By December, the days are short, the afternoons are dark and most of us are more than ready for a bit of warmth and light.
The winter solstice is the shortest day and longest night of the year in the northern hemisphere. In the UK, that means the sun is already low in the sky by mid-afternoon and, in much of the country, darkness arrives before four o'clock.
Then the direction changes. The days begin getting longer again.
That turning point is one of the reasons midwinter has been marked for centuries. Yule is one of the old northern European midwinter traditions, while the modern winter season also carries customs from Christmas, local folklore and more recent pagan practice.
You don't need to follow a particular spiritual path to mark it. A few candles, some greenery, good food and a quieter evening are enough.
This guide looks at what Yule is, where some of its traditions come from, and simple ways to mark the winter solstice at home.
The short version
- The winter solstice falls on 21 December in 2026. It is the shortest day and longest night of the year in the northern hemisphere.
- Yule was a midwinter festival associated with Germanic peoples of northern Europe, including the Norse and Anglo-Saxons.
- Many familiar winter traditions have connections to older midwinter customs, including evergreens, fires, candles, feasting and the Yule log.
- You don't need a complicated ritual. Light candles at dusk, bring something green indoors, burn a wintery incense and spend some time away from the usual rush.
- If you want to include the moon phase, our free moon calendar is an easy way to check what's happening on the night.
What is the winter solstice?
The Earth is tilted on its axis. As it travels around the sun, that tilt changes how much direct sunlight reaches different parts of the planet throughout the year.
The winter solstice is the point when the northern hemisphere is tilted furthest away from the sun. It gives us the shortest period of daylight and the longest night of the year.
In London, there are fewer than eight hours between sunrise and sunset around the December solstice. Further north, the daylight period is shorter still.
After the solstice, the days start getting longer. The change is gradual, so you won't suddenly notice an extra hour of daylight the next morning, but the direction has changed.
That's what makes the solstice such a useful point in the year to stop and take stock. It marks the darkest point of winter, but it also marks the beginning of the return of the light.
What is Yule?
Yule was a midwinter festival associated with Germanic peoples in northern Europe, including the Norse and Anglo-Saxons.
The historical evidence doesn't give us a neat set of Yule instructions, and some of the detailed rituals you'll see described online are modern reconstructions or later interpretations. What we can say with more confidence is that midwinter was a time for feasting, drinking, fires and gatherings.
One of the earliest written references comes from the eighth-century English monk Bede. He recorded that the Anglo-Saxons used Giuli for the months around midwinter. The Old Norse word jól was also used for a midwinter festival.
Yule continued in Scandinavia and became closely connected with Christmas as Christianity spread through northern Europe. In Swedish, Danish and Norwegian, jul is still the word used for Christmas.
Yule and Christmas
You will often hear that Christmas simply replaced Yule. The history is more complicated than that.
Christian Christmas traditions developed alongside existing winter customs, and as Christianity spread through northern Europe, some local midwinter practices were absorbed into Christmas celebrations. Evergreens, fires, candles, feasting and the Yule log all became part of the wider winter tradition.
So rather than thinking of Yule and Christmas as two completely separate things, it is more useful to see them as overlapping traditions that developed and changed over time.
Ancient midwinter traditions
Yule wasn't the first culture to pay attention to the turning of the year.
At Newgrange in Ireland, a passage tomb built around 5,000 years ago is aligned so that sunlight enters the passage and reaches the inner chamber around the winter solstice. It is one of the most famous examples of prehistoric architecture connected with the movement of the sun.
Stonehenge also has strong solar alignments. The monument is associated with the sunrise at midsummer and sunset around midwinter, and people still gather there to mark the solstice.
The Romans had Saturnalia, a festival held in December that involved feasting, gifts and a temporary reversal of some normal social conventions.
These traditions weren't all celebrating the same thing, and they weren't necessarily connected to one another. But they show how often people have used the darkest part of the year as a reason to gather, eat, light fires and mark the changing season.
How to bring Yule into your home
You don't need to recreate an ancient festival. Most of the familiar midwinter themes are easy to work into an ordinary home.
Light
Candles are probably the simplest place to start.
On the evening of the solstice, turn off the main lights around dusk and use candles or lamps instead. In late December, that can give you a surprisingly long evening to enjoy without the usual bright overhead lighting.
The Selenite Cylinder Candle Holder (£15) is carved from Moroccan selenite and has a soft, translucent appearance when a candle is lit inside. The 15cm Selenite Cylinder Candle Holder (£27.99) has a simpler shape and gives a similar effect.
For something more rustic, the Petrified Wood Tealight Holder (£35.49) is carved by hand from petrified wood and marble, polished on top and left rough around the edges, with two wells for standard tealights. It weighs nearly 2kg, so it holds a table down, and no two are alike. Petrified wood is wood that turned to stone, with the original tree's rings and splits preserved in mineral.
The Whitewash Mango Wood Candle Holder (£23.99) is a plainer option in whitewashed mango wood, and sits well with a pillar candle.
