Hello and welcome to the first day of winter ie The Winter Solstice!!! You might be thinking “but wait winter hasn’t even started???” I was just as confused but apparently not!
But don’t despair, below I am listing a few things about the first day of winter you might not know! We love a constantly learning gal!
1. The First Day of Winter is marked by the Winter Solstice.
Well personally, I didn’t know that! What even is a winter solstice? This actually means that it is the “shortest” day of the year in terms of sunlight. So essentially this means, starting tomorrow, our time of sunshine is INCREASING and we slowly get a later and later sunset! YAY!
*note this is for the Northern Hemisphere, as the South will be in their Summer Solstice!
2. The Winter Solstice has many meanings around the world.
Celebrated across the Northern Hemisphere, there are many cultures that see this day as either a celebration or a sign of darkness & evil. You can read about what some countries do here.
3.Vancouver celebrates with the Solstice Lantern Festival
Sometimes I feel like I am such a bad Vancouverite. I honestly don’t know half of the stuff that goes on around here, but apparently we have a yearly festival! Basically imagine the lantern scene from Tangled. You can light a lantern to symbolize letting go of the bad and opening up to the coming good. NOTE: The releasing of lanterns into the sky is NOT environmentally-friendly. I would recommend doing this another why by perhaps lighting a candle and standing outside, decide what about this past year you are going to let go of, and then blow out the candle. I feel like that gives the same vibe no? Otherwise, use something biodegradable!
Click here to learn more behind this years Solstice Lantern Festival!
4. The Winter Solstice actually only last about a few seconds.
Since the earth is constantly moving, the moment at which the Earth’s northern hemisphere is farthest away will quickly start to move closer again! So really it’s not the whole day just for a short period of time. This year it will be at exactly 4:48 PM EST (7:48 PST).
5. Just because it’s the shortest day of the year, does not mean it will be the coldest.
Although it is winter time and it’s going to be cold, the Winter Solstice does not mean it will be the coldest day of the year. Temperature is dependent on a lot more than just sunlight.
6. The First Day of Winter is Different for Meteorologists.
The Winter Solstice is actually called the Astronomical Winter while meteorologists consider the first day of winter to be December 1st. (The Meteorological Winter)
7. Apparently the Winter Solstice is actually Jesus’s bday.
I guess December 25th is more like a “happy belated bday buddy!”
8. The Winter Solstice can affect our moods.
Besides the fact that less daylight often means less serotonin, it can actually influence your sex drive. According to this study, the dark and cold has an effect on testosterone levels. So if you are just not feeling it, maybe it’s just because it’s winter!
9. The Winter Solstice basically means you can go to bed at 4PM.
Get those PJ’s on, make a hot tea, and put on your favourite Christmas movie! Or if you are feeling a bit more restless, get your creative juices flowing with some music, art, journalling, or doing a puzzle!
Do you have any traditions for the Winter Solstice with your family and friends? Comment them below as I want to see what I am missing out on!
-Christine
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