By Jennifer Benson
Introduction (The Naughty Mystic Way)
December has always been my favorite kind of paradox—dark, cold, quiet… yet dripping in light, ritual, and soft, seductive magic. It’s the month where the world slows down enough for you to actually feel the glow around you. A month where candles become altars, lights become invitations, and every tradition—no matter where it comes from—reminds us of the same truth:
Light is sacred,
but the dark is where the magic begins.
As The Naughty Mystic, I live for that interplay—the sensual, soul-deep dance between shadow and flame. December is a cosmic playground for it. Every culture, every celebration, every spark this month holds is a reminder that illumination isn’t just festive… it’s transformative. It awakens intuition, desire, connection, and that inner fire you forget you’re carrying until the nights get long enough to reveal it.
So grab a blanket, a candle, a mug of something warm—and maybe someone warm, too—because we’re diving into the holidays of December the Naughty Mystic way: with reverence, with curiosity, with a little edge, and with the understanding that every flame tells a story worth savoring.
Winter Solstice (Yule): The Darkest Night… and the Return of Heat
On the longest night of the year, ancient hands lit Yule logs and bonfires—big, primal flames celebrating the rebirth of the sun.
There’s something undeniably erotic about this moment: The world at its darkest… right before it begins to rise again.
Symbolic Light: Renewal, passion, primal fire.
Naughty Mystic Whisper: What desire is flickering back to life inside you?
Hanukkah: A Flame That Refuses to Fade
Eight nights. Eight candles. Eight reminders that sometimes our energy—our magic—outlasts every limitation.
The menorah glows like a quiet but powerful statement:
My light is mine. It is sacred. And it will burn as long as it needs to.
Symbolic Light: Sovereignty, self-worth, spiritual stamina.
Naughty Mystic Whisper: Where in your life are you ready to burn longer and brighter than anyone expects?
Advent & Christmas: Light Born in the Dark
Advent candles build slowly, each week adding more glow—Hope, Peace, Joy, Love. It’s a slow-burn ritual, the kind that teases out warmth and anticipation.
And Christmas lights? Pure enchantment. A spell strung across winter’s cold bones.
Symbolic Light: Expectation, devotion, promise.
Naughty Mystic Whisper: Which light are you ready to receive: hope, peace, joy, or love? Or all four?
Kwanzaa: Flames of Power, Pride, and Purpose
The kinara burns with seven principles, each one a flame of identity, unity, and strength. These aren’t just candles—they’re pillars of legacy glowing with intention.
Symbolic Light: Community, empowerment, embodiment.
Naughty Mystic Whisper: Which principle is ready to sit in your body and guide your next transformation?
Las Posadas & Día de las Velitas: Candlelit Pathways and Open Doors
In Latin traditions, light becomes a guide—lining walkways, porches, and plazas with soft flames that say:
You are welcome here. The way is open.
Symbolic Light: Invitation, transition, sacred threshold.
Naughty Mystic Whisper: What doorway in your life needs a candlelit invitation to finally step through?
New Year’s Eve: Fireworks, Resets, and Midnight Magic
There’s nothing subtle about fireworks. Bursting light, booming declarations, brilliant flashes across the sky—it’s the world screaming YES to a fresh start.
It’s loud. It’s bright. It’s unapologetic.
Symbolic Light: Rebirth, unfiltered expression, celebration.
Naughty Mystic Whisper: What old story are you leaving behind in the dark as the sky erupts with light?
December’s Secret: Light + Shadow = Magic
This month is more than twinkling lights and candles in windows.
It’s a sensual dance between dark and glow, rest and ignition, shadow and illumination. It’s a reminder that you are both the flame and the night it pierces.
In December, every candle you light becomes a spell:
for warmth
for clarity
for healing
for pleasure
for power
for awakening
Go ahead—light something.
Let it illuminate the parts of you that only winter can coax out. Let it seduce you back into your own magic.
Naughty Mystic Closing Ritual: The Flame & the Shadow
This ritual is designed for the end of a December night—when the world is dark, the air is still, and your inner fire is ready to rise.
You’ll need:
- One candle
- Darkness
- Your breath
- Your body
- Your intention
Step 1: Dim the World
Turn off the lights and let the darkness wrap around you like a velvet cloak.
Step 2: Light the Candle Slowly
Bring flame to wick as if you’re introducing two lovers. Say:
“I welcome the light… and I honor the dark that makes it shine.”
Step 3: Let Your Body Respond
Feel the glow on your skin.
Notice what softens, stirs, or awakens.
Step 4: Whisper to the Flame
Ask:
“What light is trying to return to me?” Accept the first answer your intuition gives.
Step 5: Honor a Shadow
Ask:
“What shadow of mine is ready to be embraced?” Receive. No judgment.
Step 6: Seal the Ritual
Hand to heart or womb-space. Say:
“I am the spark in the dark.
I am the keeper of my flame.
I am my own empowered magic—light and shadow in one body.”
Blow out the candle…or let it burn if you want the magic to linger.