How to Celebrate the Winter Solstice This Year

The darker nights are drawing in, and while it's perfect for all the stargazers amongst us, many will feel the relief of reaching the winter solstice. Signaling the start of the days getting longer and the countdown to spring commencing, this event can be the reset you need this year. But let’s not get too ahead of ourselves. Let us first showcase what celebrations and traditions take place around the solstice and how you can get involved.

Coming up in this article:

What Is the Winter Solstice?
Celebrating the Winter Solstice in the UK
The Solstice and Stonehenge
Winter Solstice FAQs

What Is the Winter Solstice?

Celebrated on Saturday 21st December 2024, the winter solstice is to mark the sun reaching its lowest point in the sky for the year. This means that in the UK, and the rest of the Northern Hemisphere, we have the shortest day of the year.

The reason we have solstices is simply because the Earth rotates on its tilted axis. At this particular time of year, the Northern Hemisphere points away from the sun, meaning less daytime and darker nights. And this is the same for when we have the summer solstice, except instead of being away from the sun, the Northern Hemisphere points towards it. If the thought of this sends you into a spin, think yourself lucky that you’re not doing the Earth’s job!

Celebrating the Winter Solstice in the UK

Releasing the dark and welcoming in the light is what the winter solstice is all about. If you’ve yet to celebrate the solstice, it’s never too late to start. While there are events you can travel to, if you want to ease yourself into the celebrations, here are a handful of winter traditions found across the world.

Taking a Winters Walk to Reconnect with Nature

Chase away the winter blues with a refreshing walk or small-group tour in nature. We may be bias, but when touring the UK and Ireland, the backdrop behind us is some of the best in the world. The landscapes around us are ever changing with each season that passes, so let’s take this time to appreciate their beauty. On the day of the solstice, you may have less than eight hours of daylight, so make every minute count. And while out exploring, you can forage for natural decorations to make a seasonal table scape come to life.

Create Orange Pomanders

This tradition can be great for families and involving the kids in the winter solstice celebrations. Signalling light, love, and prosperity, the creation of an orange pomander is easy. All you’ll need is an orange, a jar of whole cloves, and imagination. You can add extra details to your designs with zesters and toothpicks, or why not try out some ribbon so you can hang them up? It is the festive season after all.

Watch the Sunrise and Sunset

Touring during winter may not be for everyone, but if you do dare to brave the cold, you can be in for some of the best sunrises and sunsets the UK and Ireland can offer. And the best of it is you don’t have to awaken as early as in the summer months. Picture this, you wake up and peel yourself away from your pillow to click the kettle down ready for your morning brew in preparation of watching the sunrise. Wrapped up in your favourite jumper, you layer with an extra pair of socks and your coat to stop the chill from seeping through. As you unlock the door, the darkness greets you and the cold roses your cheeks, but it’s a familiar feeling you’ve been longing for. Choosing the best sunrise and sunset spot is the hardest decision. Thankfully on our tours of Scotland, England, Ireland, and Wales we’ve stumbled across some of the best locations, from the island of Islay to Tenby in Wales.

The Solstice and Stonehenge

Stonehenge is an iconic British landmark which attracts visitors from across the globe to celebrate events such as the solstices, the spring equinox, and the autumn equinox. To some, visiting Stonehenge may just look like a group of rocks, but to others they feel the history inside their walls. The reason this site is so popular for these astrological events is because during sunrise, you can catch glimpses of the sun’s rays through the stones structure. It's this act which makes historians believe that the ancient people had built Stonehenge as a way of knowing when winter approached so they could prepare their crops and other farming tasks appropriately.

If you can’t make a trip to Stonehenge this December, you can watch their live stream event on the English Heritage website.

Winter Solstice FAQs

With your celebrations for the winter solstice gathering nicely, we’re sure you may have some questions around the festivities, so let’s get into it.

After the Winter Solstice Do the Days Get Longer?

Yes, once we’ve had the winter solstice, the days do gradually get longer daylight and shorter nighttime. This continues until we reach the summer solstice around the end of June.

What Does ‘Solstice’ Mean?

The term solstice comes from the two Latin words ‘sol’ and ‘sistere’ which translated mean ‘sun’ and ‘to stand still’. However, the reason we have solstices is to indicate when the sun has reached its highest or lowest point in the sky during the year.

Join Rabbie’s for the Winter Solstice

Let us show you how to make the most out of the daylight hours of the winter solstice. Picture this, your boots are secure to your feet knowing their main job is to keep your feet dry, your coat is warmly hugging your body, all the while the weather outside is a darker shade of moodiness. But that doesn’t stop you. Because the winter atmosphere surrounding you is something you’ve been desiring. The powder-white snow blankets the landscape and it’s as beautiful as what you'd hoped for.

So, let our driver-guides be the leading light to your adventure. Need further inspiration for your next trip? Sign up to our newsletter where you’ll be one of the first to know about new departure points, tour dates, and Black Friday travel offers.