The winter solstice is the longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, and in 2026 it falls on Monday, December 21. A simple winter solstice ritual marks it at sunset: make a warm cup of cacao, light a candle, name what you are letting go of and what you want to grow as the light returns, then close with gratitude. It takes about 45 minutes.
The winter solstice in 2026: date and time
The solstice is a single moment, when the Sun's path across our sky sits farthest south. In 2026 it comes at 20:50 Universal Time, according to the US Naval Observatory, whose seasons tool covers other years and time zones. In the lower 48 states, that is:
| Time zone | Solstice moment |
|---|---|
| Eastern | 3:50 p.m. |
| Central | 2:50 p.m. |
| Mountain | 1:50 p.m. |
| Pacific | 12:50 p.m. |
South of the equator, this is the summer solstice. Your ritual does not need the exact minute; the sunset that follows is a natural time to hold it.
Why people mark the winter solstice
At Stonehenge, first built about 5,000 years ago, the stones were set up to frame the winter solstice sunset, and digs at a nearby Neolithic settlement suggest huge feasts around this time of year. As English Heritage puts it, people "must have longed for the return of light and warmth."
Because the days lengthen after the solstice, many cultures have celebrated it as a time of rebirth (Britannica).
What you need
- Cacao: 10 to 20 g (1 to 2 tablespoons of pieces). We use Alma Cacao, 100% cacao paste in small pieces that melt in about a minute. New to it? Here is what sets ceremonial cacao apart.
- A small saucepan, a whisk or frother, and a favorite mug.
- One candle in a steady holder.
- Two slips of paper and a pen.
- Optional: a fireproof bowl, if you want to burn the first slip.
How to do a winter solstice ritual, step by step
- Set the space (5 minutes). About 15 minutes before sunset, lay out the candle, paper and pen by a window, and leave your phone in another room.
- Make your cup slowly (5 minutes). Heat 6 to 8 oz of water or milk until hot but not boiling, about 180°F, and whisk in the cacao for about a minute, until smooth and frothy.
- Welcome the longest night with one candle (10 minutes). Back in your seat with your cup, switch off the lights and watch the light fade. Once the sun is down, light the candle in a steady holder, away from anything that can catch, and never leave a flame unattended. It is the heart of a winter solstice candle ritual: one small flame for the returning light. Hold the cup in both hands for a few breaths before the first sip.
- Let go of the year (10 minutes). On the first slip, write what you are ready to leave in the dark: a habit, a worry, a grudge (the prompts below can help). Read it once, then tear it up, or burn it in the fireproof bowl, away from anything that can catch, and stay until the flame is out and the ash is cool. If you are struggling, reach out to someone you trust or a mental health professional.
- Name what you want to grow (10 minutes). On the second slip, write one to three things for the months ahead, small enough to start this week: "I cook for friends once a month." Fold it and keep it somewhere you will see it all winter.
- Close with gratitude (5 minutes). Say three good things from this year out loud, then name one person you want to thank. You might thank the people who grew your cacao, too; ours comes from native communities of the Peruvian Amazon. Drink the last sip, then blow out the candle.
Want a light that stays on until morning? Use a battery candle or a small lamp, never an open flame.
Prompts for the longest night
Answer one or two from each set as you sip, before you write your slips.
The year behind you
- What am I proud of that nobody else saw?
- Which worry or habit do I want to leave in this long night?
- Who or what kept me warm this year?
The months ahead
- Where do I want more light next year: which people, places or projects?
- What small thing could I begin this week and keep all winter?
- What do I want to remember the next time the nights grow long?
A winter solstice ritual with friends
This shared version takes about an hour for two to eight people.
- Make one pot as friends arrive. Allow 10 to 20 g of cacao and 6 to 8 oz of water or milk per person, heated to about 180°F and whisked smooth; six friends at 20 g each need 120 g, well within a ½ lb Starter. Before you pour, mention that the cup has theobromine and a little caffeine, and keep something warm without cacao for anyone who skips it (our warm non-alcoholic drinks include easy cacao-free ones).
- Gather at sunset. Lights off, phones away. Light one candle in a steady holder in the middle of the table and set an unlit tea light in a holder for each guest.
- Let go, out loud. Go around the table: each person names one thing they are leaving behind with the old year. Everyone else just listens: no advice, no fixing.
- Pass the light. On a second round, each person names one thing they want to grow, then lights their tea light from the center candle with a long match, until the table glows. Keep every flame in its holder, away from sleeves, napkins and greenery, and blow them all out before anyone leaves.
- Eat together. Soup and bread are plenty.
More simple ways to mark the solstice
- Walk at dusk. Head out half an hour before sunset and walk until the streetlights come on.
- Bring in some green. Set evergreen branches or a pot of rosemary on the table, well away from any candle.
- Pass on some warmth. Drop off a coat or blankets where they are collected, or bring soup to a neighbor.
- Greet the next sunrise. Set an alarm for the morning after and watch the first of the lengthening days begin.
About your cup
If you are sensitive to stimulants, make this sunset cup a smaller one, about 10 g, or start the ritual earlier; our answer to can you drink cacao at night covers the timing. For other sizes, see how much ceremonial cacao per cup.
As for caffeine, a 10 g cup holds about 8 to 16 mg and a 20 g cup about 16 to 32 mg. A typical 8 oz cup of brewed coffee has about 95 mg, so even a 20 g cup holds a sixth to a third as much. The low figure is USDA's; published lab data for baking chocolate run about twice as high, because cacao varies from bean to bean. More in our guide to how much caffeine a cup of cacao holds.
Theobromine is a mild stimulant, and a cup also has a little caffeine, so people sensitive to caffeine or other stimulants may feel it. If you are pregnant or nursing, take medication or manage a health condition, check with your healthcare provider first. Cacao and chocolate are toxic to dogs, so keep your cup out of reach.
Carry the light into the new year
New Year's Eve comes ten days after the solstice, and our ritual for setting New Year intentions picks up where this one ends. Then take your "grow" slip out again at the March equinox, on March 20, 2027, and see what has started. When you want a longer evening, with music and a round of sharing, follow our steps for a cacao ceremony at home.
Common questions
When is the winter solstice in 2026?
The 2026 winter solstice is on Monday, December 21, at 20:50 Universal Time, according to the US Naval Observatory: 3:50 p.m. Eastern, 2:50 p.m. Central, 1:50 p.m. Mountain and 12:50 p.m. Pacific. It is the shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
What do you do on the winter solstice?
You can celebrate the winter solstice as simply as watching the sunset, taking a walk at dusk or lighting a candle. A fuller ritual takes about 45 minutes: make a warm drink such as cacao, light a candle at sunset, write what you are letting go of and what you want to grow, and close with three things you are grateful for.
How do you hold a winter solstice ritual with friends?
Invite a few friends for sunset, turn off the lights and light one candle. Share a warm drink, then go around twice: each person names something they are leaving behind, then something they want to grow, while the others listen. End with a simple meal, and blow out every candle before anyone leaves.
What does the winter solstice symbolize?
After the winter solstice, the days start to get longer, and many cultures have celebrated it as a time of rebirth. In a home ritual, that makes it a natural night to let go of what is ending and choose what to grow.
