We’re not a religious household, but I like ritual for the psychological comforts. Every solstice, summer or winter, we try to have some mead and do silly things like dance naked in our backyard around a makeshift firepit. Yes, that really happened on Summer Solstice 2014.

Hot water bottle, for warmth in our cold house

This year, we’re going for our Christmas meal in lieu of presents and spending the night out in Shanghai!

Before we go though, I’ve set out the things we need to mark this shortest day of the year.

Things Needed for Winter Solstice in the Monroe-Knight Home: 

1. A clean ‘hearth’ (stovetop) 
2. Smudging stick from Colorado 
3. Infused water from the old smudging stick that got down to a nub and burned my fingertips 
4. Salt 
5. Homemade bourbon-bottle aged meade 

We’re ready!