People soak up the sun on deck chairs in the Allgäu region of southern Germany in 2020. Saturday is the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
Benjamin Liss/dpa/AFP via Getty Images
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Benjamin Liss/dpa/AFP via Getty Images
Saturday is the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s not only the shortest day of the year, but the official arrival of astronomical winter.
“At 4:20 a.m. EST, the solstice marks the beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and summer in the Southern Hemisphere,” NASA says on its website.
That means from now until the end of June, each day will get a little bit longer — and brighter (no matter what any famous animal prognosticators may predict).
In the meantime, there’s plenty to cherish during the cold season, and we’re not just talking about the December holidays.
Here are some ideas for how to celebrate the solstice and welcome winter:
Try out traditions from around the world
The winter solstice has long symbolized a time of renewal and ritual for people all over the world, as NPR has reported.
In Iran and many Central Asian countries, people gather to eat (especially red fruits like pomegranates and watermelons), drink and read poetry through the night. Some Japanese traditions include taking a hot bath with the citrus fruit yuzu and eating foods that contain the “n” sound (like udon) for good luck.
To learn more about winter solstice celebrations from both hemispheres, click here.
Stream the sunrise at Stonehenge
Each December and June, visitors flock to the ancient monument in England to celebrate the solstice.
The rock formation was built to align with the sun on those days, making for a dramatic view. On the winter solstice, the sun sets to the southwest of the stone circle (as opposed to the summer solstice, when the sun’s first rays shine into the heart of the monument).
The site allows entry — free of charge — for several hours on Saturday morning. If you can’t make the trip in person, you can catch a free livestream of the sunrise on the English Heritage YouTube and Facebook pages. It’s best suited for night owls or early birds, since it starts around 2:30 a.m. ET.
Enjoy the best of the Paul Winter Consort’s solstice concerts
Fittingly named saxophone player Paul Winter has been ushering in the winter solstice with a special concert for decades.
Since 1980, the Grammy winner and a slew of special guests have gathered in New York’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine to mark the occasion with music and dance. The event has found new homes since the COVID-19 pandemic, this year touring 10 acoustic venues throughout New England.
The sun rises over a snow-covered landscape in Denderhoutem, Belgium.
Hans Vandendriessche/BELGA/AFP via Getty Images
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Hans Vandendriessche/BELGA/AFP via Getty Images
NPR’s broadcast of Winter’s concerts has become a beloved seasonal tradition in itself. Last year, Winter combed through the archives and picked out his favorite moments from four decades of solstice celebrations. You can listen to them here.
Read The Shortest Day and hear an interview with its award-winning author
Susan Cooper’s children’s book The Shortest Day, released in 2019, is a celebration of light returning after the winter solstice.
The text of the book is actually a poem she wrote in the 1970s for The Christmas Revels (an annual celebration of the solstice), and it has been read at such events for more than four decades. Cooper, herself a Newbery Medal winner, partnered with Caldecott-honor illustrator Carson Ellis to bring its colorful imagery and wintry atmospherics to life.
Read or listen to NPR’s story on the beautiful book, and hear snippets of Cooper reading it out loud.
Prepare to do some “wintering”
Several recent works offer sage advice on how to “winter” — which essentially means embracing the season, not just weathering it.
This year, health psychologist Kari Leibowitz published How to Winter: Harness Your Mindset to Thrive on Cold, Dark, or Difficult Days. It examines how people in places with extreme winters — from Scandinavia to northern Japan — have positive attitudes about the season, and the book offers practical tips for those who want a warmer outlook.
As Leibowitz told NPR, those tips include bundling up to reclaim a summer activity in the winter (like a beach barbecue or park picnic), making a list of winter things you look forward to and trading your home’s “big light” for cozier candles and lamps.
Another helpful manual is Katherine May’s 2020 book, Wintering. The English author acknowledges that winter can be a painful and isolating time — but also one of transformation. Her book, which involved traveling to far-flung, freezing destinations, explores how to confront the season head-on.
“Every time we winter, we develop a new knowledge about how to go back into the world,” May told Morning Edition that year. “We learn about our tastes and preferences. We learn about what makes us happy.”
The sun shines between snow-covered branches at the Hareskoven forested area near Copenhagen, Denmark.
Liselotte Sabroe/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images
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Liselotte Sabroe/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images
Cozy up with the year’s best books, shows and films
With winter weather closing in, it’s a great time to pick out your next entertainment obsession, from a TV series to binge with your family to an album you can play on loop while defrosting in the car.
NPR has you covered with recommendations in every category, thanks to staff members who consumed culture in every possible form all year long. They’ve put together a complete guide to the best of 2024.
NPR’s annual book recommendations engine is back with over 350 new titles (plus all of those from years past, going back over a decade). Critics compiled their favorite shows and movies of the year — searchable by both genre and where to watch it.
NPR Music has pulled together a few lists of its own, including the 124 best songs and 50 best albums of the year. Plus, check out NPR’s favorite games of the year, sortable by platform and genre.
Take care of yourself
Maybe darker days are making you crave better sleep or have you feeling stuck in a rut. Perhaps you’re looking for tips on protecting your home from winter weather, your car from icy roads and your family from COVID-19. You could be curious about the benefits of cold plunging or how to dress for a winter workout.
Enter NPR’s Life Kit, with expert advice for all sorts of physical and mental health topics. Whether you’re looking to get a head start on your New Year’s resolutions or just taking winter day by day, here are some resources that can help:
A version of this story originally published in 2021.
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