Winter Solstice -- when?

 from almanac dot-com (Old Farmer's Almanac)

The first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere 

is marked by the winter solstice, which occurs on 

Monday, December 21, 2020, at 5:02 A.M. EST.

For the northern half of Earth (the Northern Hemisphere), 

the winter solstice occurs annually on December 21 or 22. (For the Southern Hemisphere, the winter solstice occurs on June 20 or 21.) 

The winter solstice is the day with the fewest hours of sunlight 

in the whole year, making it the “shortest day” of the year. 

Thankfully, after we reach the winter solstice, the days begin 

to once again grow longer and longer until we reach the summer solstice—the first day of summer and the longest day of the year.

Think of it this way: Although the winter solstice means the start of winter, it also means the return of more sunlight. It only gets brighter from here!