Since the summer solstice in June, the days have been gradually shortening in the Northern Hemisphere, while the nights have been getting longer, leading up to the winter solstice – the first day of the official winter season, marking the beginning of the “rebirth of yang” according to the traditional Chinese philosophy of yin and yang.
In other words, the winter solstice is the shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. This is because the sun is at its southernmost position, directly above the Tropic of Capricorn. However, in the Southern Hemisphere which is home to about 10% of the world’s population, the situation is reversed. The winter solstice marks the longest day and the beginning of summer for countries like Australia, Botswana, and Chile.
The winter solstice typically falls on December 21st, but it can vary by a day due to the mismatch between the solar year (the time for the Earth to complete its orbit around the sun) and our calendar year.
For the majority of the world’s population, this year’s winter solstice will occur on Saturday, December 21st, including in the United States and China. However, the exact timing varies across different locations, for example:
– Philadelphia, USA: 4:21 am on Saturday
– Portland, Oregon, USA: 1:21 am on Saturday
– Honolulu, Hawaii: 11:21 pm on Friday
– Halifax, Canada: 5:21 am on Saturday
– Mexico City: 3:21 am on Saturday
– Amsterdam, Netherlands: 10:21 am on Saturday
– Helsinki, Finland: 11:21 am on Saturday
– Lisbon, Portugal: 9:21 am on Saturday
– Yokohama, Japan: 6:21 pm on Saturday
– Bangkok, Thailand: 4:21 pm on Saturday
– New Delhi, India: 2:51 pm on Saturday
– Baghdad, Iraq: 12:21 pm on Saturday
In China, the winter solstice this year will be at 5:21 pm on Saturday. It is worth noting that this year’s winter solstice is the earliest in 128 years. Records show that the last winter solstice earlier than this year occurred in 1896 at 3:29 pm.
In ancient China, the winter solstice was known as “Xiao Nian”, symbolizing the beginning of a new year. As the name suggests, the winter solstice also marks the official arrival of winter.
During the winter solstice, the Earth is approaching its perihelion, being about 5 million kilometers closer to the sun than during the summer solstice. So why does winter start at this time?
The reason lies in the tilt of the Earth’s axis rather than its distance from the sun. When the winter solstice comes, the sun shines directly over the Tropic of Capricorn at 23.5 degrees south latitude, resulting in the lowest solar altitude in the Northern Hemisphere and consequently colder temperatures. Additionally, with the shortest daylight and longest night during the winter solstice, the Earth’s surface releases heat quicker, leading to a noticeable drop in temperatures.
During the winter solstice, the decrease in daylight becomes more pronounced the closer one gets to the Arctic.
London, at higher latitudes, experiences around 7 hours and 50 minutes of daylight, allowing residents to enjoy leisurely winter walks by the Thames River.
In chilly Oslo, Norway, this difference is even more apparent, with the sun rising at 9:18 am and setting at 3:12 pm, giving less than 6 hours of daylight.
For residents of Nome in Alaska, the lack of sunlight becomes even more severe, with only 3 hours and 54 minutes of sunshine each day. Yet, compared to Prudhoe Bay, where there is no sunlight visible inside the Arctic Circle, Nome still receives a slightly generous amount of daylight.
Ancient civilizations thrived on precise knowledge of seasonal cycles. Around the time of the winter solstice, they celebrated through various rituals and festivities – symbolizing a spiritual rebirth. Examples include Christmas, the Roman festival of Saturnalia starting on December 17th, and the New Year (Kalends).
Maria Kennedy, an assistant teaching professor at Rutgers University in the United States, shared with CNN Travel, “Many Christmas customs, and perhaps even the date itself, stem from the Roman pagan Saturnalia and the New Year.”
According to the Farmers’ Almanac, Alban Arthan might be one of the oldest seasonal holidays in human history. In Welsh, Alban Arthan translates to “the Light of Winter.” As part of Druid traditions, the winter solstice signifies the interchange between death and rebirth.
The prehistoric site of Newgrange in Ireland, dating back to around 3200 BC, is associated with the Alban Arthan festival.
In ancient Rome, the Saturnalia festival lasted for seven days in honor of the agricultural deity Saturn.
The celebration of the winter solstice is deeply rooted in Chinese traditional culture.
In traditional Chinese medicine theory, the winter solstice represents the peak of yin, symbolizing darkness, cold, and stillness, making it the day with the longest night of the winter season.
As things are always in flux, the winter solstice also heralds the return of yang, symbolizing the gradual rise of light and warmth. On this day, people often celebrate by eating dumplings or tangyuan.
Tangyuan, round and glutinous, symbolize unity and fulfillment, favored by people in Hong Kong and Guangdong. In Northern regions, dumplings are the main dish during the winter solstice. The shape of dumplings resembles ears, symbolizing warmth and protection against the cold, a tradition traced back to the “expel the cold and protect the ears soup” by the famous Eastern Han physician Zhang Zhongjing.
In Taiwan, besides eating tangyuan, some families also perform rituals to pray for safety in the coming year during the winter solstice.
After the winter solstice, the point of direct sunlight begins moving back towards the north, resulting in longer days in the Northern Hemisphere. However, temperatures do not immediately rise due to the climate system lag effect. Following the winter solstice, there are still two more solar terms, “Xiao Han” and “Da Han,” indicating further drops in temperature.
(Information sourced from CNN report)