What Is the Winter Solstice?  

What is the shortest day of the year? It is December 21. We call it the winter solstice. Let’s look at things people do to mark the solstice. 

Look at your shadow. The winter solstice is the shortest day. But your shadow is longest that day. Your shadow will be tallest at noon. 

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Communities celebrate the solstice. This street is lined with candles. Some neighborhoods do this on the solstice. 

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People believe different things about the solstice. This animal is a capybara. It is in a zoo in Japan. Many Japanese believe it is good luck to take a bath on the solstice. They bathe in a type of fruit called yuzu. These capybaras are getting a yuzu bath. Hopefully, they will have a lucky year! 
 
What Do You Think? What will you do on the shortest day of the year? 

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