One way that I like to connect with the seasons and cycles of the earth is by tuning into The Wheel of the Year. Aligning yourself with natural cycles helps you internalize the outward changes in nature as reflections of the changes you may experience in your own life. Discover the best crystals for the Winter Solstice and how to create a seasonal Altar for Yule! So what is the Wheel of the Year? Separated into 8 main holidays, the Wheel of the Year represents seasonal cycles focusing on the 4 Solar Holidays of the year (also known as the quarter days). This stems from the Anglo-Saxon cultural observations of the solstices and equinoxes, with the addition of the 4 Gaelic, agrarian, seasonal celebrations (the mid-points between the solar holidays known as the lunar cross-quarter days or fire festivals). Although some of the holidays observed in the Wheel of the Year are quite old, The Wheel of the Year as a whole is fairly modern (being developed in the late 1950s). Though I don’t personally follow the tradition that created the contemporary Wheel of the Year, I find it a helpful way to think about the passage of time and what’s happening at each time of year. An Introduction to Winter Solstice: Winter Solstice is the last of the annual quarter days (the solar festivals), which marks the second of the winter holidays (the mid-point between Samhain and Imbolc).  It's traditionally celebrated on the shortest day of the year, determined by when the Earth’s pole is at maximum tilt away from the sun (this date may range from December 20th-23rd each year in the Northern Hemisphere, and between June 20th-22nd in the Southern Hemisphere). From this point forward, the days will begin to grow longer until we reach the time of equal day and night at the Spring Equinox (sometimes called Ostara), followed by the longest day of the year at the Summer Solstice (sometimes called Litha). *If you live in the Southern Hemisphere, you'll be celebrating the festival of Litha today instead of Yule to keep with the seasonal cycles. The Winter Solstice is the perfect time for celebrating hope, generosity, rebirth, celebration, introspection, and the return of the Sun! It’s also known as (or is related to) Yule, Midwinter, Yuletide, Saturnalia, Yulefest, Alban Arthan, and Christmas. In this blog, you'll learn how to create a seasonal Altar for Yule. Winter Solstice Crystals: Moss Agate Tree Agate Angelite Green Aventurine Bloodstone Bronzite Charoite Emerald Red Pyrope Garnet Green Uvarovite Garnet Red Jasper Snowflake Obsidian Clear Quartz Ruby Scolecite Selenite Unakite Yule Symbols: Eggnog Wassail Apples & Cider Deer & Antlers Evergreen Trees Snow & Snowflakes Yule Log Bells Stars Ice Holly Berries & Leaves Ivy Leaves Oak Trees Hearth Acorns * Mistletoe