On Monday, December 21 — during our break — the Northern Hemisphere gets less daylight than any other day of the year. It’s the winter solstice, and the reason isn’t what most people think.
Have you noticed it gets dark really early now? That’s because we are near the shortest day of the whole year!
In winter the sun stays low and goes to bed early.
Let’s talk
Is it dark when you go home from school now? Was it dark back in September?
What do you like to do when it’s dark outside early?
After December 21, the days start getting LONGER again. How does that make you feel?
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Here’s the surprise: while WE have our shortest day, kids in Australia are having their longest day — it’s summer there! They might be at the beach on December 21!
Try it
Be the Earth! Stand up and lean over to one side — that’s the Earth’s tilt. Now spin slowly while staying leaned. See how one shoulder points away? That’s why we get winter!
Also today: Las Posadas begins — the first of nine nights of processions across Mexico and Latin America.
Almost everybody gets this wrong. Winter is not because Earth is farther from the sun. It’s because of Earth’s tilt — about 23.5 degrees off vertical.
In December, our half of Earth leans away from the Sun.
Let’s talk
If winter were caused by distance from the sun, what would that mean for Australia in December? Why does that prove distance isn’t the cause?
The tilt means sunlight hits us at a slant in winter. Why would slanted light warm the ground less than straight-down light?
Almost every December tradition we studied involves light. Now that you know the science, does that make more sense?
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If distance caused seasons, the whole planet would be cold at once — but Australia has summer in December. Here’s the kicker: Earth is actually closest to the sun in early January. Slanted light spreads the same energy over a wider area, so each patch of ground gets less — like shining a flashlight straight down versus at an angle. And yes: cultures built festivals of light around the darkest days because they were responding to something real and observable, long before anyone understood the tilt.
Try it
Shadow experiment! Around noon on December 21, go outside and look at your shadow — it will be the longest noontime shadow of the entire year. Try it again in June and compare. That difference is the tilt, made visible.
Additional Notes/Activities
If additional activities are needed for the Morning Meeting, they will be added here.