Last winter solstice I shared a potpourri recipe to surround yourself with a warm, citrus, holiday fragrance. Dried oranges are the key to this recipe and the process of drying the orange slices infuses your home with a lovely fresh scent of citrus. In continuing with this tradition to imbue my home, this year I want to share another yuletide tradition using the dry orange slices. Oranges represent the sun, which is significant to the winter solstice for its return. The winter solstice is the longest night of the year and signifies the last of the long dark nights this year. Here forwards the first day of winter will usher in more daylight.
Around the time of the winter solstice, I gather a few inspirational ingredients that signify what I’m trying to kindle in my life this year. For evergreens, I collect rosemary from my garden. The oranges are from the farmer’s market that often I forget to eat, but is not wasted during this time, because I always dry them for my winter solstice rituals. I always have a few cinnamon sticks and my favorite spice aroma at this time of the year comes from cloves.
I choose these ingredients because, as mentioned last year:
Orange symbolizes the sun, and it kindles love, divination, and prosperity. Cinnamon is said to incite healing, protections, and even psychic abilities. Cloves are also intended to fuel good luck and protection. Rosemary signifies love and remembrance, and the scent is highly potent!
To bind these ingredients together, I choose a thread of natural fiber, a cotton twine. I decorate my orange slices with the cloves, then take time to tie the cinnamon and rosemary together in bundles. I fasten each orange slice to the bundle using the same cotton twine. You can make one large bundle or small ones with one orange slice to each. Small sprigs of rosemary, a cinnamon stick, and a clove embedded orange slice tie together to decorate your home as ornaments or favors. Spend time admiring your work and visit it every day to place your wishes for the year to come.
Then the morning after the winter solstice, use your small bundle to kindle a fire or make a fire and burn your larger decor. This ritual is symbolic of releasing all your wishes into the world and welcoming this energy back to you.
