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#wintersolstice — Public Fediverse posts

Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #wintersolstice, aggregated by home.social.

  1. Is This Anything?

    A D&D One-Shot that plays out like a Hallmark Christmas Movie.

    In the town of Wickhollow, the wreaths go up a week before Solstice. The winter baking competition has been running since before anyone can remember. The mayor wears a sash. The candle in the window of the oldest house on the main road has been lit every Longest Night for several generations.

    Someone in your party has been here before. They lived here, they loved here, they lost here. They left. They swore they'd never come back. But the town has welcomed them back with open arms.

    Something is wrong this year. It's not a problem that can be solved by hitting it, but it is certainly the type of problem that will absolutely ruin the Longest Night celebrations if nobody does anything.

    ---

    This is the idea of a one-shot that needs player and DM input to fully flesh it out.

    What's wrong could be a family feud nobody will say aloud. It could be a recent loss that the town hasn't fully grieved yet. It could be a ritual nobody remembers how to perform. It could be the reason the hometown hero left in the first place, a wrong done to them that still sits unaddressed in the room.

    One in the party is the "hometown hero" of sorts. They've returned to the town for the first time in years. Why they've returned could be a recent death in the family. It could be an old love to rekindle. It could be a letter with no return address that somehow found them anyway. It could just be that they were passing through; they swear they were only passing through.

    The rest of the party are the quirky and lovable townsfolk. A chimneysweep, always covered in soot. A stablehand who can't escape the smell. An innkeeper who reserved the last room just for the "hero". The child who still believes all of it, completely, without irony.

    The climax of the story is not driven by combat, but by a speech, a performance, a small act of community that the "hometown hero" could not have managed at session zero.

    And it must start snowing right at the end. That is not a suggestion. The DM does not get a vote on this. It must start snowing.

    #iTA #isThisAnything #DnD #OneShot #LongestNight #WinterSolstice #Hallmark

  2. One of the oldest known “windows”

    Light opening (center of image) above the entrance to the passage at Newgrange.
    For a few days around the winter solstice, a ray of light shines through this opening into the chamber at the end of the passage at sunrise.

    May 2014

    #Newgrange #PassageTomb #Boyne #SiAnBhru #CountyMeath #Ireland #Neolithic #Neolithicperiod #wintersolstice #sunrise #solstice #Irland #Neolithikum #Jungsteinzeit #passage #Wintersonnenwende #Sonnenaufgang #FensterFreitag

  3. Winter Solstice 2025

    Oh Friends, it has been a busy couple of weeks, but now I am happily on vacation for the next two weeks. Aaaaahhhhhh.

    The busy was from many things. At work it was wrapping up the semester and trying to make sure the professors I support had all the research materials they needed while the library is closed for two weeks. This while also supporting students studying and taking final exams.

    Then home to more busy. James and I helped plan our sangha’s annual tea ceremony. We did not go last year due to bad weather, so we had zero context for what we were helping with. The person doing the bulk of the planning was first out of town and then otherwise engaged, and there was much to do in a week and a half. So many Signal messages and emails and time spend on Zoom working out the details. And of course, the day of the tea ceremony the weather was terrible—first rain, then ice, then light snow and howling wind blowing the snow around. It took me extra time to bike home from work. Then James and I ate a very fast dinner before bundling up and biking very carefully with our portion of supplies to the ceremony. I am grateful we don’t have to bike far.

    James and I helped set up, which was already in progress since we were late. Our role in the ceremony itself was to serve the tea and treats to sangha attendees, which involved lots of formal bowing while carrying big trays of tea-filled cups, followed by big trays filled with plates of cookies, fruit, and nuts, which also required lots of formal bowing. In addition I ended up filling the role of tea offerer—placing a cup of tea and a cookie on the altar—because the person who was going to do it lives in the burbs and didn’t come due to the icy roads The altar as on the floor instead of the usual table, and surrounded by candles and flowers. I had to bow and kneel with the offering in my hands, then set it down on the altar. I am proud to say I didn’t spill anything on the altar or on any sangha members, though I did manage to kick two of the many tea light candles on the floor later in the ceremony, making a waxy mess on the floor and on my pants leg.

    Still it all came together beautifully and all the attendees gave us gracious praise. Some even stayed late afterwards to help us clean up.

