Winter Solstice bonfire and potluck

Winter solstice this year is Saturday, December 21.

The core is the bonfire and potluck

4-7 pm, child-friendly. We’ll include a simple ritual of looking back and forward at our lives, and send loving-kindness. Potluck is presumably indoors. (If weather is terrible, the fire will also be indoors; if it’s cold we can do rituals indoors.)

Daytime extras:

From 10-4, you’re welcome to join us and help put this together. Outdoors is gathering firewood and organizing comfortable seating, blankets, lights, safe walking, etc.  Indoors will be about food: making cookies and treats, real food, getting things ready to be together.

Sleeping over is welcome, for children, adults, and families.

Evening extras:

Perhaps we’ll gather again around the fire and do prayers, blessings, chanting, poetry reading, particularly for this world which seems to be changing. Perhaps we’ll have meditation instruction and do sitting and walking meditation. Perhaps some of us will join the old tradition of sitting with the fire all night – taking turns an hour at a time – until morning arrives – and celebrate the dawn together.

Practical notes:

Please email me to let me know who’s coming, for which time (bonfire, day, evening) and how many, along with possible special needs. (e.g. 3 adults, 1 small child, need nap space – or 4 10-year-old wild kids, need activities, or “can’t eat gluten” etc.) We’ll do whatever is needed with this information. It’s okay to send a “maybe” and fill it in later.

Kid notes:

If we have a lot of children, I’ll look into hiring a child care professional. Or we can organize taking turns.

Directions, parking, and other stuff are here:

Past visitors will be pleased to know that the stairs now have a handrail and are safe.