First Day of Winter

This year on December 21, winter officially arrives in the Northern Hemisphere at the December solstice, the moment the Sun reaches its southernmost point in the sky. It is the shortest day and the longest night of the year, and from here the light begins its slow return.

DEC21

Monday, December 21Every year on December 21

days to go

Roots: The word solstice comes from the Latin sol, meaning Sun, and sistere, meaning to stand still, because the Sun's path seems to stall at its southernmost point before turning back north.
Also on Dec 21: Flashlight Day · Winter Begins/Winter Solstice · Yule
Hashtag: #FirstDayOfWinter

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3 ways to celebrate

OUTSIDE

Watch the Southernmost Sunset

On December 21 the Sun sets farthest south of west, its southernmost sunset of the year. Catch it and note the spot: from now on, the sunset point creeps northward again.

AT HOME

Light Up the Longest Night

The solstice brings the longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Fill it with candles, a fire in the fireplace, and the people you like most.

ANYWHERE

Honor an Old Tradition

Ancient sites such as Stonehenge are famously aligned to the solstice sunrise, and thousands gather there each December to watch the midwinter Sun rise. Mark the moment your own way, wherever you are.

Plan ahead

First Day of Winter is observed on December 21 every year. Here is where it lands for the next ten years, handy for planners, marketers and party people.

2026Mon, Dec 21this year

2027Tue, Dec 21

2028Thu, Dec 21

2029Fri, Dec 21

2030Sat, Dec 21

2031Sun, Dec 21

2032Tue, Dec 21

2033Wed, Dec 21

2034Thu, Dec 21

2035Fri, Dec 21

2036Sun, Dec 21

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Fast facts

The solstice moment falls on December 21, 2026 at 20:50 UTC, which is 2:50 pm Central Time.

The same moment is the first day of summer in the Southern Hemisphere, and the Sun shines 24 hours a day at the South Pole while staying below the horizon all day at the North Pole.

The story

The December solstice in 2026 falls on Monday, December 21 at 20:50 UTC, 2:50 pm Central Time, marking the official start of astronomical winter in the Northern Hemisphere. On that day the Sun shines directly above the Tropic of Capricorn and the Northern Hemisphere receives its most indirect sunlight of the year, bringing the shortest day and the longest night.

Read the full story

Watch the horizon and you can see the turning point with your own eyes. On the solstice the Sun rises farthest south of east and sets farthest south of west, the southernmost sunrise and sunset of the year. From that day on, the sunset point creeps northward again and the days slowly lengthen.

The word solstice comes from the Latin sol, meaning Sun, and sistere, meaning to stand still. It is a fitting name: at its southernmost point, the Sun's daily path seems to stall before it turns back north and starts the long climb toward spring.

The solstice even comes with a calendar quirk. The earliest sunset of the year actually arrives about two weeks before the solstice, and the latest sunrise about two weeks after it, in early January, because of the equation of time. The shortest day sits quietly between the two.