Happy Winter Solstice.
The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year, and the first day of winter.
From this day onwards, the daylight will get longer until June 21st. But, as its the first day of winter, the days will get colder, the weather wetter, until around the sprint equinox when the buds will start to appear on flowers and trees.
When it happens In the Northern Hemisphere, the winter solstice occurs on December 21 or 22. In 2024, it will be on Saturday, December 21 at 9:21 AM GMT.
What it means The winter solstice happens when the Earth’s axis is tilted the farthest away from the sun, causing the sun to be at its lowest point in the sky. This results in the shortest day and longest night of the year.
How it’s celebrated Many cultures around the world celebrate the winter solstice with holidays and festivals, including:
- Yule: A pre-Christian festival celebrated in Scandinavia
- Saturnalia: A festival celebrated in Ancient Rome
- Dongzhi Festival: A festival celebrated in China and East Asia
- Inti Raymi: An Incan celebration in Peru that honors the Sun god