It’s a common misconception that winter brings shorter days. In reality, the opposite is true. The shortest day of the year is the first day of winter, after which the days gradually lengthen until the first day of summer in June, six months later.
The first day of winter is known as the winter solstice, an astronomical event that occurs this year in Arizona on Sunday, December 21, 2025, at 8:03 a.m. However, the date of the winter solstice varies from year to year and can fall anywhere between December 20th and December 23rd.
Winter Solstice and the Shortest Day
For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, the Winter Solstice marks the day with the shortest daylight hours and the longest night. This year, Arizona can anticipate just over 10 hours of daylight. In contrast, areas farther north will experience significantly shorter days. For instance, Glasgow, Scotland, will experience approximately seven hours of daylight, while Fairbanks, Alaska, will have less than four hours, as the sun will barely rise above the southern horizon. Further north than Fairbanks, American cities like Barrow, Alaska (now called Utqiagvik, Alaska), which is above the arctic circle, will experience no sunrise at all. In fact, anyone residing in Utqiagvik will not see the sun for 67 days during the winter months.
Why the is Day So Short on December 21st
The Earth’s tilt, at 23.5 degrees, causes the seasons to appear reversed between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. When the Northern Hemisphere tilts toward the sun, it experiences summer, while the Southern Hemisphere faces winter. Conversely, on December 21, while the U.S. will have its shortest day, countries like Australia, Madagascar, and Chile will celebrate their Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year, as more of the Southern Hemisphere tilts toward the sun.
As the Earth orbits the sun, the amount of daylight varies daily due to the angle and position of the planet along its year-long orbit around the sun. The Earth’s tilt causes the sun’s position in the sky to move along a north-south path throughout the year. Days shorten as the sun approaches the Southern Horizon (Winter Solstice) and lengthen as it moves northward, reaching its northernmost point at the Summer Solstice in June.
How Long Have People Recognized the Solstice?
Since ancient times, this event, which marks the onset of winter, has held significant cultural importance across various civilizations. From the Maya and Incas in Central and South America to the Celts in Ireland and Scotland, and the Scandinavian and Germanic peoples, the Winter Solstice has been a pivotal moment in their cultural lives.
Most ancient humans relied on astronomical events, such as solstices and equinoxes … the first day of spring and autumn when day and night are the same length … to guide their agricultural practices. These events helped them determine when to plant crops and store food for the upcoming winter. The Winter Solstice, in particular, signaled the approach of the “famine months.” Historically, January to April were the coldest and harshest months in many climates, and they were also the times when food was most scarce. Consequently, people faced the risk of suffering or succumbing to starvation or freezing, depending on the climate of their home regions.
The cultural significance of the Winter Solstice varied widely among the different cultures that inhabited our planet. However, there were always numerous holidays, festivals, gatherings, rituals, and other celebrations held around this time of year. In some cultures, the Winter Solstice marked the final feast day before the challenging winter months ahead. Additionally, it was believed to be a turning point toward spring and summer, making it a day for celebration. This perspective likely explains the association of the Winter Solstice with the concepts of rebirth and renewal.
The importance of the Winter Solstice in these cultures was so profound that it influenced the construction of massive monuments. Several monuments were built to face, frame, or otherwise highlight the Winter Solstice sunrise and sunset. While there are hundreds of such monuments in Egypt alone, let alone throughout the world, below you will find a few examples from different parts of the globe:
- In Egypt, the Temple of Karnak was constructed with its entrance directly facing the location of the Winter Solstice sunrise. This design allowed the sun’s light to flood through the temple, illuminating the altar of Amun, the patron deity of Thebes. Amun was believed to have merged with the Old Kingdom sun god Ra.
- In the ancient Mayan city of Tulum, Mexico, there’s a building that still stands today. It has a small cap with a hole in it. On solstice days, both June and December, the sunlight passes through this feature and creates a stunning starburst effect.
- In Ireland, there’s a massive one-acre burial mound called Newgrange. It was built to capture the light of the Winter Solstice sunrise. The only time the central chamber and tunnel of this catacomb are illuminated by the sun is on this day, and it only lasts for 17 minutes.
- In Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, the Goesick Circle, which dates back to 4900 BC, was rediscovered in 1991. Archaeologists discovered two gates in the outermost circle that align with the sunrise and sunset of the Winter Solstice.
Even though the day on December 21 will be short and the night will be long, remember that the days will gradually start getting longer throughout the winter months. The temperature will also gradually rise until it’s another scorching, hot summer. So, enjoy our beautiful and temperate Arizona winter weather while you can.
