of actual hours of daylight. After the Winter Solstice, the days will grow longer until the Summer Solstice.

As the days are now growing longer, the Winter Solstice symbolizes the turning point when light begins to return, bringing hope and renewal. Celebrating this day can be a way to connect with nature, history, and tradition while embracing the warmth of the season.

The historical significance of Winter Solstice

For millennia, people have observed the Winter Solstice as a time of rebirth. In ancient times, the return of longer days brought reassurance that the cycle of life would continue. This understanding is deeply woven into human history.

Icy tree branches against a clear blue sky.

Ancient Scandinavia:

The Norse celebrated Yule, a 12-day festival filled with fire and evergreens to symbolize life amidst the darkest days.

Ancient Britain:

Stonehenge, located on Salisbury Plain in Whiltshire, England, is a stone Neolithic (end of the Stone Age) monument estimated to have started construction around 3100 BC. The iconic stones align with the solstice sunrise, indicating its importance to ancient peoples as a sacred event.

Stonehenge sits on a green field against a cloud streaked sunset sky.

Ancient Rome:

The festival of Saturnalia was a time of feasting, gift-giving, and merrymaking to honour the Roman god Saturn (Greek God Cronus) and celebrate the sun's eventual return. Originally held on December 17th, the festivities ultimately lasted for seven days by the 1st century BC.

Ancient Aztec:

The Aztecs honoured the rebirth of the sun god, Huitzilopochtli, with festivals emphasizing renewal and gratitude.

An illustrated image of Aztec god Huitzilopochtli

Winter Solstice celebrations from around the world

Across the globe, the Winter Solstice is celebrated in diverse ways, each rooted in local traditions and beliefs. These traditions remind us that, no matter where we are, the solstice is a time to reconnect—with nature, loved ones, and ourselves.

Iran - Yalda Night:

Yalda night festivities take place on the evening of the Winter Solstice. Families gather to recite poetry and share fruits like pomegranates, symbolizing the triumph of light over darkness.

An ornately decorated and plated table of Persian food for Yalda night festivities.

China - Dongzhi Festival:

This solstice celebration emphasizes family unity and balance through meals like tangyuan, sweet rice dumplings.

Yule and the origins of modern Christmas

An illustration of a fireplace with a roaring fire, the mantle decorated with a Christmas wreath. To one side of the fireplace is a Christmas tree, the other is a big armchair with a cat sleeping on it. There are two windows on either side of the chimney, looking out onto snowy tree branches.

In North America, many holiday traditions have their roots in Yule, the Germanic solstice festival. Evergreens, warm fires, and the Yule log are echoes of ancient customs celebrating life's continuity. Even scents associated with the season, like cinnamon, pine, and frankincense, reflect these time-honoured practices.

If you don’t have a Yule log, burning incense is a beautiful alternative to carry forward this tradition. Scents inspired by winter evergreens or the warm spices of holiday baking are perfect to evoke the spirit of Yule.

Celebrating the Winter Solstice with incense

An overhead view of a bunch of incense cones on a metallic red plate shaped like a poinsettia flower. The plate is sitting on a plaid textured background.

Incorporating incense into your solstice celebrations is a way to engage all the senses, creating an atmosphere of warmth, reflection, and renewal. Here are some ideas:

Meditation and Reflection:

Use soothing scents like Frankincense & Myrrh during a moment of quiet introspection. These timeless fragrances have been associated with spirituality for centuries, making them perfect for setting intentions for the year ahead.

Evergreen Aromas:

An overhead view of a package of Flore Evergreen incense sticks next to a black incense burner with an incense stick burning. There are a bunch of incense sticks laying fanned out next to the incense burner. The incense package and sticks are laying on a wooden board against a black background.

The scent of coniferous trees like cedar, pine, and cypress, or Flore’s Evergreen blend, connect us to the natural world and symbolize life’s endurance through winter's chill. These fragrances can transform your space into a tranquil forest sanctuary.

A package of Flore Evergreen Incense Backflow Cones sits next to a black backflow cone burner. The incense cone on the burner is partially burned, with smoke cascading downward and pooling. There are incense cones, crystals and a malachite egg laying in front of the package.

Warm and Cozy Comfort:

Scents like Cinnamon, Vanilla, and our Winter blend of pine, clove, nutmeg and fig evoke the warmth of holiday baking. They are ideal for creating a welcoming ambiance during family meals or solstice storytelling circles.

An overhead view of a red and orangey gold package of Flore Cinnamon Spice incense sticks laying next to three cinnamon rolls on a red plate, cup of coffee and a burning incense stick in a red incense holder.

Incense rituals for the Winter Solstice

Close up of a red christmas tree light bulb surrounded by evergreen tufts and encircled by a silver and red christmas tree decoration.

The Winter Solstice is more than an astronomical event—it’s a moment to pause, reflect, and connect with traditions that honour the natural world. Adding incense to your celebrations is a simple yet profound way to engage with the season's spirit.

1. Create a Solstice Altar

Decorate a small space with candles, evergreens, and incense to honour the season's themes of light and renewal.

2. Host a Solstice Gathering

Light a stick of Frankincense & Myrrh incense, or the warm and spicy Winter incense blend during a shared meal to enhance the festive atmosphere.

An overhead view of a package of Flore Winter incense sticks laying next to pine cones, figs and spices. There is an incense stick burning in a black incense holder and several incense sticks are fanned out across the package.

3. Symbolize the Yule Log

Burn a stick of Evergreen incense to represent the life and light of the Yule log, honouring the ancient tradition in a modern way.

Did you know?

The term "Yule" originates from Old Norse and means “wheel,” symbolizing the cycle of the year
Incense has been used in solstice rituals for centuries, connecting people through shared sensory experiences
The gifts of the biblical Magi—gold, frankincense, and myrrh—were symbolic of spiritual and physical transformation, themes central to the solstice

Written by Flore