The Winter Solstice Is Today, Here's What You Need to Know

Here's your guide to the shortest day of the year.

Depending on where you are, it may feel like winter is in full swing as you experience freezing temperatures, snow, and icy roads. But technically, we haven't officially hit the first day of winter. That doesn't happen until the Winter Solstice, the astronomical first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. In the meantime, here is what you need to know about it.

When is the Winter Solstice?

According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, on the planet's Northern Hemisphere, the Winter Solstice comes every year on either December 21 or 22. This year the Winter Solstice will occur tomorrow, December 21, 2021, at 10:59 am EST. However, the Winter Solstice is different from the Meteorological winter. According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, meteorologists deem the first day of winter as beginning on December 1 because it starts the coldest three months of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. And for the Southern Hemisphere, the Winter Solstice falls on June 20 or 21.

Will your superpowers peak when the clock strikes 10:59?

Probably not. The biggest difference you'll be able to notice is how incredibly early the sun sets. The Winter Solstice always marks the shortest day of the year because it's the day with the fewest hours of sunlight. According to the Almanac, the days after the Winter Solstice will get longer and longer until we reach the Summer Solstice. So if you are anything like me and your productivity nosedives as soon as the sun sets, take solace in the fact that after the Winter Solstice, each day gets brighter for longer and longer until we reach summer.

What is the Winter Solstice?

To get technical, the Winter Solstice is when one half of the Earth is experiencing winter while the other half is simultaneously experiencing summer. Because of Earth's tilted axis, every year, one half of Earth is pointed away from the sun, and the other half is pointed toward it at the time of the Winter Solstice. According to the Almanac, we typically think of the Winter Solstice as a day-long event, when in reality, it's just a few moments where a hemisphere is tilted as far away from the sun as it can be.

What do people do on the Winter Solstice?

Party. No seriously. The Winter Solstice has been celebrated since ancient times all over the world. According to History.com, Ancient Romans held several celebrations around the Winter Solstice. One of their holidays was Saturnalia, a holiday in honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture. They partied for the entire week leading up to the Winter Solstice. Neolithic monuments, such as Newgrange in Ireland and Maeshowe in Scotland, are also aligned with sunrise on the Winter Solstice.

So, this year if you are fortunate enough to gather with family safely, maybe toast to a new year with tons of sunnier days.

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Janae Price is a News Staff Writer at Thrillist. She's a native New Yorker and loves all things cheese, K-pop, and culture. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @janae_larie.