My Winter Solstice traditions continue to be refined. For the past 2 years I’ve been at home on this Solstice instead of travelling, allowing me time to celebrate over multiple days. This holy day brings together so many of the things I love – the longer winter nights, bright Hekate guiding us through darkness with her radiant torches, sunrise and sunset.

This year I brought in some elements from the (modern) Heliogenna festival as adapted by Hellenion. The perspective of the festival, at least as originally written, has always differed from my understanding of the events of the Solstice but the praxis adapted by Hellenion is in many ways close to my own.

I added Eos and Selene to the first sunrise vigil and offerings on Solstice morning which feature Hekate and Helios. Selene did not fit well into this ceremony for me and next year I will probably offer to Nyx instead. After sunset when it was fully dark I had a libation ritual for Persephone, Hekate and the Ancestors, again with a nod to Helios. This was the most intense of the 3 rites for me. Afterward I made a feast and we had again the now traditional cheesecake covered in lemon curd to resemble the sun. This morning I held another vigil and ritual for the first sunrise after Solstice for Eos, Hekate and Helios. The sacred flame of the Titans was renewed and transferred, to be carried forward by Hekate and her devotees into the next cycle of the solar year.