Two solstices occur each year, one during the month of June and the other in December. December marks the shortest day for countries in the northern hemisphere, on the equator, and the longest day in the southern hemisphere.

 

The solstice is the moment when the Sun reaches its southernmost point on Earth — the southernmost latitude it reaches during the year, and is directly over the Tropic of Capricorn.

The solstices occur because the Earth's axis of rotation is tilted at 23.4 degrees from the orbit around the Sun and these tilts are responsible for the seasons we know today (Autumn, Spring, Summer, and Winter). They do this because the northern and southern hemispheres receive unequal amounts of sunlight throughout the year.

 

"During the solstice, the Earth's axis is more tilted toward the Sun, then, the hemisphere more tilted toward the Sun experiences its longest day, while the farther hemisphere experiences its longest night and shortest day," the National Astronomical Observatory (NAO) said on its website.

Ancient peoples whose survival depended on their knowledge of seasonal cycles commemorated the first day of Winter with various spiritual ceremonies that symbolized the opportunity for renewal, a letting go of bad habits and negative feelings, and an embrace of hope amid the darkness as the days begin to lengthen once again.

 

Many places around the world celebrate festivals honoring the Winter solstice, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these were pushed to the back burner, moved to virtuality or canceled altogether. This year, certain ceremonies resumed, maintaining social distancing and other safety measures against the coronavirus. 

 

For example, in Canada, the Vancouver Winter Solstice Lantern Festival is a celebration brighter than solstice traditions around the world, bringing together a wide variety of music, dance, food, and spectacular lantern-lit processions.