The date with the shortest day and hence with the longest night. This date usually falls near the 21st of December in the Northern hemisphere or of June in the Southern Hemisphere.

At the time of this solstice, the earth is in that point of its orbit at which the hemisphere in question is most tilted away from the sun, causing the sun to appear at its farthest south from the celestial equator when viewed from earth.

This is the time when the Neopagan Sabbat of Yule is celebrated.