The Winter Solstice is finally here, marking the shortest day and the longest night of the year. As the sun dips below the horizon at 4:30 PM, we are all ready for bed by 6:02 pm. But it’s a time of reflection, coziness, and of course, a little bit of fun!
There are so many ways to celebrate the solstice. In our home, we have a few traditions that we look forward to every year. We bake our favorite cookies, cozy up with good books, and make a craft that brings a little more light into the darkness. I can’t wait to share how we celebrate this magical day and inspire you to try it too!
A Solstice Celebration: Cookies, Crafts, and Cozy Moments
With the day’s light fading quickly, we keep our activities simple but engaging. The girls and I start our solstice celebrations with a list of things we must do. This year the girls planned for a garden walk or maybe even hike to collect sticks.
It’s always a race against time to see how much we can do before the sun sets! Over the years, I’ve learned one important thing. A little bit of preparation goes a long way, especially in baking.
Brunsli and Mailänderli: Solstice Cookies for Light and Dark
I start the day by making the dough for our Brunsli cookies, as they need to air dry before baking. (Trust me, you’ll want to make the dough the night before to give it time to rest.) Once they’re baked, your house will smell like a warm, spiced chocolate dream an absolute treat on the longest night of the year!
I love these two cookie recipes because they embody both light and dark, balancing the contrasts of the solstice itself.
- Mailänderli Cookies are a simple, traditional Swedish Christmas cookie, but I make them especially for the solstice. The bright, citrusy lemon flavor reminds me of the sun’s warmth and the summer days we look forward to. I always cut them into stars to symbolize the light that shines in the darkness.
- Brunsli Cookies, on the other hand, are a rich Swiss chocolate cookie that represent the winter night. They’re also gluten and dairyf ree, making them a treat everyone can enjoy. The deep, warming flavors of cinnamon and cocoa are a perfect match for the long, cozy night ahead.
These cookies bring balance to the day. They bring brightness from the Mailänderli. They also provide the grounding warmth of the Brunsli. We enjoy them with warm cider. It gives us just enough energy to make it through the night. Bedtime is at 8:30 PM!
Recipes Below! And don’t forget save the yolks and egg whites from both recipes. You can use them in each one, so no waste!
A Winter Solstice Craft: Paper Bag Snowflakes
For our solstice craft, I chose to make paper bag snowflakes simple yet beautiful, and the perfect way to bring a little winter magic indoors. While I’d typically go for something “snowy,” this project felt like a wonderful way to celebrate the season with a little fake snow of our own. Plus, we’ll be collecting sticks for an upcoming craft on Three Kings Day, so stay tuned for that next month!
You may have seen these paper bag snowflakes all over Instagram, and for good reason they’re easy to make, gorgeous to look at, and they add a little whimsy to the winter months.
Supplies:
- Tacky Glue
- Paper Bags (brown or white)
- Hole Puncher
- Twine
- Scissors
- Stapler
Directions:
- Take 6 paper bags and glue them together along the flaps. Glue from the flap to the center of the bag (you can glue all the way to the top if you prefer).
- To make cutting easier, I recommend gluing just 3 bags together at first and cutting out your pattern before adding the other 3. Once there are too many bags, the cutting can get a little tricky. Trust me if you’re like me, you’ll be ready to finish up faster than expected!
- Cut a symmetrical pattern on both sides of the bags just make sure they match up when you unfold them!
- Once your cutting is done, pull each side of the bags up to create the snowflake shape. Glue the edges together and staple to secure.
- Punch a hole at the top and thread some twine through it. Now, your snowflake is ready to hang!
We’ve hung ours above our Christmas shelfie and it adds such a cozy, festive touch to our space. It’s a simple craft that makes a big impact, as no two are alike and we love that it brings a little sparkle to the dark evenings.
The Winter Solstice is all about slowing down, embracing the beauty of the long night, and celebrating the return of light. Whether you’re baking cookies, making crafts, or simply savoring a quiet moment, it’s a time to reconnect with traditions that bring joy and warmth to the darkest days.
What’s your favorite way to celebrate the solstice? I’d love to hear about your traditions and any special rituals you have for this magical time of year!
Wishing you all a peaceful, bright Winter Solstice and a season full of warmth and light.
xx,
me
homeschooling moon children 
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