Winter Solstice

Diagram of the winter solstice from " Windows to the Universe"

     Welcome to the Winter Solstice—the longest night of the year and the shortest day, when the sun  reaches its lowest point in the sky at noon. The word solstice is derived from the Latin sol 'sun' + stit (sistere) 'stationary', and the winter event is, of course, associated with many festivals. The Wikipedia link.
     On a positive note:  Technically, the winter solstice lasts only a moment in time, after which the days  start getting longer. And in the Southern Hemisphere, residents are welcoming summer on the longest day of the year.

Green Bin filled with seasonal flora gathered in my neighborhood for the winter solstice