Activity: Five Slow Living Rituals for Romjul
As the Celtic season of Yule deepens and the light begins its slow return, we find ourselves in that quiet, liminal stretch between Christmas and the New Year. In Scotland and across the Nordic lands, these in-between days carry their own kind of magic. The Norwegians call it Romjul: a week of soft stillness, simple comforts and gentle reflection.
Once, this hazy gap in the calendar left me uneasy. The lack of schedule, the timeless drift between one year and the next: it felt disorientating. But with the passing of time, I’ve come to cherish it. Yule is the season of hibernation, rest and renewal, and Romjul offers a rare invitation to soften, slow down and settle into the quiet.
Here are five ways I’m embracing Romjul this Yule season.
1. Honour the Art of ResT
If you’re lucky enough to have these days at home, lean into the slowness fully. Wrap yourself in blankets, stay in pyjamas until midday, and allow yourself to sleep without alarms. Yule traditionally marks a period of stillness: a time when the world contracts, the hearth becomes the centre, and rest is not indulgence but necessity.
2. Feast on Leftovers & Simple Winter Food
Growing up, Romjul meant working through a stack of books and nibbling my way through the Christmas treats. Now, I see it as permission to cook gently: assembling leftover lunches, simmering something soothing on the hob, or finally trying a slow, meditative bake like croissants or brioche. This is comfort cooking at its most tender: no pressure, no fuss, just nourishment.
3. Reconnect Through Old-Fashioned Pastimes
Romjul is perfect for rediscovering the slower joys: board games, crosswords, knitting, calligraphy, jigsaws spread across the table. Put your phone in a drawer and watch a classic film with loved ones, or play music while you all potter about. These small rituals echo the Yule tradition of gathering round the fire to share stories and enjoy simple company.
4. Step Out Into Winter Light
Even when the wind bites or the air feels sharp, a Winter walk works wonders. Layer up and head outside: woods, beaches, fields dusted in frost. Yule is a season of deep connection with the land, and the cold air has a way of clearing the mind. Coming home to warmth afterwards is half the joy.
5. Reflect Gently on the Passing Year
Romjul offers a natural pause for reflection. Instead of resolutions or grand declarations, I take time to notice the quieter moments that shaped the year: small wins, personal milestones, things no one else would know to celebrate. I look through old photos or journal entries and give myself credit for the tenderness, resilience and joy threaded through the months. From there, I set a few gentle intentions for the months ahead: not rules, not demands, but soft markers of the kind of life I want to step into as the light slowly returns.
