Watch how one group marked the winter solstice

For some, Christmas has become an amalgam of brand marketing and vapid consumerism, turning people off the holiday.

But, of course, that’s not how it always was.

And for many, there is a growing desire to return to the root of the occasion.

The holiday came from the original celebration of the winter solstice on the 21st day of December, marking the longest night in the year.

In Kelowna, at Crosby Organics, a small group gathered to celebrate the solstice.

The event was organized by Colleen Reid of Wild Wellness, which is a naturopathic business focused on empowering people through a connection to the environment.

“The solstice brings us back to nature,” Reid told Kelowna10. “We’re not celebrating an individual, we’re celebrating the return of the light.”

As guests trickled in throughout the night, a sense of warmth and connection set into the room as people greeted each other and settled into conversation.

Food was served from produce grown on the farm, from a light salad to warm apple crumble.

Later in the night, guests gathered around Reid as she serenaded them with her guitar.

She said the solstice is very much about connection and coming together with your community, as well as marking the coming of longer days, which was the crux of the celebration for our ancestors.

“It gave them something to look forward to and gives us something to look forward to in this dead cold of winter,” she explained. “In the dark days we come together, and we celebrate, and we fill our hearts and ourselves with joy.”