(source on pinterest)

This year I am wildly excited about the solstice for reasons I can't explain. It hasn't been particularly darker than other years, the fewer hours of light each day (five hours and fifteen minutes today) don't seem to be affecting me more than usual. I will be glad when on December 22 I get five more minutes of light each day. A half an hour a week makes a big difference. Two weeks more of the long darkness.

I'm loving the display of candles, pine cones and deer in the above photo, found on pinterest. I have no idea who took the original photo, the credit is lost in a tumblr somewhere. I am really enjoying that it is "winter" decoration, rather than a "holiday" or "Christmas" grouping. It is inspiring me to dig out the candles on the solstice and really give thanks for the increasing light.