Celebrating the Winter Solstice with Kids: How to Make the Longest Night of the Year Magical
Celebrating the Winter Solstice with kids has become a cherished family tradition in our Minnesota home—a cozy pause during the holiday whirlwind. The Winter Solstice is the longest night of the year and marks the sun’s return. It is a hopeful reminder that brighter days are ahead. It’s the perfect time to reflect, snuggle under blankets, and enjoy simple Winter Solstice activities and crafts with kids. In our house, that means lighting candles, making wassail, and sharing stories steeped in warmth and tradition.
This celebration isn’t just meaningful—it can be a fun and simple tradition for families to embrace in December. You don’t need a shopping list or gifts, just a little creativity and time together. Whether you’re looking for new Winter Solstice traditions or ideas on how to celebrate the Winter Solstice with kids, this article will inspire moments that bring light and love into the season for your family. I invite you to celebrate and create a magical night filled with connection, reflection, and cozy fun!
What is the Winter Solstice? When is it?
The Winter Solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year, occurs when the Earth’s North Pole tilts farthest from the sun. This year, it falls on Sunday, December 21, 2025.
While the Winter Solstice brings the least daylight, it also marks a turning point—each day afterward grows a little brighter. For centuries, cultures around the world have honored the Winter Solstice with celebrations of light, reflection, and renewal. There are many ways that you can celebrate the Winter Solstice with kids, too!
How do you Celebrate the Winter Solstice with Kids?
For Minnesota families celebrating the Winter Solstice with kids, it’s a great time to explore traditions that embrace nature and the promise of longer, brighter days ahead. From lighting candles to symbolize the sun’s return to crafting evergreen wreaths as a sign of resilience, these activities connect us to the rhythms of the Earth.
By celebrating this special day, you can help your family create a practice of finding joy and hope in the darkness. Keep reading to learn how to celebrate the Winter Solstice with your kids, including craft and meal ideas.
Family Activities to Celebrate the Winter Solstice
If you are looking for fun Winter Solstice activities and crafts for families, here are a few we typically do at our house! Each one is an excellent addition to creating new Winter Solstice traditions in your home. Of course, there are more ways to celebrate the Winter Solstice with kids, but if you are new to the tradition, these five activities will get you started!
Add Light to the Darkness
Create homemade lanterns or candles to encourage the sun to return and celebrate the light in our lives. This is one of our favorite Winter Solstice family activities! Lanterns symbolize bringing light to the darkest day of the year.
For this activity, you’ll need glass jars, Mod Podge/clear glue, colored tissue paper, foraged leaves, and star/moon shapes. You can use whatever you have on hand for the decorations to create vibrant designs around the glass. Using Mod Podge or school glue, adhere the decorations to the outside of the jar, then seal everything with a final thin coat. After it dries (about an hour or so), drop in a tea light and enjoy its cozy glow. It’s a simple, magical way to celebrate with materials you likely already have at home! Plus, they look amazing on the dinner table with your Winter Solstice feast!
Create an Outdoor Edible Ornament for the Animals
Celebrate the Winter Solstice and nature with an edible outdoor element placed in your yard for the local wildlife. Let kids help create and design these edible ornaments for birds and animals. This is an engaging way for your family to connect with nature and enjoy watching your backyard wildlife! Here are a few examples of Winter Solstice crafts for kids to make and hang outside:
- String garlands of popcorn and fresh cranberries
- Hang slices of oranges, apples, or carrots from twigs and bushes
- Craft birdseed ornaments using cookie cutters
- Pinecone feeders coated in peanut butter or lard and rolled in seeds
Go for a Winter Walk Together
You can celebrate the outdoors, and all that nature provides by taking a wintery walk together. Embrace the magic of the Winter Solstice with your kids by bundling up and heading outdoors to experience the longest night of the year together.
If you’re going at dusk or nightfall, bring a lantern (or a flashlight) to light your way. Along the trek, reflect on the stillness of the season and the promise of brighter days ahead. As darkness falls, this evening stroll offers a unique chance to connect with nature and each other in a new way.
