‘Life is about change’: Winter solstice offers a perfect time for reflection

We made it! The winter solstice occurs on Sunday, December 21st, and after that the days get longer, slowly growing in size like a snowball rolling downhill.

For lovers of light, the cosmic shift comes just in time, as the journey through November and December can be a bit of a dim slog. The days get shorter, and you start to feel like Oliver Twist, turning toward the sun and saying: “Please, sir, I want some more.”

Well, here it comes. According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the gain in daylight “will be minuscule at first, just a matter of seconds a day, but will steadily grow until daily daylight expands by 3 minutes per day in March.”

And this everyday addition of light adds up to a big deal. We get about nine hours of daylight on the winter solstice, and by the time summer solstice rolls around in June we’ll have more than 15 hours of glorious light!

A day for rest and reflection

The start of this sunny voyage is cause for celebration, and for many folks, the winter solstice is a time to rest and reflect. This beautiful passage from Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agriculture and Environmental Sciences really hits home:

“Paying attention to nature and the four seasons is a healthy way to be mindful. It allows you to be fully present in the moment and recognize that life is about change. We change and the seasons change. Pausing to recognize the Winter Solstice connects us to the people, traditions, and memories that have come before us. The chilly days and the long nights are perfect for rest, reflection, and setting your intentions for the new year and the next season of life.”

Contemplating the next season of life made us think about gardening, a huge passion for many Cape Codders. So, we dialed up C. L. Fornari, gardening guru and host of “The Garden Lady,” on WCAI-FM, the Cape and Islands National Public Radio station–it seemed certain that she would be attuned to the turn of seasons.

Snowfall and seeds

“I love the winter solstice,” said Fornari. “There’s something cozy about it, and it’s a time for reflection. We can thank the darkness for that. It gives us an opportunity to see ourselves and our world differently. We humans are very good at just charging ahead and resisting change. The solstice calls for us to be in the present moment–to look at our landscape, our gardens, or what we are accomplishing with new eyes, which is a good thing.”

It can also be a good time to start planning for next year’s garden. “I traditionally start ordering seeds and plants on the first snowfall that we have,” said Fornari. “I take a snow day. Instead of there being no school, I celebrate by ordering seeds.”

Winter solstice can also be an opportunity to plant the seeds for nature adventures in the year to come. You can start off 2026 with a bang, by attending one of the great First Day Cape Cod Hikes, a unique one-day regional celebration featuring free special walks, talks, and hikes across Cape Cod providing a range of opportunities for families, children, residents, and visitors to explore nature on the first day of the new year.

Find out more about First Day Cape Cod Hikes 2026 by clicking here.

From all of your friends at Harwich Conservation Trust (HCT), we wish you a peaceful and joyous winter solstice. The light is returning and there are so many good things to come!

—Sign up for HCT eNews, a great way to stay in the loop about exciting HCT events, guided walks and other interesting news.

—Your tax-deductible contributions help fulfill the mission of the Harwich Conservation Trust to preserve land that protects woods, water, wildlife and our shared quality of life. And your land-saving financial support helps us preserve beautiful properties that can become stellar trail destinations. Find out how to donate by clicking here.