December 21, 2024 marks the winter solstice: longest night of the year, and the beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere.
Join Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) in celebrating this astronomical event!
TRCA Winter Solstice Events
What is Winter Solstice?
The winter solstice is an astronomical phenomenon that signals a seasonal shift. This occurs when Earth’s tilted axis positions one of its poles at the farthest point away from the Sun.
In the Northern Hemisphere, this moment culminates on December 21 with a period of reduced daylight, longer nighttime, and the lowest position of the Sun in the sky.
It is also observed as a significant turning point, as the length of daylight begins to increase following the solstice.
LEARN MORE ABOUT WINTER SOLSTICE
History and Traditions of Winter Solstice
- Stonehenge in England and Newgrange in Ireland are examples of prehistoric stone structures built to be illuminated by the precise position of the sun during Winter Solstice.
- The Roman celebration of Saturnalia was celebrated with feasting, gift-giving, games, and festive gatherings.
- Yule is a festival historically observed by Germanic peoples at the time of the winter solstice, featuring themes of light, ceremonial fire, and feasting.
- In China, the Dongzhi Festival celebrates cosmic harmony and equilibrium, characterized by gathering with family and feasting on dumplings.
- For Indigenous peoples, the winter solstice is a time to honour natural cycles and seasonal patterns. First Nations around the Great Lakes consider the winter solstice a time for animals and plants to rest and a time for people to replenish their spirit, through reflection and storytelling around the fire.
- The Seven Sisters constellation (the Pleiades) holds meaning for many cultures. In the Cree tradition, this star grouping is considered to be “Pakone Kisik”, or “the hole in the sky”, and the place of origin to which the people would return.
- The Bulgarian festival of Ignazhden, which coincides with the winter solstice, honours the feast day of Saint Ignatius of Antioch. It is also called “The Young Year”, “The Young Day”, or “The New Day”.
- The Iranian festival of Yalda or Shab-e Chelleh (“the 40th night”) is celebrated on December 21. This festival represents the forces of good defeating the forces of evil as the nights grow shorter and the days longer.
Celebrate the Winter Solstice
Cozy up to these activity ideas and embrace the longest night of the year!
- Illuminate your surrounding by lighting candles or making a lantern.
- Gather with friends and family at one of TRCA’s many greenspaces to watch the sunset.
- Experience nature’s tranquility with a winter hike.
- Explore Indigenous culture by learning the art of traditional leathercraft.
- Discover how native wildlife species adapt to the arrival of winter.
- Embark on a stargazing expedition at Tommy Thompson Park to view the celestial wonders of the night sky.
Learn More About Winter Solstice
There are four astronomical seasons on Earth, defined by the movement of the sun in the sky. For the northern hemisphere:
- Spring starts at the moment when the sun is directly over the equator, going from south to north: the vernal equinox.
- Summer starts at the moment when the sun is farthest north: the summer solstice.
- Fall starts at the moment when the sun is directly over the equator, going from north to south: the autumnal equinox.
- Winter starts at the moment when the sun is farthest south: the winter solstice.
Source: Government of Canada | When Do the Seasons Start?
The winter solstice marks the official beginning of astronomical winter (as opposed to meteorological winter, which starts about three weeks before the solstice).
It occurs once a year in each hemisphere: once in the Northern Hemisphere (in December), and once in the Southern Hemisphere (in June). It marks the start of each hemisphere’s winter season.
When one hemisphere is experiencing its winter solstice, the other is simultaneously experiencing its summer solstice!
This is all thanks to Earth’s tilted axis, which means that at the solstice, half of Earth is pointed away from the Sun, and the other half is pointed towards it.
We often think of the winter solstice as an event that spans an entire calendar day, but the solstice actually lasts only a moment. Specifically, it’s the exact moment when a hemisphere is tilted as far away from the Sun as possible.
Source: The Old Farmer’s Almanac | The First Day of Winter: Winter Solstice 2024