12/20/2025
🌎The Winter Solstice for the Northern Hemisphere in 2025 occurs on Sunday, December 21, 2025, at 9:03am CST.🌍
This is the shortest day and longest night as the Earth's tilt is furthest from the Sun, officially beginning the winter season and signaling the gradual return of longer days. This astronomical event also marks the Summer Solstice for the Southern Hemisphere, it's the longest day. ☀️
Date: December 21, 2025 🗓️
Time (CST): 9:03am 🕘
Significance: Marks the first day of astronomical winter, the moment of maximum darkness, and the start of the Sun's northward journey in the sky ☀️
What Happens:
The Sun reaches its southernmost point in the sky, with its rays directly over the Tropic of Capricorn. It is the southernmost sunrise and sunset, and (in the Northern Hemisphere) the shortest day and longest night. The Southern Hemisphere celebrates its longest day and the start of summer. timeanddate.com
Science Resources 👩💻
For some of the best information, side notes, and images related to the science of the December Solstice, check out: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-december-solstice/ EarthSky
Traditions 🕯️
December solstice traditions celebrate the rebirth of light with ancient themes of renewal, featuring candle lighting, bonfires, feasting, evergreens, and specific rituals like Yule logs, often connecting to modern Christmas customs, while also including Indigenous storytelling and personal reflection on cycles of nature. People gather for hearty meals, decorate with holly/mistletoe, watch sunrises, and use light (candles, fire) to mark the shortest day and the return of longer days.
Traditions around the World 🗺️
https://www.rd.com/list/winter-solstice-traditions/ Reader's Digest
Common Traditions:
Light & Fire: Lighting candles, lanterns, or bonfires (Yule logs) to welcome the sun's return.
Feasting: Sharing hearty winter meals with roasted foods, spices, and warm drinks, often with loved ones.
Decorations: Using evergreens, holly, mistletoe, and nature's tokens (berries, branches) for indoor decor, as seen in Roman and Celtic traditions.
Reflection: Journaling, meditation, setting intentions, or creating vision boards for the coming year.
Storytelling: Sharing sacred stories, as practiced by some Indigenous cultures like the Ojibwe, or telling cozy winter tales.
Rituals & Activities🎉
Yule Altar: Creating a special space with candles, symbols of light, and meaningful objects.
Sunrise/Sunset Watching: Welcoming the dawn or marking the longest night, sometimes with music or quiet observation.
Nature Crafts: Making wreaths from natural materials or ice lanterns.
Symbolic Acts: Taking a citrus-infused bath, planting bulbs, or making homemade gifts.
Cultural Connections
Pagan/Norse (Yule): Focus on rebirth, the sun god, feasting, and evergreens, influencing modern Christmas.
Celtic/Roman: Use of evergreens, mistletoe, and feasts in winter celebrations.
Indigenous (Ojibwe/Anishinaabe): Winter as a sacred time for storytelling and honoring natural cycles.
Why does the upcoming solstice exert a hold on the human psyche? The 2025 December solstice happens at 15:03 UTC on December 21. That’s 9:03 a.m. Central Standard Time for us in the Americas. What can you look for in the sky that’ll help connect to this special day? Join EarthSky’s Deborah Byr...