See more in our candle holders.
Candles for a winter evening
If you're choosing a candle specifically for the season, warm, spicy and woody fragrances tend to work better than anything too light or summery.
The Agnes and Cat Clove Herb Garden Candle (£15) has a warm clove fragrance and is made from natural soy wax with a wooden wick.
The Greenman Cedar Citrus Woodwick Candle (£9.94) offers a fresher scent, with woody and mossy notes. For something brighter, try the Hop Hare Diffusing Crystals in The Sun (£17.49), featuring natural sodalite, deep blue with white veins, arranged with bright dried flowers in a glass vessel, where a few drops of essential oil on the stones and petals release scent without heat, flame or electricity.
You can browse our Agnes and Cat candles, Greenman woodwick candles and soy wax candles.
Evergreen
Evergreen plants make sense at the darkest time of year because they stay green while much of the garden has died back.
Holly, ivy, pine and fir are all associated with winter greenery, although the exact traditions vary from place to place.
You can bring a few branches indoors and put them on the mantelpiece, in a vase or around the base of a seasonal display. Just keep fresh greenery well away from candles and other heat sources.
If you'd rather have the scent without the needles, Golden Cedar Sage Resin Sticks (£2.49) combine cedar and sage resin in solid sticks with a dry, woody, herbal scent. Light the tip and stand it in a holder or a bowl of sand.
See our aroma lamps and diffusers and essential oils.
The Yule log
The Yule log is one of the best-known winter traditions. Historically, it involved a large log being brought into the home and burned on the hearth. In some traditions, part of the log was saved to help light the following year's fire.
Most modern homes aren't equipped for that, but a cast iron cauldron makes a good modern centrepiece.
The Extra Huge Cast Iron Cauldron with Triple Moon (£79.99) is 23cm across and weighs 4.5kg, so it is substantial enough to use as a permanent piece rather than a disposable Christmas decoration. Fill it with candles and place it on a suitable heatproof surface.
For smaller displays, the Small Cast Iron Ritual Pot (£14) is easier to fit on a shelf or altar.
Remember that cast iron becomes extremely hot. Keep it on a heatproof surface and away from anything that can catch fire.
Scent and smoke
Frankincense and myrrh are familiar winter fragrances, particularly because of their place in the Christmas story.
The Golden Frankincense Resin Sticks (£2.20) are an easy way to use resin without dealing with loose pieces and charcoal. Golden Cinnamon Resin Sticks (£2.49) have a darker, earthier scent.
Tribal Soul Cinnamon sticks (£1.99) bring a warm, seasonal fragrance, while Apple & Cinnamon incense cones (£2.49) carry scent more strongly than sticks because they have no bamboo core. Burn the cones in a dish, cone holder or bowl of sand, or try Tribal Soul Frankincense sticks (£1.50), which are masala style with resin in the paste for warm, lemony and slightly peppery smoke.
If you want something more herbal and woody, Golden Cedar Sage Resin Sticks (£2.49) bring in a resinous cedar note. Golden Lavender Resin Sticks (£2.20) are solid sticks of lavender resin with a textured, natural finish rather than incense on a bamboo core. Light the tip and set it in a holder or a bowl of sand.
Browse our resins and powders and incense sticks. If you're new to resin, our resin incense guide explains how to use charcoal safely, while our incense sticks versus cones guide compares the different formats.
Clearing out the old year
The end of the year is a natural time to clear out things you no longer want and make space for the year ahead.
Some people include smoke cleansing as part of this. If you do, open a window and keep the process simple. There is no need to fill the whole house with smoke.
The White Sage and Cedar Smudge Stick (£21.49) combines sage with a warmer winter scent.
See our smudge sticks or read our smudge sticks guide.
A simple solstice altar
If you enjoy having a seasonal altar, you don't need much space.
Start with a cloth. The Moon and Sun Chart Altar Cloth (£5) is cotton with a fringed edge and a celestial design that works particularly well for a solstice display.
The Hands and Sun Offering Plate (£18) can sit in the centre. Use it for a candle, a piece of fruit, some greenery or anything else that feels appropriate to you.
Add a candle, something evergreen and a stone or two.
The Pentagram Altar Bell (£14.28) is another optional addition. It's made from solid brass and has a clear chime that can be used to mark the beginning or end of a quiet ritual.
For more ideas, see our altar cloths and altar and ritual collections. If you're building your first altar, our first altar guide covers the basics without making it more complicated than it needs to be.
Crystals for midwinter
There aren't any crystals you have to use for Yule. If you enjoy working with stones, though, some fit naturally with the season.
Garnet is the traditional January birthstone, and its deep red colour works particularly well with a winter altar. In crystal traditions, garnet is often associated with warmth, strength and vitality.
Read more in our garnet meaning guide and January birthstone page.
Black tourmaline and obsidian are also popular choices in modern crystal practice, often associated with grounding and protection. The Black Tourmaline Six Face Obelisk (£17.99) stands 11cm tall, while the Shadow Seer Obsidian Pendulum (£19) features a polished black obsidian globe above a clear quartz point terminated at both ends, with silver-tone detailing.
