Solstice Night Blanket Fort Party

[fullupwithfire]

Welcome One and All!

Tonight, at least up in the northern hemisphere, is the Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year. My family tradition is for whoever can make it to spend the night awake, holding a vigil for the return of the light and the rebirth of the Sun King. Tonight I offer an open space to anybody who'd like to join me, whether for the entire night or just a little while, to come join in the cuddle pile and await the dawn.

(And if your version of joining in is setting up two feet away and offering good vibes from afar, you're just as welcome.)

So come on in! We've got every kind of blanket you can think of, fuzzy or not, oversized or tiny, weighted or as thin as you can get. We've got stories and songs, crafts and games, dancing spaces, roaring fires, and whatever else you need to get through the dark. We've got sleeping spaces and quiet spaces and loud spaces alike. We've got cider on the stove and eggnog in the fridge and coffee on the counter, snacks of every kind and room to bring your own. We've got hugs and hearts and kind words to remind you that you're here, and we're glad that you're here, and the light will come back.

I'll throw up a couple spots for sharing on a theme here and there -- songs and stories and if anything else comes to mind -- and you should feel free to float your own. Make yourselves comfortable. Have a happy Solstice, everyone. ♥

Comments

Re: Telling Tales Of Time Gone And Coming

[fullupwithfire]

As I said starting this post out, but for my family, Yule night is a vigil. We try to go outside and watch the sun go down, we spend the night awake if anybody can manage it, and then at sunrise we go outside to welcome the light and the Sun King back. We bake bread overnight, and after the sun comes up, we have warm drinks and warm bread, and then everybody meanders to bed.

We've gotten out of this in recent years, now that the kids are all at least in their older teen years, but sitting around for stories was always one of my favorite parts of Yule. I really miss it, to be honest; even though it was the same couple of stories every year, it was always nice and comforting to sit there and listen.

As Christmas goes -- I outlined this upthread, but every year on Christmas Eve, we would have the traditional Christmas Eve presents. The rest of them were for the morning, but my mother would get us a book, and a new pair of pajamas; we'd wear the PJs in the morning for presents and pictures, and I'd generally spend my night curled up with the book. It's actually how I got into my first fandom -- my uncle got me the first two HP books one year -- and it was always a good memory.