After spending a majority of November in short sleeve shirts and marveling at the unseasonably warm fall, winter is no longer coming, it’s here and it’s here with a vengeance.
With the advent of December and the coming of the cold, there is no shortage of holidays to be celebrated from Hanukkah to Kwanza to Christmas, but I think an important holiday gets lost in the hustle and bustle of this season and that’s the pagan celebration of the winter solstice.
The shortest day of the year with, obviously, the longest night holds a special meaning for many different cultures including Yule, Saturnalia, and Sanghamitta Day. To many, it signifies the “rebirth” of the year since the days following the solstice get progressively longer.
This year, why not take some time to celebrate something ancient. Something that’s been celebrated long before Christmas and that’s meant so many different things to so many different cultures. Here are some of the Winter Solstice celebrations in Boulder this December.
The StarHouse Winter Solstice
December 17, 7 p.m.
Set on a beautiful property in the Foothills just outside Boulder, this celebration will be facilitated by the StarHouse ministers and feature song and dance to celebrate he light and the dark. Tickets are $15 each.
Unity of Boulder Spiritual Center’s Winter Solstice Celebration
December 21, 5 p.m.
Celebrate the longest night of the year, the turning point in the Earth’s journey around the sun, and the birth of a new year with chanting, singing, and drumming with Norma Groverland. Donations will be taken during the event and participants are encouraged to bring a frame drum and a snack to share after the event.
Boulder Shambhala Center’s Children’s Day Celebration
December 18, 4:30-7 p.m.
The Shambhala community celebrates Children’s Day every year. With the cold that engulfs this season, children bring warmth, goodness, and pure hearts that light up the dark night. This celebration provides parents with an opportunity to show appreciation to their children for what they have brought into their lives.
Wolfheals Shamanic Services Winter Solstice Celebration
December 18, 4:30 p.m.
This ceremony will feature a chanunpa-sacred pipe ceremony, a Native American ceremony that links the physical and spiritual worlds. Participants are encouraged to bring something to place on the altar during the ceremony and, if moved to do so, share a poem or short reading with the group.
