Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn are cardinal signs. They are at the beginning of each season. 

Whenever the Sun arrives in Capricorn, the Winter Solstice occurs in the Northern Hemisphere. 

Astronomically, it’s the longest night. 

Astrologically, this phenomenon marks a moment of total darkness before the slow return of the Sun.  

In this text, I focus on the energetic impact of the winter season in the Northern Hemisphere. 

To do so, I rely on astrological concepts. I also mention practices from Wicca. They are adapted from the books Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner and The Magical Household: Spells & Rituals for the Home. Both books are written by Scott Cunningham. 

This is what you can expect from this post: 

1. Facts About Capricorn Season and the Beginning of the Winter 
2. Aquarius and Pisces as Winter Zodiac Signs 
3. Yule or the Celebration of the Winter Solstice  
4. 5 Rituals to Celebrate the Winter Solstice 

Let’s go. 

Facts About Capricorn Season and the Beginning of the Winter 

• Capricorn is the tenth sign of the zodiac. It invites you to materialize long-term projects focusing on sustainability and legacy.   
• It’s a cardinal sign, which means it is at the beginning of a season and is linked with moving forward. 
• It’s an Earth sign. This element is connected with the material world, the body, money, physicality, and all things concrete. 
• Since it’s the last Earth sign of the zodiac, its season invites you to be realistic about the projects you want to manifest.
• The introspective period that started during the Fall Equinox ends on the Winter Solstice, which marks the beginning of the Capricorn season.    
• Responsibility, hard work, organization, planning, and seriousness are part of its realm. 

Aquarius and Pisces as Winter Zodiac Signs 

When Capricorn season is over, it’s time for Aquarius season. 

Aquarius is a fixed sign. This means that the energetic qualities of the winter are already established when the Aquarius month occurs. Its element is Air, which is connected with the mind, ideas, thoughts, intellect, words, and socialization. 

Aquarius is a detached and aloof season. During this period, you can connect with people who share your ideals. You probably won’t do it from an emotional perspective but from a very intellectual place. 

Aquarius season propels you to analyze your role in the world. It makes you consider how you want to change what you see as unjust or outdated in society. 

Imbolc, roughly coinciding with Groundhog Day in the United States and Canada, is the Aquarius celebration. This event occurs about halfway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. The return of the land’s fertility is celebrated.  

Related: Imbolc or the Middle of the Winter

Then comes Pisces season, and the aloofness recedes to make space for big feelings. Pisces is a watery, mutable sign. 

Pisces occurs at the end of the season and has elements of winter and a little bit of spring. The inscrutable water of Pisces allows us to connect with the mysteries of our feelings and with something more transcendental. 

Pisces is not only the last Water sign of the zodiac but also the last sign of the zodiac wheel. The new astrological year starts when the Sun reaches zero degrees of Aries. Then, Ostara, the Wiccan festivity of the Spring Equinox, takes place. 

Related: Spring Equinox and Ostara

Yule or the Celebration of the Winter Solstice  

Wicca is a religion that celebrates a harmonious relationship with Nature. This relationship with Nature manifests in reverence for the God and the Goddess.

The God is represented by the Sun, and Wiccans celebrate its force when the seasons change. 

The Wiccan tradition has eight holy days or sabbats to celebrate the God Sun. These days signal the seasons, the changing fertility of the land, and cyclic weather patterns. On the other hand, the Goddess is represented by the Moon and adored during esbats or Full Moons. 

Related: Autumn Equinox and Mabon Celebration

Yule is one of these eight holy days. 

It falls around the 21st of December when the Sun enters Capricorn. Since days will be longer, the solar God is reborn. This date presages the return of fertile and sunny times. 

Any similarity with the date Christmas is celebrated is definitely NOT a coincidence. Historians argue that the Catholic church assimilated the birth of the Sun for pagans with the birth of Jesus to add more people to the Catholic faith. 

Yule, or the Winter Solstice, occurs on the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. After this moment, the days will get longer. 

The fact that days will get longer won’t be noticed immediately. Only in Aquarius season, you’ll get the sense that the Sun is more present in the sky. 

Yule is a celebration in which the Goddess gives birth to her son, the Sun. The fact that these two words are pronounced the same in English is not a coincidence either. 

This period of the year is seen as a moment of divine birth. In the middle of darkness, light and life emerge to bring new beginnings. 

Cunningham explains that the Catholic church adopted some pagan Yule customs. One of them is putting a pine inside the house and decorating it. 

This is one tradition for celebrating Yule, but there are others. Keep reading for more ideas to honor the return of the Sun this Winter Solstice. 

5 Rituals to Celebrate the Winter Solstice 

1. Decorate a pine tree: The meaning of adding a tree inside the house is associated with preserving the essence of nature during the darkest time of the year. The tree freshens up the house’s energy, reminding us of the growth and life that Earth provides. Adding lights and candles to the tree will ensure a year of well-being, clarity, and health. Add oranges, apples, walnuts, and pine cones to the branches if you want a traditional decoration. Wreaths made with dried rosebuds and cinnamon sticks will add a nostalgic vibe to the tree. 
2. Light a fire: This was one of the most magical activities for celebrating Yule in the past. The sacred fire was believed to strengthen the Sun and aid in its moment of rebirth. Progressively, fire became more domestic and was brought inside the house as a log. Families would pick a large log, bring it into the house, and prepare it before it was burned down. The preparation implied carving suns, male figures, and other magical symbols on it. Leaves were also added. Nowadays, you can spread melted paraffin on a log. Then, add pine, cedar, mistletoe, and rosemary to it. The night before the Solstice, burn the log in your fireplace. Watch it burn with your loved ones while drinking cider, beer, or spiced tea. You can change the log for a candle if you don’t have a fireplace. Get a big red candle, and carve a Sun on it. Put it on a plate resistant to fire. Around it, place pine, mistletoe, cedar, rosemary, laurel, juniper, or other plants with perennial leaves. Burn the candle on the night of the Solstice or Christmas to combine two traditions. Watch the light and reflect on the new projects you want to initiate once the Sun gains more power. 
3. Craft solar ornaments: To celebrate the Sun’s reemergence, you can create sun-shaped decorations. Use gold, yellow, or orange materials. Infuse them with wishes for vitality, light, and growth. Then, hang them on your Yule tree or an altar. You can also bake sun-shaped cookies or a cake. Eat your creation with your family or friends to gain strength and endure the winter.  
4. Enjoy a magical bath: A magical bath will remove all the worries and help you renew your energy. Mix pine, laurel, and rosemary and put them inside a muslin bag. Fill your bath with hot water and put the bag in. If you don’t have a bath, hang the bag in the shower. The water will carry the herbs to your body and help cleanse the stagnant energy. 
5. Burn incense in your house: Burning incense in your home is a perfect ritual for this time of year. It will metaphorically clean your house and allow for renovation. Set intentions for clearing out stale energy and making room for new blessings as you enter every room. Juniper or cedar are also herbs you can burn in this cold weather. 

I hope these rituals help you gather some light in this dark time, knowing that longer days are coming. 

Have a blessed Yule/Christmas, and until next week!