Winter Solstice
The winter solstice, hiemal solstice or hibernal solstice, also known as midwinter, occurs when one of the Earth’s poles has its maximum tilt away from the Sun. It happens twice yearly, once in each hemisphere. For that hemisphere, the winter solstice is the day with the shortest period of daylight and longest night of the year, when the Sun is at its lowest daily maximum elevation in the sky. At the pole, there is continuous darkness or twilight around the winter solstice. Its opposite is the summer solstice.

Also called: Midwinter, Yule, the Longest Night, Jól
Celebrations: Festivals, spending time with loved ones, feasting, singing, dancing, fires
Observed by: Various cultures
Significance: Astronomically marks the beginning of lengthening days and shortening nights
Related to: Winter festivals and the solstice
Frequency: Twice a year (once in the northern hemisphere, once in the southern hemisphere, six months apart)