    We were out again Friday night, biking in the dark and on sometimes icy roads, to a Beloved Community Circle gathering across the river in St. Paul. The gathering was wonderful, as they always are. Part of our evening was spent formally watering each other’s (metaphorical) flowers. It is so easy to speak from the heart to other people about how wonderful they are and what I admire about them, it is a challenge to accept the beautiful words they say to me. But giving and receiving is part of the practice, and spending the evening with increasingly dear friends was exactly what my heart needed even though we didn’t get home until after 10 and my body was very tired.

    Because James had to work at the bookstore on Sunday, the actual day of Solstice, we celebrated on Saturday. Part of the menu was crusty sourdough dinner rolls, which I had enough foresight to make the weekend before and keep them in the freezer. One less thing to do! So after a busy two weeks at work, a week and a half of tea ceremony planning and performing, and a late (for me) night with friends, I spent almost the whole day Saturday cooking.

    As you know, James is the cook in the house and he does all the cooking all year except for Winter Solstice. This tradition began over 30 years ago because James with his retail career, was never able to get the Solstice off—too close to Christmas. So I make a sometimes rather elaborate menu, and do all the cooking and have dinner ready when James gets home from work. All these years later, his schedule is much different, but we keep the tradition of me planning and cooking a special meal.

    This year’s menu was holiday roast stuffed with roasted golden beet, carrot, and parsnip; wild rice “un-stuffing,” aloo bonda also know as mashed potato fritters (from Vegan Richa cookbook), spicy cranberry chutney, and crusty sourdough rolls. For dessert we had salted date caramel chocolate pie with whipped coconut cream on top. The pie did not set up like it was supposed to and didn’t hold form when removed from the pie plate, but it was delicious all the same. The whole meal was delicious. All the flavors went together beautifully.

    Sunday we ate leftovers, and I was able to fully enjoy the meal since I wasn’t tired out from all the things. Tonight is leftovers again. Then the roast will be gone and everything else will get incorporated into other meals.

    And now, rest. Though we are in the midst of having our bathroom remodeled. We are converting from a tub with shower to a shower stall that has grab bars. Some days James’s MS leaves him feeling unbalanced and nervous about stepping over the high side of a bathtub. We are also having the old, worn out vinyl floor tiled to match the shower, getting a new toilet that fits our tiny space, and a new sink that also fits the space better.

    It was supposed to be done by now, but the city took a long time to issue permits, delaying the start of the work, and then after the new plumbing was done, it took the city inspector a week to come out and give the ok. At the end of last week they did the prep work for tiling. I think that bit is done, but I’m not completely certain since I don’t know what done looks like in this case. All I know is that half my living room is taped off with boxes of tile and other supplies piled up, and I have to walk downstairs every time I need to use the bathroom. The novelty and adventure of this whole project has quickly disappeared, and with Christmas this week, I’m not certain what the work schedule is going to be.

    So what do I do for an hour and half this morning? Start back to work on my attic remodel project! I’m still ripping out the old, gross carpet, pulling carpet tape off the under-floor, and cleaning up and moving things around as I go. You may recall I am turning this into a fiber arts room for sewing, weaving, spinning, and knitting. However, it has years of accumulated junk and chaos, some of which I have already disposed of, some of which—like the bins that currently hold my fabric and yarn stash—are getting shuffled around as I work. I would pile them in my living room except I can’t because of all the bathroom remodel stuff.

    But now, after this is posted, I plan on some tea and garden dreaming. It’s time to start figuring out what I’m going to grow next year. To get my garden inspiration going, as if I really needed it, I listened to the first Plant Circle Gathering while working in the attic. The Plant Circle is part of a new project by Robin Wall Kimmerer called Plant Baby Plant. It is intended to be the antithesis of drill baby drill. I love their tagline: Raise a garden and raise a ruckus. Yesterday was the first plant circle and when their website officially launched. Be sure to check it out and get inspired!

    Something else to inspire you, a photo essay of the anti-ICE march that took place Saturday in Minneapolis. I wanted to go, but just couldn’t fit it in and cook too. Thankfully, thousands of other people were able to turn out.

    Happy Solstice!

    #atticCarpetProject #bathroomRemodel #BelovedCommunityCircle #ICE #PlantBabyPlant #sangha #teaCeremony #WinterSolstice

  4. According to British #folklore ghost activities are heightened at #wintersolstice & #Christmas 👻

    This new book in our collection by @delythbadder & @thefolklorepodcast presents & categorises some #Welsh #ghoststories now available in English for the 1st time!

