Winter Solstice 2025

~ Ashley 

Mid winter;
Reflecting the growing light,
Silver Birch.

Today, the 21st December, is the Winter Solstice, and in celebration of this day, I turn to a special tree, the birch.  Silver Birch (Betula pendula), although having a relatively short lifespan, perhaps up to one hundred years, will grow quickly if left alone and transform an open landscape into a woodland.

In the Celtic Tree Ogham, it is the first tree, Beith. B  and is known for its life-giving properties, its vitality, its nourishment of the ground in which it grows and therefore, in our human world, we think of new beginnings and new opportunities.

In Praise of Trees

This morning, this evening,
everyday;
in praise of our oldest companions,
and of the Earth;
sing, out loud!

Mother Earth,
we welcome the growing light
back into this bleak life;
the bright light
of hope.

To everyone who visits here, have a wonderful Winter Solstice, and I wish you all heart-happy good health for the new year and the new season.

Ashley

32 thoughts on “Winter Solstice 2025”

    1. Dear Ute, thank you. I’m staying warm but there is no rest for me at the moment, although Christmas Day this year will be very quiet indeed just a couple of phone calls this year and no visiting. It’ll be just me and my Christmas Carol. 🤗❤️

      Reply

  10. Hi Ashley!!!

    While eating some leftover patjuk my mum made for the Winter Solstice
    (in Korea, we traditionally eat red bean porridge on this day), I suddenly thought you might have written a hokku — so I came to have a look. 🙂 ehehe

    And of course, there it was!
    I always find myself looking forward to your words whenever the seasons turn. ☃️

    Thank you, as always, for such beautiful writing.
    Wishing you a truly wonderful Christmas and year’s end, and a New Year filled with good health and many smiles. 😆🙏

    Reply

    1. Dear Migy, your lovely comments fill me with good cheer! I always look forward to hearing from you. 🤗

      From my writing, it may not appear so, but this year and especially the last quarter have been traumatic. My wife had major heart surgery at the end of November but even before that the world beneath our feet had changed. My Christmas Carol is at home now and recovering and so indeed we are looking forward to a brighter New Year.

      You write of patjuk, red bean porridge and I wonder 🤔 how you celebrate this time of year, not just in foodie ways but in terms of the seasonal change too!

      I’d love to write more to you but this is not the place. Again, 🤗 thank you for your wonderful comment about my writing; truly, I’m honoured. 🙇‍♂️

      May your Christmas and New Year be blessed with happiness and good health, surrounded by loving family. 🤗💌💖🎄

      Reply

      1. Dear Ashley,

        Thank you so much for sharing this with me.
        I’m truly sorry to hear how difficult this year has been for you and your family,
        and I’m very glad to know that your wife is now at home and recovering.
        I wish her a gentle and steady recovery, and both of you renewed strength and peace.

        In Korea, the Winter Solstice is a quiet moment of turning —
        we eat patjuk (팥죽), red bean porridge,
        to welcome the returning light and to wish for protection and good health.
        It felt very much in tune with what you wrote.

        Thank you again for your openness and your words.
        May the coming year bring healing, warmth, and many moments of light to you and your family. 🙏🏻⭐😊

  11. Adshley, thank you for this beautiful reflection on the Silver Birch and the Winter Solstice. I love how you connect the quiet, growing light of midwinter with the vitality of this remarkable tree. There is something deeply comforting in the idea that, even in the coldest, darkest season, life continues to grow quickly and transform the landscape.

    Your link to the Celtic Tree Ogham and the symbolism of Beith adds a wonderful layer: nourishment, vitality, and new beginnings – exactly what we need as the year turns. Reading your words feels like standing quietly in a birch grove, sensing both strength and gentleness in the midst of winter.

    Thank you for sharing this thoughtful and inspiring moment. It is a lovely reminder to pause, reflect, and welcome the opportunities that lie ahead.

    Reply

    1. Dear Rosie, what wonderful words you use, outshining my own humble efforts.

      Each time I write, and draw (the opening picture is actually a collage with the silver birch trunks drawn and cut individually), I try to remain simple and honest. Perhaps I included too many trees; the impact would have been greater, had there been fewer? I’m learning, but in my 70’s feel like time is running out.

      Thank you for your wonderful comments, they reinforce my belief in allowing the seasons to guide my life: to pause and reflect and welcome the opportunities that will come.

      🤗💖🙇‍♂️

      Reply

      1. Dear Ashley, thank you so much for your kind and thoughtful words. I have to say, it is your creativity that truly shines – every blog post of yours reveals such care, observation, and originality. The way you draw, collage, and weave your reflections together is inspiring, and it’s a privilege to read and experience them.

        I love your approach of letting simplicity and honesty guide your work. As for the trees, I think the abundance adds a rhythm and richness that mirrors the forest itself – sometimes it’s not about fewer elements, but about the life and energy they carry together.

        Your reflection on letting the seasons guide life resonates deeply with me. Pausing, reflecting, and opening ourselves to what comes is a beautiful practice at any age, and I hope you continue to enjoy these creative explorations for many, many, many more years to come.

        Warmest regards vom Germany….Rosie

  12. A belated happy Winter Solstice to you, Ashley. As always, your words and artwork are peerless and a joy to behold. Here’s wishing you a safe and peaceful upcoming new year, my friend. Stay warm and enjoy the light amongst the trees! 😊🌳

    Reply

    1. Thank you Mike for your wonderful comments. The last quarter of this year has been difficult, so I’m certainly looking forward to the light of the new year. Wishing you also a safe and peaceful new year. 🙇‍♂️🌳

      Reply

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