On Winter Solstice, we make a fire, ad we make a toast. It is the day the veil between the living and the dead is supposed to be the thinnest during the shortest day, so we can write down what we wish to say to the deceased, and put it in the fire. It is a time of focus. Then we read The Book of Edda out loud, and on Jan 1, we cover ourselves with snow (we are supposed to have no wardrobe on, but we don't have much land), and cleanse ourselves for the New Year. Whew, thats a lot!