Norse Pagan Winter Solstice Retreat: December 19th-22nd 2025

Afternoon Arrival at Storholmen: Welcome drink and gifts

Step into another world as you arrive at Storholmen in the winter afternoon. You will convene alongside your new friends in the longhouse, marking the beginning of a journey that steps outside of everyday life and into the realm of ancestors, ritual, and story. You will be given a Viking wool cloak handmade by Alvi that will transform the atmosphere and set the tone for the days ahead. This moment helps everyone shift into the retreat fully, leaving the modern world behind.

Orientation & Tour : Tour of the Viking Village and Ancient Graveyard (165 graves)

Next you will have a guided introduction to your new home, the Viking village. You’ll walk through the village, hear its stories and learn how to make the best of it during your stay. Then you will have a guided exploration of an Iron Age grave field, where you will see 165 ancient Viking graves. This will create a powerful connection to the people who once walked this land. Here there is also the opportunity to do the Yearwalk, an ancient solitary walk from Swedish folklore done the last Thursday before Yule (Christmas) where it is said that you meet Odin and see your future.

Dinner Feast: Viking-inspired meal in the long house. 

Gather in the longhouse as the firelight accompanies you as you feast on a Viking inspired meal. This shared feast is a time to relax, meet others, and enjoy food inspired by the age of the Vikings. It’s a welcoming, atmospheric close to the day’s beginning.

Night Under the Stars: Gather together under the stars

The night ends in silence beneath the stars. Gathered outside, we will connect to the cosmos and our ancestors together in silence. We will share the stillness and then go to our Viking beds ready for day 2!

Breakfast, Morning Ice Bath & Sauna Ritual: Symbolic cleansing, “death” and renewal.

The day begins with a simple breakfast. This quiet moment allows you to settle into the day, warm your body, and reflect on the experience of the morning. Then we hold a ritual that awakens the body and spirit. First you will go through guided breathwork. This will prepare your mind and body for the day ahead. Then you will step into an ice bath and sauna experience, a symbolic act of cleansing, death, and renewal. The cold air and water bring you fully into the present moment, while the warmth of the sauna will welcome you back, renewed and ready for the journey ahead.

Runestone Safari (3 hours): Excursion to local runestones. Guided mini-lectures at each site on meaning, myths, and cultural context.

Next, we journey out into the surrounding landscape for a three-hour runestone safari. You will visit local runestones and hear short talks at each site, learning about their meanings, myths, and cultural context. As you walk from stone to stone, the stories of the land will unfold, connecting you to the voices and symbols of those who came before us.

Lunch

We gather for lunch. This is a time to replenish, relax, and enjoy a moment of calm before entering into the deeper ritual elements of the afternoon and evening.

Make a pendant: Afternoon Viking Craft Workshop
In the afternoon, you will craft your own ritual clay pendant. This will allow you to create something meaningful that will accompany you for the rest of your life. It’s a moment of quiet focus and connection to your own beliefs. 

Dinner Feast: Enjoy a Viking Inspired Feast

As night falls, we gather once again for a Viking-style dinner feast. The longhouse fills with warmth and conversation, the perfect way to end a day spent walking the land and engaging with its stories.

Saga Theater: Actors perform a saga passage in the longhouse, by firelight.

After dinner you will enjoy an ancient saga brought to life just like the Vikings would have done in the longhouse after dinner, performed by a professional theatre company in collaboration with Alvi. Step back in time with the echoing traditions of winter storytelling along with music with Nyckelharpa, drums and live music in the long house.
During the play you are going to enjoy home-brewed mead made of honey from a Viking-age bee breed.

Ancestor Letter Writing Ritual: Write letters to your ancestors.

The day will close with an ancestor letter writing ritual. You will take time to write a personal letter to your ancestors, then place it in the fire. As the flames rise, the letters become offerings, creating a quiet and meaningful connection across time.

Morning Ritual: Breakfast, Morning meditation, time for ice baths and sauna

The day begins in quiet reflection. You will start with a morning meditation, allowing the stillness of the landscape to settle within you. After this, there will be time to return to the ice baths and sauna, continuing the rhythm of cleansing and renewal that has carried through the retreat. The cold water will sharpen your senses, while the warmth of the sauna will prepare your body and mind for the powerful rituals ahead. There will also be time to relax and have breakfast together.

Archery Contest: The winner will be given a solid silver Thor's hammer pendant.

The morning then shifts into lively energy with the archery contest. You will have the chance to test your aim and focus in a fun, communal setting. The contest brings out playful competition and camaraderie, adding excitement to the day. A prize will be awarded, but the real reward is the shared experience.

Lunch: Cooking Like the Ancestors: Participants prepare a meal over fire (flatbreads, stew, or fish).

When we return, we gather to prepare lunch together over the fire. Flatbreads, stew, or fish cook slowly as smoke rises into the winter air. This shared act of cooking is both grounding and communal, echoing the way our ancestors once gathered around the flames.

Afternoon Ritual Preparation: Prepare for the solstice, learn about the Blót and ancestral rites.

The afternoon is devoted to understanding the meaning behind what is to come. You will explore the history and symbolism of the solstice, discuss the Blót, and reflect on ancestral rites. This preparation deepens the significance of the evening rituals, grounding everyone in shared understanding and intention. It will help you get ready for the nights ritual. 

Grand Feast in the Longhouse: Music, mead, roasted meat and vegetables, candlelit storytelling.

As night falls, the grand feast begins. The longhouse will be filled with music, mead, roasted meats, and vegetables, illuminated by candlelight. This is a night of abundance and celebration, where the atmosphere echoes the grand winter feasts of the past.

The Final Saga: Share your story. 

The feast will give way to new stories, this time from each of you. You will have the chance to share your own ancestral tales, myths, or sagas in an environment that encourages creativity, reverence, and communal storytelling. It is a night where stories become alive once more.

Sunset Ritual & Silence: Gather at the grave field for the ritual. 

As the sun sets, offerings and prayers are made. Complete vow of silence from sundown to dawn – “the death of the sun.” As the sun sets, we will gather together at the grave field for the sunset ritual. Offerings and prayers are made as the light fades, marking the symbolic death of the sun. From this moment until dawn, we will hold a vow of silence. The night becomes sacred, a space for reflection, reverence, and personal connection to the ancestral world.

Dawn Ritual: Torchlit procession to a sacred spot, breaking silence together as the sun rises. Offerings of thanks for the return of light.

The final day begins before sunrise. In silence, we gather for a torchlit procession that leads to a sacred spot in the landscape. The sacred spot is selected with dowsing. As the first light appears on the horizon, we break the silence together, greeting the new day as a community. Offerings of thanks are made for the return of the light, marking the symbolic rebirth of the sun. This shared moment is both powerful and serene, closing the night and welcoming the new cycle.

Communal Breakfast: Share a final meal together

After the dawn ritual, we return for a communal breakfast. This final meal together is warm and grounding, a chance to share reflections, laughter, and quiet conversation after the longest night.

Closing Circle & Farewell Ritual: Share your final experiences and a blessing for safe travels.

The retreat concludes with a closing circle and farewell ritual. Here, you will gather with your fellow participants to reflect on the journey, integrate the experiences, and offer blessings for safe travels. It is a moment of closure and gratitude, bringing the shared experience full circle.

Departures: Time to say goodbye

Following the farewell ritual, it is time to depart. As you leave Storholmen, you carry with you the memories, connections, and transformations of the Midwinterblot retreat. You will go back to your life carrying new friendships, new experiences and ways of experiencing Paganism. You will have a much deeper connection to who you are and where you come from.