The winter solstice means its the shortest day and the longest night of the year (Image: Getty)
The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year and is also the period with the least hours of daylight than any other day in the calendar.
It also represents the longest night of the year as the sun is at its lowest daily maximum elevation in the sky.
The solstice, also known as the hibernal solstice, occurs when either of Earth’s poles reaches its maximum tilt away from the Sun.
Earth tilts at an axis of 23.5° relative to its orbit around the sun, which causes the northern and southern hemispheres to receive different amounts of sunlight.
When the Earth’s axis points toward the sun, it’s summer in that hemisphere, and likewise, when the Earth’s axis points away from the sun, it’s winter in that hemisphere.
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This year the winter solstice takes place on Saturday December 21 at 9:19 am. (Image: Getty)
During the summertime, the Earth’s axis points closer to the sun than during the rest of the seasons, which explains why a day in the summer months is the longest day of the year.
During the winter solstice, Earth’s axis points as far away from the sun as it does during all other seasons, bringing with it the shortest day of the year.
When the Sun’s path in the sky is the farthest south in the northern hemisphere, this will be known as the solstice in the northern hemisphere.
This year the winter solstice takes place on Saturday, December 21, at 9.20 am.
The rest of the astronomical winter season begins with the winter solstice and will continue until Thursday, March 20, 2025.
The term “solstice” represents the ancient understanding of this celestial event.
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Many people celebrate winter solstice in the UK by making a feast which symbolises nourishment (Image: Getty)
The word solstice is derived from two Latin words including “sol” which means the sun and “sistere” which means to stand still.
This tipping point on the sun’s path is a time of celebration as the promise of brighter days ahead becomes more evident.
Many people celebrate the winter solstice in a number of different ways, with a few UK traditions.
The more conventional celebratory ways include lighting candles, which symbolise the return of the light, making a feast, which symbolises nourishment, or making something from natural materials. Creating something handmade allows for the celebration of new life, and this is why wreath-making is popular during this time.
There are also less conventional celebratory winter solstice traditions, which include gathering at stone circles to sing, play instruments, bang drums, and burn Yule logs. This ancient tradition involves burning a Yule log for 12 hours, which represents the return of warmth and light.
Other traditional winter solstice celebrations include stargazing and saluting the sun, which involves walking to a high place, such as a hilltop, to greet the sunrise or sunset.
The Welsh have a name for celebrating the winter solstice, a festival known as “Alban Arthan” or “Light of Winter”.