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.



This class will be taught through recorded lectures and may also include supplemental videos (Youtube), readings, worksheets, and activities. Please see the syllabus below for a layout of the lessons included in this course. 


This class is presented in an asynchronous format. If you are taking this class through the Class Subscriptions, there will be no communication between learner and myself. If you are taking this class through the Self-Paced format, you will have 1 year to complete the lessons. If you choose to submit homework or communicate (questions on the classroom page), I will respond within 24 hours (excluding Sundays).