The winter solstice will take place on December 21st, at 10:59 am in the Northern Hemisphere. It presents the shortest day and longest night, and it’s an amazing astronomical moment that marks the beginning of the astronomical winter. Many cultures around the world celebrate the winter solstice and welcome it with traditional ceremonies and celebrations.
History of the Winter Solstice
This event has been observed by humans since the Neolithic period, which was the last stretch of the Stone Age. That’s why there are Neolithic monuments, such as the Maeshowe in Scotland and the Newgrange in Ireland that are built in alignment with the sunrise on this day. It’s theorized by archaeologists that these structured were the site of Stone Age rituals. The same can be said of Stonehenge, which oriented toward the sunset of the winter solstice.
This day means it’s the beginning of the astronomical winter. The winter solstice actually happens twice; in the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere, where it takes place in June. So, when one hemisphere is entering the winter solstice, the other is entering the summer solstice.
It’s a common misconception that this astronomical event lasts the entire day, but it’s actually just a moment. It marks the exact moment when one hemisphere is farthest away from the Sun as possible. The winter solstice has a lot of meaning in different cultures, so it’s very interesting to explore.
If you want to catch the moment of the winter solstice, you have to go outside at 10:59 am this year and look at your shadow. This is the only moment in the year where your shadow will be the longest. If you do the same in the summer solstice, you’ll notice there’s virtually no shadow.
Ancient Celebrations
As mentioned before, the winter solstice has been observed by many different cultures in history. For one, the Ancient Romans used to hold many celebrations during the winter solstice, including Saturnalia, which was celebrated a week before the astronomical event. Saturnalia was all about food, drink, and fun. For a week, the social order was thrown out the window.
The ancient Norsemen of Scandinavia also celebrated the winter solstice with Yule. To recognize the return of the sun, fathers and sons would bring Yule logs home and they would set one of them on fire. The log would burn for 12 days and people feasted until it eventually burned out.
The ancient Inca Empire also celebrated the winter solstice by paying homage to Inti, the sun god. They held a festival known as Inti Raymi, which took place in June because they were located in the Southern Hemisphere. They used to fast for 3 days before the winter solstice and then the day came, they all gathered in a ceremonial plaza and waited for the sunrise.
When the sun started to rise, they crouched down and offered golden cups of chicha, a sacred beer made by fermenting corn. They also sacrificed animals and they also used mirrors to kindle a fire with the rays of the sun. This festival was banned by the Spaniards after their conquest of the Inca Empire, but it was revived in the 20th century and it continues to be celebrated in Peru.
Winter Solstice Facts
- The date of the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere will vary depending on the year, but it occurs between December 20 and December 23.
- The winter solstice occurs at a very specific point in time. It takes place exactly as the North Pole is farthest from the sun, so the sun shines over the Tropic of Capricorn.
- As the winter solstice comes closer, the daylight gets shorter and shorter. After the event, it slowly begins to lengthen.
- Early societies considered the winter solstice to be a time of death and rebirth. That’s because the light of the sun died and the winter months that followed were difficult to survive. That’s why they had so many rites and celebrations; they prayed for the return of the sun, a time of rebirth.
- Winter solstice is celebrated by many cultures around the world; all with unique celebrations and traditions.
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