how to celebrate the winter solstice?
June 8, 2010 7:54 PM Subscribe
How can I throw an awesome winter solstice party?
I want to throw a winter solstice party. Not just a winter solstice party, but the BEST winter solstice party to have ever been thrown. What kinds of traditional celebrations/rituals have been used throughout history to celebrate the winter solstice that can be easily transfered to the modern time?
I've read the wikipedia article about it, but stuff there is either overly general or involves sacrificing "white female animals" or sprinkling people people's faces with goats blood, neither of which I think would fly with my winter solstice party guests....
And, does anyone have any nontraditional ideas for marking the occasion? I'm looking for thoughts on optimal food, drinks, activities, anything. Bonus points for a place to throw this party (for about 100 people, and on the cheap) in DC!
I want to throw a winter solstice party. Not just a winter solstice party, but the BEST winter solstice party to have ever been thrown. What kinds of traditional celebrations/rituals have been used throughout history to celebrate the winter solstice that can be easily transfered to the modern time?
I've read the wikipedia article about it, but stuff there is either overly general or involves sacrificing "white female animals" or sprinkling people people's faces with goats blood, neither of which I think would fly with my winter solstice party guests....
And, does anyone have any nontraditional ideas for marking the occasion? I'm looking for thoughts on optimal food, drinks, activities, anything. Bonus points for a place to throw this party (for about 100 people, and on the cheap) in DC!
i went to a great winter solstice party where they made an effigy of a man out of sticks, and built a beautiful big bonfire and lit the shit out of it....everyone has an opportunity to write down what they wanted to leave behind and what they wanted to manifest on scraps of paper, and tuck the scraps into the hands of the stickman before he burned. every fire burns differently and it was awesome, on that windy night, to stand around and talk about the fire and what it was doing/where it was going
otherwise, i like the idea of carrying light into the coming darkness and dormancy of winter. something based around that isn't too esoteric and can be dramatic....just fire. no goat's blood or animals....what about a white animal costume party?
it's a thought
posted by lakersfan1222 at 8:02 PM on June 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
otherwise, i like the idea of carrying light into the coming darkness and dormancy of winter. something based around that isn't too esoteric and can be dramatic....just fire. no goat's blood or animals....what about a white animal costume party?
it's a thought
posted by lakersfan1222 at 8:02 PM on June 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
yep, then we went inside after the fire was lit and there were homemade latkes, sausages, people, children, fun
posted by lakersfan1222 at 8:03 PM on June 8, 2010
posted by lakersfan1222 at 8:03 PM on June 8, 2010
I think what you will want is Eight Sabbats for Witches, by Janet and Stewart Farrar. The book is full of the various traditions for the eight holidays, the Winter Solstice stuff is all in one section. "Wren Boys Day," from Ireland; Yule mumming; Holly King/Oak King, and plenty of symbols that you could use just to dress up the event.
Also, you'll want at least a few tracks from the various Excelsis releases from the Projekt record label. Most of them are goths doing Christmas tunes, but some are not, such as a winter song from the Huron people.
posted by adipocere at 8:13 PM on June 8, 2010
Also, you'll want at least a few tracks from the various Excelsis releases from the Projekt record label. Most of them are goths doing Christmas tunes, but some are not, such as a winter song from the Huron people.
posted by adipocere at 8:13 PM on June 8, 2010
-Krampus always makes the holidays better! Per tradition, Krampus prefers schnapps. Have a Krampuslauf ("Krampus run") with bells and chains and Krampus whacking people with dried cows' tails (see below).
-On a similar note, you could do an old-school mummer's play:
Original Santa wants his Pagan orgy back.
Yeah, there are big, shaggy sex-and-violence characters littering winter mythology. Oh, and drunkenness and partying is traditional. You can threaten people with a visit from Perchta if they're lazy or don't party enough.
-Nothing says winter holidays (besides big, shaggy sex-and-violence characters) like psychedelic mushrooms.
Yup. Sex, drugs, food, violence, masks-and-costumes, fire... NOW we're talking traditional holiday celebrations.
posted by Pirate-Bartender-Zombie-Monkey at 9:07 PM on June 8, 2010 [2 favorites]
-On a similar note, you could do an old-school mummer's play:
The shaggy, horned, club-wielding wildman comes in like a force of nature, roaring and whacking the trees and the humans, not as punishment, but as a fertility gesture to re-awaken the life force of the world and its inhabitants that has died with the coming of winter.Okay, the literal mating part/orgy can be skipped, but you said you wanted the best. I'm totally serious about this. Read Santa Claus: Last of the Wild Men and your Winter Holidays may never be quite the same.
