25 Fascinating Facts About the Winter Solstice, the Year's Shortest Day

In the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, many of us may not give much thought to the winter solstice, but how well do you truly understand it? Whether you're a fan of winter or wish it would pass quickly, here are 25 interesting things to know—or even celebrate—about the shortest day of the year.

1. In the United States, the winter solstice will occur on December 21 in 2023.

The winter solstice falls on different dates each year, typically between December 20 and December 23, with December 21 or 22 being the most frequent. This variation happens because the tropical year—the time it takes the sun to return to the same spot in relation to Earth—doesn't align exactly with the calendar year. The next solstice on December 20 won’t occur until 2080, and the next December 23 solstice will be in 2303.

2. The winter solstice occurs at a precise, fleeting moment.

Not only does the solstice take place on a specific day, but it also happens at a precise time, marking the exact instant when the North Pole is tilted the farthest from the sun at 2° of Earth’s axial tilt. This is when the sun shines directly over the Tropic of Capricorn. In 2023, this moment occurs at 3:27 a.m. UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) on December 22. For those in Eastern Standard Time, it will take place at 10:27 p.m. on December 21. No matter where you are on Earth, the solstice happens simultaneously for everyone.

3. The winter solstice marks the longest night and shortest day for the Northern Hemisphere.

As many people notice, the hours of daylight gradually diminish as the winter solstice draws near, then slowly begin to lengthen afterward. It’s no surprise that the solstice is often called the 'shortest day of the year' or the 'extreme of winter' in various cultures. Washington, D.C. will receive 9 hours and 26 minutes of sunlight, while Helsinki, Finland, will get 5 hours and 49 minutes. In Utqiagvik (formerly Barrow), Alaska, the sun won’t rise at all (it hasn’t since mid-November, and its next sunrise will be on January 23), while the North Pole hasn’t seen the sun since October. Meanwhile, the South Pole will enjoy the midnight sun, which won’t set until March.

4. Ancient civilizations saw the winter solstice as a symbol of death and rebirth.

The apparent death of daylight and the very real threat of starvation during the cold months weighed heavily on early societies, who celebrated the solstice with rituals meant to mark the return of the sun and the hope of new life. Cattle and other livestock were slaughtered around midwinter, followed by feasting on the last fresh meat for months. The modern Druidic celebration Alban Arthan honors the death of the Old Sun and the birth of the New Sun.

5. The shortest day of the year marks the discovery of new and unfamiliar realms.

The Pilgrims reached present-day Plymouth, Massachusetts, on December 21, 1620, to build a community where they could practice their faith freely. On that same day in 1898, Pierre and Marie Curie made the groundbreaking discovery of radium, marking the beginning of the atomic era. And on December 21, 1968, the Apollo 8 spacecraft was launched, becoming the first manned mission to the moon.

6. The term solstice means 'sun stand still.'

Solstice originates from the Latin word solstitium, which combines sol meaning “sun” and the past participle form of sistere, meaning “to make stand.” This refers to the apparent pause in the sun’s movement across the sky relative to the horizon around noon, which increases and decreases throughout the year, during the days surrounding the solstice. In modern times, we observe the solstice from the perspective of space and the Earth's relation to the sun. Ancient peoples, however, focused on the sun’s path, the duration of its presence in the sky, and the type of light it cast.

7. Stonehenge is oriented to the sunset on the winter solstice.

The main axis of Stonehenge is aligned with the setting sun. Some believe the sun's position held religious significance for the people who constructed Stonehenge, while others argue that the monument was built in harmony with natural features that coincidentally align with the sun. The exact purpose of Stonehenge remains a topic of debate, but its connection to the winter solstice endures today, as thousands of hippies, pagans, and solstice enthusiasts gather each year to celebrate the event.

8. Ancient Romans marked midwinter with the festive reversals of Saturnalia.

Initially a festival to honor the agricultural god Saturn, the holiday began in 497 BCE to commemorate the dedication of his temple. Over time, it became a period of excessive revelry, where societal roles were turned upside down—masters would serve their slaves, and servants were permitted to insult their masters. The festival also involved wearing masks and role-playing, with each household choosing a King of Misrule. Although Saturnalia was eventually replaced by Christmas across the Roman Empire, many of its customs live on in Christmas traditions.