    #WelshCulture #BritishCulture #ghosts

  5. On the longest night of the year, let’s light our homes sustainably! 🏘️

    Switching to #EnergyEfficient lighting 💡 reduces energy consumption while also lowering your energy bills.

    🔗 europa.eu/!w8YYvx

    #WinterSolstice #EnergyLabel #EUecodesign
    ---
    nitter.privacydev.net/Energy4E

  6. On the longest night of the year, let’s light our homes sustainably! 🏘️

    Switching to #EnergyEfficient lighting 💡 reduces energy consumption while also lowering your energy bills.

    🔗 europa.eu/!w8YYvx

    #WinterSolstice #EnergyLabel #EUecodesign
    ---
    nitter.privacydev.net/Energy4E

  7. On the longest night of the year, let’s light our homes sustainably! 🏘️

    Switching to #EnergyEfficient lighting 💡 reduces energy consumption while also lowering your energy bills.

    🔗 europa.eu/!w8YYvx

    #WinterSolstice #EnergyLabel #EUecodesign
    ---
    nitter.privacydev.net/Energy4E

  8. Happy #solstice and good #yule to all!

    We've hit mid-winter and the days will get longer, but the deep cold of winter may keep us huddled in the warmth where we can continue to plan for the spring. Now is a great time to venture out into beautiful, crisp, wintry nature to celebrate the rebirth of the sun and thank the earth for her bounty and constant support. Yule logs, twinkling lights, and candles in our windows are also great ways to welcome the light back into our lives and push back the darkness. Bring some fresh holly inside and keep it near your door to invite good fortune for the coming year. Put your blessing and ritual items and stones in the sunlight to give them an extra boost of magic!

    Blessings to you and your kin. 🌟✨ ❄ 🎄

    #mediumsofmastodon #spiritualgrowth #lightworkers #spirituality #love #spiritualhealing #spiritualawakening #WinterSolstice #Yule #returnofthelight #hollyking

    Image: ©Amanda Clark ‘Yule’ etsy.com/listing/1037084513/la

  9. Thankfully we've arrived at the #WinterSolstice. Here's to the light and colour returning for the new year!

    Vierailu menneisyyteen (vanha kokko) / Revisiting the Past (Old Bonfire), hand-knotted wool wall rug (ryijy / rya rug), 64x54x6cm, 2019 (available at en.taiko.art/petrakaminenmoshe)

    #ArtAdventCalendar #TextileArt #TextileArtist #AbstractArt #weaving #taideryijy #ContemporaryTextileArt #FinnishArtist #FinnishDesign #art #artist #bonfire #InspiredByNature

  10. Shortest day of the year today as we hit the Winter solstice here. Definitely a day to head out into whatever daylight you can find!

    #winter #wintersolstice #dailyshot #london #bankside #photography #creator #decembershots

  11. A new episode of #AmplifyArchaeologyPodcast is out now!

    'Tis that time of year so we have a special episode on Newgrange and the Winter Solstice, based on the 2020 miniseries.

    Amplify Archaeology Podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Acast, Audible and all the major podcast platforms.

    Or you can find it on our website
    abartaheritage.ie/a-newgrange-

    #archaeology #newgrange #BoyneValley #WinterSolstice #IrishHistory #Ireland #IrishArchaeology #Neolithic #Prehistory #MegalithicTomb

  12. Heya, my #trans siblings. Today's question is brought to you by the festival of lights:

    What winter holiday traditions do you happen to follow?

    #QuestionOfTheDay #hannukah #christmas #kwanzaa #wintersolstice #saturnalia #stlucysday

  13. Heya, my #trans siblings. Today's question is brought to you by the festival of lights:

    What winter holiday traditions do you happen to follow?

    #QuestionOfTheDay #hannukah #christmas #kwanzaa #wintersolstice #saturnalia #stlucysday

  14. Heya, my #trans siblings. Today's question is brought to you by the festival of lights:

    What winter holiday traditions do you happen to follow?

    #QuestionOfTheDay #hannukah #christmas #kwanzaa #wintersolstice #saturnalia #stlucysday

  15. Heya, my #trans siblings. Today's question is brought to you by the festival of lights:

    What winter holiday traditions do you happen to follow?

    #QuestionOfTheDay #hannukah #christmas #kwanzaa #wintersolstice #saturnalia #stlucysday