Let's celebrate the beginning of winter! The name “winter” comes from an old Germanic word meaning “time of water” and refers to the seasonal precipitation. The winter solstice—the moment when the sun’s apparent path is farthest south from the equator—is used to officially mark winter’s beginning. In the Northern Hemisphere, winter begins on the “shortest day” of the year, which falls on either December 21 or 22. Winter lasts until the vernal, or spring, equinox–equal night–around March 20, marking the beginning of spring when day and night are equal in length.

In this class, we will explore how the solstice has been celebrated by many different cultures throughout history.