Winter Solstice 2026: 22 Dec

The season behind the name

Winter Solstice marks the Northern Hemisphere’s shortest daylight, followed by the gradual return of longer days.

The solar term sets the date of Winter Solstice; the festival adds its own customs and observances. Read the complete Winter Solstice guide, with its next date and traditions →

These names grew from seasonal observation and farming practice. They describe a traditional seasonal sequence, not a weather forecast for every region.

Winter Solstice begins at the instant the Sun reaches 270 degrees of apparent ecliptic longitude. It is one of 24 equal 15-degree divisions of the solar year, so its Gregorian position changes only slightly from year to year.

As a qi term, Winter Solstice marks the alternating mid-month point in the solar-term sequence. It does not open a solar branch month, and it does not open a lunar month.

The time is shown in China Standard Time (UTC+8). A reader west or east of that zone may see the same instant fall on a different local civil date.