The hunter(s) chase the wildman and, after a struggle, he is subdued and chained and brought to thetown squarebonfire. There, a beautiful maiden is brought to be his bride in the hopes that his big, hairy, barely restrained virility will bring back the warm season.
BUT... before the marriage between the wildman and the maiden can be consummated, the archer steps forth and shoots the wildman, slaying him.
Except that the Wildman resurrects like the spirit of life he is, and mates with his maiden bride. And then the whole thing devolves into a big orgy.
Original Santa wants his Pagan orgy back.
Yeah, there are big, shaggy sex-and-violence characters littering winter mythology. Oh, and drunkenness and partying is traditional. You can threaten people with a visit from Perchta if they're lazy or don't party enough.
-Nothing says winter holidays (besides big, shaggy sex-and-violence characters) like psychedelic mushrooms.
Yup. Sex, drugs, food, violence, masks-and-costumes, fire... NOW we're talking traditional holiday celebrations.
posted by Pirate-Bartender-Zombie-Monkey at 9:07 PM on June 8, 2010 [2 favorites]
I came to say what Jessamyn said: bonfire. You are trying to bring the sun back, after all. The police in my 'burb were not amused, though. Check your local regs.
posted by fixedgear at 8:58 AM on June 9, 2010
posted by fixedgear at 8:58 AM on June 9, 2010
Absolutely bonfire. Lights of all sorts. I would say candles only in the house, but presumably there will be alcohol, so that may not be wise.
Decorating a tree, preferably one outside (as in, still living. In a tub inside would be fine too and gives you a lot more latitude in what you can decorate with) is a relatively pagan tradition that got absorbed into Christianity by way of Germany mostly. Think of things that echo the sun: big golden balls, lights.
Now, food. Let's talk food. Again, you should echo things that look like the sun. Nods to general ideas of growth, life returning, fertility, that sort of thing would be a good idea. Eggs! Lots of eggs. (Speaking of, Avocaat would be a good drink, and a nice alternative to the egg nog everyone's been swilling for the previous three weeks). Big round loaves of bread--serve 'em whole, let people rip chunks off. Yellow and orange things, sunny things--hot, spicy, fiery things! Golden beets are particularly delectable; I'd roast them with salt, pepper, olive oil, and a few bits of star anise. Peel, slice into rounds, serve drizzled with some olive oil, honey, balsamic vinegar, and crumbled goat cheese.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 5:37 PM on June 9, 2010
Decorating a tree, preferably one outside (as in, still living. In a tub inside would be fine too and gives you a lot more latitude in what you can decorate with) is a relatively pagan tradition that got absorbed into Christianity by way of Germany mostly. Think of things that echo the sun: big golden balls, lights.
Now, food. Let's talk food. Again, you should echo things that look like the sun. Nods to general ideas of growth, life returning, fertility, that sort of thing would be a good idea. Eggs! Lots of eggs. (Speaking of, Avocaat would be a good drink, and a nice alternative to the egg nog everyone's been swilling for the previous three weeks). Big round loaves of bread--serve 'em whole, let people rip chunks off. Yellow and orange things, sunny things--hot, spicy, fiery things! Golden beets are particularly delectable; I'd roast them with salt, pepper, olive oil, and a few bits of star anise. Peel, slice into rounds, serve drizzled with some olive oil, honey, balsamic vinegar, and crumbled goat cheese.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 5:37 PM on June 9, 2010
Oh, and turn on/ignite the lights and bonfires and such at sunset, and keep them going until sunrise. You could then--if you are having a good bonfire--do a nice fry-up outside for brekkie as the sun is rising. Use cast iron, not stainless steel. Bacon, soss, eggs, etc etc.
Ooh, and for a bonfire--potatoes roasted in their jackets! Either wrap in foil (pierce the potatoes all the way through a few times, coat in olive oil and way more salt than is even remotely re4asonable) and keep in the embers, or follow Larousse and do them in their skins in the ashes of the fire.
And obviously marshmallows etc. Smores for the kids if there are any.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 6:05 PM on June 9, 2010
Ooh, and for a bonfire--potatoes roasted in their jackets! Either wrap in foil (pierce the potatoes all the way through a few times, coat in olive oil and way more salt than is even remotely re4asonable) and keep in the embers, or follow Larousse and do them in their skins in the ashes of the fire.
And obviously marshmallows etc. Smores for the kids if there are any.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 6:05 PM on June 9, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
Really I think the big deals are some sort of fire/light, good food and fellowship and if you can stay up and watch the sunrise, all the better. I know this isn't quite what you were asking about, but it's our great local tradition and I look forward to it every year.
posted by jessamyn at 8:02 PM on June 8, 2010 [4 favorites]