9. Some customs suggest that dark spirits roam the Earth during the winter solstice.

Zoroastrian tradition teaches that malevolent spirits roam the Earth, with the destructive force of the spirit Ahriman being at its peak during this longest night. People are urged to remain awake, sharing food, conversation, poetry, and stories to protect themselves from dark forces. Similar beliefs about evil presences during the longest night are also found in Celtic and Germanic folklore.

10. Some believed the world would end on the 2012 winter solstice.

On December 21, 2012, the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar, used by the Maya, marked the date 13.0.0.0.0, which signified the end of a 5126-year cycle. Some feared this moment would trigger the end of the world or some other cataclysmic event. Others, however, took a more optimistic view, believing it signified the dawn of a new era of profound transformation for the Earth and its inhabitants. Ultimately, neither of these events occurred, and the world continued to pass through winter solstices, at least until the sun’s eventual demise.

11. Earth is at its closest point to the sun during the winter solstice.

Although it may not seem like it in the Northern Hemisphere, Earth is actually closer to the sun in early January—about 3 million miles closer—compared to early July. The closest point between the Earth and the sun, known as perihelion, will occur on January 2 and 3 in 2024.

Despite being closer to the sun, the reason for colder temperatures lies in the tilt of the Earth. The Northern Hemisphere receives less sunlight and experiences lower temperatures in winter because it is tilted away from the sun. In contrast, it tilts toward the sun during the summer months in July.

12. The coldest days of winter occur after the solstice.

Although the Northern Hemisphere gets more sunlight during January and February than it does in December’s shorter days, these months remain the coldest. But why is that?

The delayed cooling effect is due to how Earth absorbs and releases heat. During summer, the planet gathers heat, which it slowly releases throughout fall and winter. It doesn’t fully cool down until January or February. By this time, snow often blankets many regions, reflecting solar radiation and limiting heat absorption. As a result, by midwinter, the heat reserves are depleted, and the sun’s warmth isn't as effectively absorbed.

13. In China, they celebrate Dong Zhi during the winter solstice.

Dong Zhi, which translates to ‘winter arrives’ or ‘the arrival of winter,’ is a significant festival in China where families come together to reflect on the past year. This festival is believed to have started as a way to mark the end of the harvest season.

Dong Zhi also ties into the concept of yin and yang, symbolizing the balance between day and night during this season. The most common food enjoyed during Dong Zhi are sweet glutinous rice balls known as tang yuan. Dumplings, wontons, and mutton are also part of the celebratory meals.

14. The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year, but it doesn’t necessarily bring the earliest sunset.

Although the winter solstice marks the shortest day of the year, it’s not due to the time of sunset. In fact, the earliest sunset happens a couple of weeks earlier. For example, in the U.S. in 2023, while the winter solstice occurs on December 21, the earliest sunsets took place on December 8.

This timing discrepancy arises because of how we measure time. Our clocks follow a precise 24-hour cycle, but the length of a day is slightly longer or shorter. A day is measured from one solar noon (when the sun is highest in the sky) to the next.

A solar day is marginally longer than 24 hours during the summer and winter solstices, and a bit shorter during the spring and fall equinoxes due to Earth’s axial tilt and orbit. For instance, during the winter solstice in the U.S. on December 21, solar noon actually falls at 11:59 a.m. EST.

15. For meteorologists, the official start of winter occurs before the solstice.

The winter solstice is recorded on the astronomical calendar, which is based on Earth's alignment with the sun. The start and duration of seasons vary, depending on this positioning.

Meteorologists require fixed dates to track seasonal trends, so they rely on meteorological seasons, which follow the calendar year. Each season spans three months. As a result, meteorological winter begins on December 1, covering December, January, and February.

16. Every planet experiences its own winter solstice.

Since the solstice is tied to a planet's tilt and its orbit around the sun, every planet in our solar system has its own version of a winter solstice, though the actual seasons differ significantly from Earth's.

On Neptune and Uranus, seasons span several decades, while Venus experiences the shortest seasonal cycles. Mars, with its highly elliptical orbit, has a year lasting 687 Earth days, leading to more pronounced seasonal shifts.

17. The sun shines through an ancient tomb in Ireland during the winter solstice.

Newgrange, a burial mound in Ireland built over a thousand years before Stonehenge, becomes a striking sight at the winter solstice. A roof-box above its entrance aligns with the sunrise of the solstice, allowing a beam of light to travel down the 19-meter passage and light up the chamber for about 17 minutes. This spectacle is so popular that entry is granted only through a lottery held each September for solstice mornings.

