Have A Very Sexy Winter Solstice: A Gift Guide for The Most Hedonistic Time of the Year
The holidays are already in full swing, but there's one that many people forget – the Winter Solstice.
The Winter Solstice is the darkest, shortest day of the year. It is considered a turning point from a season of darkness into a season of light. From the Winter Solstice forward, all the days will become slightly longer and slightly brighter. Our ancestors would celebrate by doing things to remember the light that was to come through great bonfires, candle rituals, and drinking around a large hearth. This day catalyzes excellent spiritual transformation, inviting us to embrace winter through stillness and retreat.
…But not before we banished the cold with the warmth of a mulled wine, an abundant feast, and the soft body of a willing partner (or three).
The Romans also had Saturnalia, a pagan celebration that inverted societal norms by allowing sexual freedom, including orgies, erotic dancing around a colossal phallus (the original pole dancing?), excessive drinking and feasting, and masters serving their servants. It was a general rule that making out with whomever you wanted was not just tolerated, but encouraged. Under the shield of the darkest night of the year, Saturnalia was the time to get all of your vices out of the way with no punishment or remorse.
According to Vice, Winter Solstice was a sacred celebration as much as an opportunity to fulfill some deeper yearnings. Inuits would swap partners during the Winter Solstice, and Celtic druids and ancient Italians would use mistletoe to increase fertility.
While pagan Yule celebrations are much more spiritual than Saturnalia, after the sacred ceremony, cleansing, and lighting of bonfires and the Yule log, there is a lot of feasting, merriment, and celebratory abundance.
Despite how capitalist it has become, gifting during this season shows the plenties to come.
If you aren't very religious, there is a way to be festive during this time that honors the primal calling of the seasons — Winter Solstice prezzies.
I've created a list that remembers the sensual, sexual, indulgent, and luxurious nature of the Solstice.
The ultimate "for you, for me" gifts.
ROGUE PAG SENDNUDES MATCHES
Rogue Paq creates luxe, aesthetically pleasing cases and more for chic cannabis lovers. These cute and flirty little SendNudes matches not only help to spark conversation but are a functional way to light up your next sensual smoke session – or even just your winter solstice candle. These adorable little can-can dancers come in various skin tones and feature different messages on the backs.
KATE MCLEOD SEX STONE
I love how this sex stone from Kate McLeod evokes a sense of nature in its smooth, round shape. Perfect for playing in the dark of the longest night of the year, this luxurious cocoa butter-based lubricant follows you along your journey over the body, unlike massage oil, which does what it likes. Embrace touch, play, natural sensuality, and deep connection with this simple, powerful formula.
KIKI DE MONTPARNASSE BONDAGE ROPE
Sacrifice yourself to the gods and allow them to deliciously prepare you for the heat, fire, and passion of the coming year. Every good sacrifice needs this glorious red bondage rope from Kiki de Montparnasse. Constructed from 20 feet of French cord and engraved gold hardware, it invites your intimate ancient ritual play to be a luxurious experience.
WONDERLUST MINDFUL INTIMACY DECK
There's no better aphrodisiac than the power of your mind. For thousands of years, our ancestors played games in the bonfire-lit dark in the form of festivals and feasts. Let Wanderlust's Mindful Intimacy Card Deck become a gorgeous, sex expert-designed catalyst for both your more lustful initiations and emotional intimacy. Make sure to light a candle to guide your way – I love this Kava Kava-infused massage oil candle from Dame.
WHITE MAGICK ALCHEMY FRANKINCENSE & MYRRH PERFUME OIL
Frankincense and myrrh are not just prized for their spiritual and medicinal properties – these ancient resins have also long been associated with love and desire, earning them a place in the realm of aphrodisiacs. This perfume from White Magick Alchemy can be used as a scent and a sacred Solstice anointing oil that is warm, woody, and earthy, evoking that ancient feeling of a dark and holy night. Pick your favorite place on your body (or theirs) and ask them to nuzzle in for the night. Another sexy, wintery aphrodisiac-infused option is Heretic Parfum's Dirty Gingerbread scent – and it comes in a gift set!
VESPER VIBRATOR NECKLACE
Jewelry designers, I have a call to action for you – one thing this world needs more of is chic, discreet, and aesthetically pleasing pleasure jewelry like Vesper's elegant vibrator necklace. This long, cylindrical-shaped necklace is both gorgeous as a piece of regular jewelry and a lovely addition to intimacy and sensual play. The Vesper 2 also has a 24k gold version that adds that extra touch of refinement. Too scandalous for you? Perhaps you need this mistletoe pendant to keep it flirty at your holiday and solstice celebrations. Plus it’s made from copper, an alchemical metal associated with the love goddess, Venus.
SEXPOT APOTHECARY NO. 16
Magical herbal traditions were a massive part of the winter solstice celebration. While many, like Cedar and Thistle, evoked and embraced winter elements, herb-infused mulled wines helped to stoke the inner fire. Most of these drinks had elements of cinnamon, honey, and ginger – all potent aphrodisiacs. I invite you to take your wintery mulled wine a step further with an aphrodisiac elixir from Sexpot Apothecary. The one for women includes traditional aphrodisiacs like honey, vanilla, and rose. If you'd like to craft your own, Elvish Honey is a Turkish honey considered one of the world's most expensive and rare. Mix it in a cocktail with Dram's smoky palo santo bitters and Portland Syrup's luscious Rose Cordial. Enjoy whatever happens next.
KIKI DE MONTPARNASSE SILK TUXEDO TOP AND PANTS
Made from luxe black silk charmeuse and French lace, this Tuxedo Shirt elevates classic PJ-style tops with a provocative lace inset cut out at its placket. The Tuxedo Silk Top has an intentionally loose fit. Pair it with its matching Silk Pants and move seamlessly from dinner to provocative play in this must-have silk top .The perfect ritual garment for your neighborhood erotic oracle or orgiastic ceremony, imagine gliding into a masked solstice party wearing this decadent black silk charmeuse and French lace tuxedo style shirt. This top doesn't evoke pajama energy or even typical lingerie. Combined with the matching pants, this outfit is a clever, sexy twist on understated rich witch elegance from incomparable purveyors of luxe fashion-centered intimates, Kiki de Montparnasse. The sensual, softly shimmering silken fabric pairs well with all of your other aphrodisiacs.
If you'd like to feel silky underneath, the Rose Gold Yoni Oil from Tori Prince and the Nipple Salve from Fat and the Moon give intense, glimmering goddess energy. If you want to call the cosmos into the bedroom more innocently (or to not get wrinkles when your face is in the pillow), I love this Celestial-themed Mulberry Silk pillowcase from Brookelinen.
LADY FALCON COFFEE CLUB
Just because it’s the morning after a grand solstice gathering doesn't mean you can't continue to celebrate. Coffee is an ancient aphrodisiac that helps to stimulate the pleasure hormone, endorphins. That alert feeling from coffee can create more blood flow and better stamina. Lady Falcon Club offers a girlie, Art Nouveau-style box set that is as pleasing to the eye as it is delicious. Put some of last night's honey in as your sweetener, and you've added some allure to your brew.
To keep with the themes of winter and abundance, how about an old-fashioned figgy pudding from Fortnum and Mason? You might have heard about figgy pudding in Christmas carols, but did you know that the typical pudding is full of aphrodisiacs like cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and the very sensual fig?
Cleanse yourself from the energies of the past seasons or the night before with these perfect solstice smoke cleansing sticks in Juniper and Red Cedar, or if you'd like something more refined, try Oakaroma's Black Love Hand Dipped Incense in an elegant Sermo Ovoid Marble Incense Holder.
