"We used to light a bonfire too, but South Street Seaport won't let us do it on their historic wooden pier," says "Mama" Donna Henes, the 59-year-old self-described "urban shaman" from Brooklyn who [led] the 30th annual ceremony.

....From her point of view, solstice celebrations are, she says, simply pagan ancestors of all the light-oriented holidays that we celebrate at this time of year, including Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.

"Like Christmas, the solstice celebration is all about light," she says. "It's about the mythology of bring back the sun." [NY Post]

And in Menlo Park, CA:

Under sunny skies on a coastal hilltop in Menlo Park, beaming pink and white camellias were tucked, one by one, into a lightweight reed boat to be launched into San Francisco Bay.

...."It's a way of offering back to the Earth what we don't want to carry anymore,'' said Menlo Park resident Meg Beeler, who helped lead the afternoon ceremony sponsored by the Foundation for Global Community. "The Earth composts it all.''

For much of the hourlong ritual, some three dozen community residents stood or moved in a circle. At one point, each took a handful of corn meal from a center basket. "Connect it with something that could truly transform if you allow it to let go,'' said co-leader Ginny Anderson. With that, the celebrators sprinkled the corn meal onto the ground — "giving back to the Earth,'' as one put it.

"Here goes my despair,'' Anderson said, stomping her feet vigorously.

Later, the group rattled "seeds of light'' — a husk of corn; a maraca; or, more commonly, a seed-filled white film canister adorned with a green peace sign.

The revelry ended with participants joining hands and regathering in a circle. In silence, they passed around the handmade boat, taking turns placing into it their individual burdens and wishes in the form of bright camellias.

....Gathered at the bay's edge, the group watched as Beeler sprinkled the ceremonial vessel with waters from around the world. Loaded with their wishes for the coming year, the boat was supposed to float into San Francisco Bay but instead — presumably because the tide was low — ended up stuck in a muddy bank several feet from the water's edge. [Mercury News]

And here's some interesting info on the continuity between winter solstice and Christmas traditions:

The most popular pagan celebration of the winter solstice is Yule, which has been celebrated for centuries and continues today, mostly by the Wiccan religion ... On the night of Yule, the Goddess gives birth to the new sun, restarting the cycle of the seasons. It is a time of introspection and planning, and of peace and charity. The coming of darkness on Yule is a time to end problems, tie up loose strings and heal oneself in preparation for the light that signifies a new year.
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