Welcome to December. We are currently in the energy of Sagittarius covering 25 November to 21 December – a special period for me as it is my birthday star sign.
The energy of Sagittarius invokes activities that inspire adventure, learning, connection, and expansion. It calls us to expand our horizons, seek new ways, vision, dream and manifest our future. The symbol for Sagittarius is the archer’s bow – which signals future direction.
December is also a month for reflection, gathering and celebration. So our theme for December is celebration – celebration of ourselves, what we have achieved and setting ourselves up for what we can celebrate in the new year ahead.
On 21 December it is Winter Solstice – the shortest day and longest night in the Northern Hemisphere. Earth’s North Pole tilts away from the sun as far as it can go. This means that the sun appears lowest in the sky, and the Northern Hemisphere receives less sunlight and warmth… but from this point onwards we start to gain more light and longer days again. The winter solstice is celebrated by many festivals and holidays, including:
- Yule: A pagan festival that celebrates the the longest night and the re-birth of the sun – Yule originated in Scandinavia and is one of the world’s oldest winter solstice festivals
- Saturnalia: An ancient Roman festival to celebrate the Roman god of agriculture and the harvest
- Dongzhi Festival: A festival celebrated in China and East Asia to mark the Winter Solstice
- St. Lucia’s Day: A festival of lights celebrated in Scandinavia that incorporates earlier Norse solstice traditions and commemorates the life of Saint Lucia, an early Christian martyr who was killed by the Romans in 304 CE.
There is also the Christian celebration of Christmas soon after, celebrated on 25 December to remember the birth of Jesus Christ.
However, these days, many of these celebrations are a nice reason to gather family and friends, decorate our homes, exchange gifts, eat, drink and be Merry. How will you recognise this period of celebration in 2024?
How about trying this practice to celebrate December and the Sagittarius energy? You will need, a pen and paper, an envelope and 3 candles
Honour the present – think about how you are feeling right now. What does life look like for you now. How far have you come to be where you are right now? Light a candle and speak three things you are grateful for in your life here and now.
Honour the past – reflect on what you have achieved in the last year and events or things you have had to celebrate in 2024. What were the biggest lessons learned? Which main characters featured in your 2024 celebrations. Light a candle to show gratitude, recognition and celebrate all that you have achieved in 2024
Honour the future – think about events already planned or things you would like to achieve (your vision, dreams and goals) in the future. Light a candle for the future and say your goals and dreams into the flame You can also write these down to help manifest them – write a letter to your self one year from now. What does life look like for you in December 2025? What will you have achieved and what will you have to celebrate and be grateful for? Put it in an envelope addressed to yourself and keep it somewhere safe. Set yourself a reminder for December 1, 2025, to open and read this letter. You may also want to include in that reminder the safe spot you have saved it in too.
Other ideas to celebrate December:
- Sing – maybe that is blasting out Christmas hits on karaoke, singing along to the radio in the car or singing carols in church – find time this December to use your voice and sing your heart out in celebration
- Give thanks – who have you missed speaking to this year? Who are you grateful for this year? Let them know. Write them a letter, give them a call, meet up for a festive beverage – whatever works best for you – let them know how much they mean to you
- Get creative – Making decorations is not just for kids – obviously it is good fun to do creative crafts with them, but also can be an incredibly mindful activity for adults alone. How about attending a wreath making workshop, or create a centre piece for your Christmas table? Maybe make a snow globe from a clean jar and biodegradable glitter – there are loads of ideas out – here is a link for inspiration
How ever you decide to celebrate in December I hope you have fun, spend time with loved ones, relax, recuperate and be Merry. I’d love to hear your Winter Solstice and Christmas celebration traditions – let me know in the comments