2014 winter solstice

Winter solstice, falling this year on Sunday, Dec. 21, marks the first day of

winter in the Northern Hemisphere. More precisely, winter officially

 begins at 6:03 p.m. ET — the moment when the Northern Hemisphere is

 pointed at its furthest distance from the sun. This means winter solstice 

boasts  the longest night and the shortest day.

Each day on after the solstice, the days will get longer and warmer until the 

calendar hits summer  solstice, June 21, 2015. Summer solstice marks 

the first day of summer, the  longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.