It’s OFFICIALLY winter!

Although, it has felt like it since November …

Here are some facts to help warm you up today (and every day until, well, June)

  1. This day (and season) is an astronomical event! It’s based on the Earth’s tilt away from the sun. Today it is positioned the farthest away from the sun, which means less sunlight is reaching the northern hemisphere.
  2. BUT, what about everyone in the southern hemisphere? Dec. 21st will be the longest day and shortest night of the year, the exact opposite of what’s occurring here in the northern hemisphere. AKA, this will be the summer solstice for people in the southern hemisphere.
  3. According to NJ.com, each year, the winter solstice is marked by cultural festivals and pagan celebrations in different parts of the world. The most famous celebration takes place at the historic Stonehenge monument in England, and smaller celebrations are held in some cities and towns across the United States and Canada..Some Australians commemorate their winter solstice (in June) by taking a nude dip into the Derwent River, which tends to be frigid at that time of the year. In the past, the winter solstice was celebrated by Celtic priests, known as the Druids, in Britain, according to the Daily Express in London. Those celebrations took place “long before the arrival of Christianity,” the publication says.
  4. The solstice occurs at the same moment everywhere on Earth, but it is observed at 24 different times of day because of the world’s 24 time zones, according to National Geographic.
  5. The Apollo 8 spacecraft launched on December 21, 1968, becoming the first manned moon mission.
  6. Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth on December 21, 1620.
  7. The word solstice derived from the Latin sol, meaning “sun” and sister meaning “to make a standstill”

So there you have it, facts to warm you up today (we cannot guarantee actual warmth, but can lie to make you feel better)