If you're buying for someone with a December birthday, our December birthstone page has more ideas. You can also read about black tourmaline and obsidian.
A simple solstice evening
You can do this on your own, with a partner or with the family. There is no particular ritual you need to get right.
- Check sunset. Around the solstice, sunset is shortly before four o'clock in London, although it varies across the UK.
- Dim the house. Turn off the main lights and light your candles as the daylight fades.
- Bring in some greenery. Holly, ivy, pine or fir are all simple choices.
- Choose a winter scent. Frankincense, cinnamon, clove, cedar or pine all work well.
- Think about the year that's ending. You might write down something you'd like to leave behind.
- Think about the year ahead. Write down one thing you'd like to give more attention to.
- Have something warm to eat. A proper meal is much more in keeping with the spirit of midwinter than trying to make the evening elaborate.
- Enjoy the evening. Read, talk, listen to music, play cards or simply sit with the candles.
If you enjoy tarot, you could draw one card as a reflection for the year ahead. Try our one-card tarot reading or free tarot reading.
Never leave candles or burning incense unattended, and put everything out before going to bed.
A midwinter bath
The longest night is also a good excuse to have a proper bath and stop doing things for an hour.
The Elemental Crystal Bath Fizzer in Earth (£7.49) leaves a crystal behind once it has dissolved. The Very Berry Gemstone Bath Fizzer (£4.75) brings the evergreen theme into the bathroom.
For something to use afterwards, a Very Berry Gemstone Bath Fizzer (£4.75) keeps the same idea going.
See more in our bath bombs and whipped soaps.
Yule gift ideas
Yule and Christmas have both become associated with giving gifts, but the nicest winter gifts tend to be things that bring warmth, light, scent or time to slow down.
The longest night kit (£46.20)
- Selenite Cylinder Candle Holder (£15)
- Agnes and Cat Clove Herb Garden Candle (£15)
- Golden Frankincense Resin Sticks (£2.20)
- Small Cast Iron Ritual Pot (£14)
A simple combination of candlelight, scent and a useful ritual piece. It also takes your basket past £40, so delivery is free.
The solstice altar (£41.00)
- Moon and Sun Chart Altar Cloth (£5)
- Hands and Sun Offering Plate (£18)
- Antique Copper Ritual Chalice (£16.50)
- Tribal Soul Frankincense (£1.50)
This gives you everything needed for a small seasonal altar without taking over the room.
The winter bath (£22.18)
- Elemental Crystal Bath Fizzer in Earth (£7.49)
- Very Berry Gemstone Bath Fizzer (£4.75)
- Greenman Cedar Citrus Woodwick Candle (£9.94)
A straightforward winter self-care set for someone who would love a quiet, candlelit evening.
For more ideas, see our spiritual gifts for her, spiritual gifts for him, gift guide for the witch in your life or the full gifts collection.
Yule and the Wheel of the Year
In modern pagan practice, Yule is one of the eight seasonal festivals commonly included in the Wheel of the Year.
It follows Samhain in late October and comes before Imbolc at the beginning of February. This particular eight-festival structure is a modern pagan framework rather than an ancient calendar followed unchanged from pre-Christian times.
If you've already marked Samhain, our guide to a quiet Samhain altar covers the festival that comes before Yule. Our Halloween guide also includes candles, cauldrons and other pieces that work just as well through the winter.
Yule and winter solstice FAQs
When is the winter solstice in 2026?
The winter solstice falls on 21 December 2026 in the UK. It is the shortest day and longest night of the year in the northern hemisphere.
What is Yule?
Yule was a midwinter festival associated with Germanic peoples of northern Europe, including the Norse and Anglo-Saxons. Historical evidence points to midwinter feasting, drinking, fires and gatherings, although we don't have a complete set of instructions for how Yule was celebrated.
Is Yule the same as Christmas?
No. They are different traditions, although they have influenced and overlapped with one another over time. Christmas celebrations absorbed or developed alongside a number of existing northern European winter customs, including evergreens, candles, feasting and the Yule log.
How do you celebrate Yule at home?
Keep it simple. Light candles around dusk, bring some evergreen greenery indoors, choose a winter scent, have a good meal and spend some time thinking about the year behind you and the one ahead.
What crystals are associated with Yule?
There is no fixed list of Yule crystals. Garnet works well symbolically because of its deep red colour and connection with January, while black tourmaline and obsidian are commonly used in modern crystal practice for grounding and protection.
What incense is good for the winter solstice?
Frankincense, myrrh, cinnamon, clove, cedar and pine all suit a winter evening. Choose whichever fragrance you actually enjoy, and always burn incense in a suitable holder with good ventilation.
Do I need an altar to celebrate Yule?
No. A seasonal altar is a lovely addition but not a requirement. A candle on the windowsill and some greenery on the table are a perfectly good way to mark the solstice.
