The 2024 winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, will take place on Saturday, December 21st in the Northern Hemisphere. Astronomically speaking, the celestial event marks the first day of winter.

What is the winter solstice?

The Winter solstice is the day of the year when there is the shortest daylight period between sunrise and sunset and therefore the longest night. This happens when the sun is directly above the Tropic of Capricorn, a line of latitude that circles the globe south of the equator, explains the National Weather Service.

The further north you are, the shorter the day becomes and in the Arctic Circle the sun does not rise at all.

How is the day of the winter solstice determined?

The winter solstice occurs due to the tilt of the Earth as it revolves around the sun.

As the northern hemisphere turns away from the sun, nights last longer. The longest night occurs on the solstice because the hemisphere is furthest from the sun. This takes place on December 21st or 22nd every year.

This year, it falls on December 21st at 4:21 a.m. ET to be exact.

At the summer solstice, when the northern slope is closest to the sun, we have the longest day, usually June 20th or 21st.

The solstices do not fall exactly on the 21st of every year because the Earth’s rotation around the sun is 365.25 days instead of just 365.

Do the days get longer after the winter solstice?

Yes. Every day after the solstice we get one minute more sunlight. That doesn’t sound like much, but after just two months, or about 60 days, we will see about an hour more sunlight.

When is winter officially over in 2025?

Meteorological winter ends on March 20, 2025. Then spring lasts until June 20, when the summer solstice comes.

How is the winter solstice celebrated around the world?

Nations and cultures around the world have celebrated the solstice since ancient times with different rituals and traditions. The influence of these solstice traditions can still be seen in our celebrations of holidays like Christmas and Hanukkah, notes Britannica.

The ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia celebrated the end of the planting season and is closely linked to today’s Christmas. It honored Saturn, the god of harvest and agriculture. The multi-day event included lots of food, games and celebration. Gifts were given to children and the poor, and slaves were allowed to stop working.

Meetings take place every year at Stonehengea monumental circle of solid stones in England that is around 5,000 years old. Stonehenge’s origins are obscure, but it was built to align with the sun on the days of the solstice.

The Hopi, an Indian tribe in northern Arizona, celebrate the winter solstice with dancing, cleaning and sometimes gift-giving. A sacred ritual called the Soyal ceremony marks the annual milestone.

In Peru, people honor the return of the sun god on the winter solstice. The ancient tradition was to hold sacrificial ceremonies, but today mock sacrifices are held to celebrate. Since Peru is in the southern hemisphere, the winter solstice occurs in June, while in the northern hemisphere the summer solstice is celebrated.

Scandinavia celebrates St. Lucia Day, a festival of lights.

The “Arrival of Winter” or Dong Zhi is a Chinese festival where families come together to celebrate the past year. Traditional foods include Tang Yuan, sweet rice balls with a black sesame filling. It is believed to have its origins in post-harvest celebrations.

Researchers stationed in Antarctica even have their own traditions, which may include one icy abyss into the polar waters. They celebrate “Midwinter” with festive meals, movies and sometimes homemade gifts.