The Last Full Moon of the Year: A Soft Landing Into Winter

As the year winds down and we collectively exhale, the last full moon of the year rises like a quiet lantern in the dark. There’s something about this final lunar moment that always feels a little more tender, a little more charged — a reminder that endings and beginnings tend to blur together if you look closely enough.

This moon, often called the Cold Moon, arrives during the longest nights of winter. Its light feels crisp, like breath in the air, illuminating the parts of the year we’re ready to release and the pieces we’re finally brave enough to carry forward. It’s a natural pause — an invitation to reflect without judgment.

You don’t need rituals or resolutions to honor this moon (unless you want to). Simply looking up for a moment and letting the glow settle over you can be enough. Think about what surprised you this year, what softened you, what you survived, what you’re proud of. Let the moon be a witness.

For many of us, December is a mix of celebration and fatigue — the rush of holidays, the weight of expectations, the quiet wish for stillness. The last full moon threads through all of that with calm clarity. It asks nothing of us. It just offers light.

Tonight is a beautiful time to brew something warm, step outside, and let the moon remind you that even in the coldest seasons, there is clarity, renewal, and a promise that the cycle will turn again soon.

Here’s to releasing what no longer fits, keeping what matters, and welcoming the soft new beginnings waiting on the other side.