18. Some of Peru’s Nazca Lines align with the sun during the winter solstice.

The ancient Nazca Lines in Peru, dating back over 2000 years, are enormous designs carved into the earth, illustrating various plants, animals, and shapes. Some lines stretch up to 30 miles long, while the depictions of animals and plants can reach up to 1200 feet in length.

The geoglyphs, best seen from above, continue to puzzle researchers. American historian Paul Kosok, who studied them in the 1940s, suggested that the geoglyphs had an astronomical connection and might have functioned as a calendar. Certain lines seem to align with the winter solstice, pointing directly to the place on the horizon where the sun sets.

19. The pagan festival of Yule celebrated the winter solstice.

Although Yule is now associated with various Christmas traditions and songs, it originally stemmed from an ancient pagan festival honoring the winter solstice. The festival included a 12-day feast celebrating the rebirth of the sun and the burning of a Yule log, which would remain burning for all twelve nights. For some pagans, Yule marked the beginning of the new year, a period when days started to lengthen. Druids would burn Yule logs for twelve days to ward off evil spirits and invite good fortune.

20. Mistletoe played a role in some winter solstice festivities.

Druid priests held the belief that mistletoe, a parasitic evergreen plant that grows on oak trees, represented the very soul of the tree. On the sixth night of the new moon after the winter solstice, the high priest would climb an oak tree and cut pieces of mistletoe, which people would then wear for good luck and to ward off evil spirits.

21. Some winter solstice revelers consumed hallucinogenic mushrooms.

European and Asian winter solstice ceremonies occasionally involved the use of fly agaric mushrooms, known for their striking red caps adorned with white spots. These mushrooms are poisonous, cause hallucinations, and can be found growing beneath oak, fir, and spruce trees.

Rituals often included drying and stringing the mushrooms near the hearth. One theory suggests that the story of Santa Claus was inspired by ancient shamans who collected these mushrooms, dried them, and gave them as gifts during the winter solstice, all while wearing red suits resembling the mushrooms, with white spots. Consuming the mushrooms results in a flushed, rosy face, adding to the festive imagery—along with the whimsical idea of flying reindeer (who are also known to eat the mushrooms).

22. The winter solstice is a major celebration for the Hopi people.

In northern Arizona, the Hopi celebrate Soyal or Soyaluna during the winter solstice. This ceremony invites kachinas, or katsinam—ancestral spirits who protect the Hopi people—to join in dances that are believed to bring the sun back to the world. The ritual is usually held in an underground chamber called a kiva and is meant to usher in a prosperous year.

23. St. Lucia's Day is celebrated in Scandinavia during the winter solstice.

Scandinavia's Festival of Lights, also known as St. Lucy's Day or the Feast of Saint Lucy, honors a Christian martyr from the 3rd century CE while blending in Norse solstice customs. Girls dress in white robes with red sashes and wear wreaths of candles on their heads, while people light fires to chase away the darkness.

The celebration occurs on December 13, the day St. Lucy was martyred by the Romans for providing food to persecuted Christians. According to legend, she wore a crown of candles to light her way. On the Julian calendar, December 13 aligned with the winter solstice.

24. People in Iran and around the world observe Yalda on the winter solstice.

Yalda Night, or Shab-e-Chelleh, is an ancient winter solstice celebration held on December 21. The term Yalda means 'birth,' symbolizing both the longer days and the birth of Mitra, the goddess of light. During this time, celebrants say goodbye to autumn and embrace winter, after which the daylight starts to grow again.

Families typically gather at the home of the oldest member to enjoy nuts, watermelons, and pomegranates, while reading from the Divan-e-Hafiz, a collection of 14th-century poetry. Each person makes a secret wish and then opens the book to a random page. The eldest present reads the poem aloud, which is thought to reveal how the wish will come true.

25. A UNESCO World Heritage site in North America is oriented with the winter solstice.

At Chaco Canyon in New Mexico, where the Ancestral Puebloans constructed an intricate city over a thousand years ago [PDF], the sun aligns with a specific petroglyph known as the Sun Dagger during both the summer and winter solstices. This rock engraving may have been part of the Ancestral Puebloans' advanced astronomical practices.