The winter solstice is a time to gather in community and recharge so we may shine  brightly through the dark months of the year. It is a time to embrace the dying of the light — as well as its eventual rebirth. A time of both letting go and ushering in. Cultures around the world mark the winter solstice with bonfires, candle lighting, and merrymaking. I invite friends over and start preparing for the new year. We each make two lists: one with things we'd like to leave behind, and another with things we want to welcome in. For me, it's an opportunity to draft my new year's resolutions, focusing on new habits I'd like to start practicing. PHOTO: Liz Marie