What you need to know about the official start of winter

On December 24, 2024By Littum

The US has been experiencing some chilly weather recently, and some areas have been downright freezing before winter even started. Now the winter solstice, Saturday 21 December, is upon us.

It will be both shortest day and longest night of 2024.

Solstice also marks the start of the pagan festival, Christmasaccording to The Old Farmer’s Almanac. The holiday is believed to celebrate the return of the sun and the country’s rebirth, when the days start to get longer after the longest night of the year.

Solstice is celebrated by many as a time of rebirth and change. Many cultures throughout human history have observed the change in season as an important symbol, and people of various faiths continue to recognize it today.

What is winter solstice?

The winter solstice heralds the astronomical winter in the Northern Hemisphere. Meanwhile, the Southern Hemisphere will welcome daylight saving time with the summer solstice.

The extra long night and short day occurs thanks to the tilt of the earth from the sun. During the winter solstice, the tilt brings the Earth to its furthest point from the Sun, resulting in less sunlight. The solstice itself lasts only moments, according to Old farmer’s almanacat the “precise moment when a hemisphere is tilted as far away from the sun as possible.”

What date does the solstice usually fall on?

The date of the winter solstice can fall any time between December 20 and 23, depending on the year, but the 21st and 22nd are the most common.

In 2023, the solstice fell on the same date but on a different day, Thursday 21 December.

Stonehenge and Solstice

Several places around the world are particularly known for celebrating the solstice, e.g Newgrange in Ireland. Solstice is often associated with pagan religions and attracts people of different faiths.

One of the most famous solstice celebrations takes place at ancient Stonehenge ruins in Wiltshire, England, where many gather to usher in the season.

Many theories exist about the original purpose of Stonehenge, including a burial site, an astronomical observatory, a religious or worship site, some form of gesture or symbol, or a place of ritual or healing. Regardless, it has been the subject of many myths, stories and folklore.

It was during the 20th century that Stonehenge became a site of religious significance to people who subscribed to New Age beliefs, including Neopaganism and Neo-Druids. When it was built, the stone circle was aligned with the sun, and to this day thousands of people gather to witness the moment when the sun peers perfectly through its pillars.

There would be no Christmas tree without Pagans

Many of the customs we associate with Christmas today came from pagan celebrations of the solstice, such as Christmas trees and wreaths originating from the celebration of Christmas. Solstice has been revered by humans cultures throughout historyand it is honored as a representation of new beginnings that people welcome in the next season.

Pagans still come in their thousands to Stonehenge, the prehistoric ruins of a monument built from about 3100 to 1600 BC. It is one of the most famous landmarks in Britain, but little is known about the civilization that built it or why, as these ancient people left no written records.

Cast: Maxwell Hauptman, USA TODAY