For an added touch of tradition, create a Winter Spiral using natural items like evergreen branches, pinecones, and stones. This practice symbolizes moving through the darkness while carrying your inner light. Walk the spiral with a lantern, letting its glow guide your steps. Spirals are powerful symbols of renewal and connection—adding an extra layer of meaning to your solstice celebration.
Spend the Evening by Candle and Firelight
Embrace the glow of candlelight and firelight. Turn off electric lights and let the flicker of candles or a crackling fireplace warm your home. This simple act transforms ordinary moments—like dinner, reading, or playing games—into a unique, peaceful ritual.
My family loves to snuggle under blankets, read winter-themed books, and enjoy the cozy ambiance of this quiet evening. Celebrating the Winter Solstice with kids is a great way to welcome the darkness and hold space for the light and hope within our families.
If you have a fire pit or fireplace, you can also create a Yule log by carving or writing messages of hope and wishes for the year ahead before burning it as a symbol of light returning to the world. This is one of the best winter solstice activities for families looking to connect and actively reflect together.
Take Time to Reflect and Set Goals Together
The Winter Solstice is a natural time for reflection and renewal, offering a moment to honor the darkness and the light within and around us. Gather as a family to reflect on the past season and set intentions for the one ahead.
Write down things you’d like to release—old habits, fears, or worries—on small scraps of paper and burn them in a Yule log fire (or a safe candle flame), symbolizing transformation and letting go.
Afterward, shift focus to the future by creating a winter wish jar or wish tree. Write or draw your hopes for the coming year on slips of paper to place in the jar. This practice is a meaningful way to connect, dream, and start anew. It’s one of my favorite Winter Solstice traditions for families. It’s usually how we end our Winter Solstice meal together.
Foods to Make on the Winter Solstice (2-3 ideas)
Food is central to celebrating the Winter Solstice with kids. Making a Winter Solstice feast is a delicious way to honor traditions and connect as a family. Prepare a cozy meal featuring wild game and seasonal produce—think venison, duck, roasted root vegetables, or hearty squash dishes. Cooking together is part of the fun! Invite little ones to help with simple tasks and work with you to create your feast.
For a sweet tradition, try making pomanders with oranges and cloves, filling your home with their warm, citrusy fragrance. These traditional crafts not only create beautiful centerpieces for your table, but they also symbolize the returning sun. As you enjoy your meal by candlelight, reflect on the season and savor the moment. These Winter Solstice traditions for families make the darkest night one to cherish and remember!
Recipe Ideas For Winter Solstice Family Dinners
If you’re wondering what to make for dinner to celebrate the winter solstice, here are some recipes that have worked for us and highlight the flavors of the season.
- Wassail (a traditional “warming” drink that keeps us warm through the dark night)
- Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- Hearty Venison Stew
- Crisp-Tender Roast Duck with Cherry-Rosemary Sauce
- Oven Roasted Chicken With Lemon Rosemary Garlic Butter
- Stuffed Cornish Hens with Cranberries and Apples
- The Ultimate Beef Wellington
- Buche de Noel
- Cardamom Orange Sugar Cookies
Have Fun Creating New Traditions around the Winter Solstice with Your Kids!
Celebrating the Winter Solstice with kids is a beautiful way to embrace the season’s magic while fostering creativity, reflection, and connection. Whether you’re setting intentions by the fire, walking a spiral lit by lanterns, or simply snuggling up with a wintery book, the solstice offers an opportunity to slow down and connect with nature and each other. These winter solstice activities and crafts for families make the darkest day feel full of light, love and hope for the brighter days ahead. Explore how to celebrate the Winter Solstice with kids in ways that resonate with your family and create traditions that grow warmer with each passing year. Thank you for joining us in celebrating this year. I wish you a Winter Solstice filled with warmth and joy!
Antonia Grant is a Minnesota mom + freelance writer who loves encouraging parents to find ways to connect and make memories with their kids. She’s a firm believer in providing children with experiences over things. You can find more from Antonia and her family adventures on Instagram @knead.to.roam and on her website. She shares all things family travel, outdoor adventures, and their favorite foodie finds.
