So December 21 ISN’T Actually the Shortest, Darkest Day of the Year in New England?

The longest day of the year means the day with the most hours of daylight. We love those days, especially if the weather is clear and sunny when we have to go to our favorite beach along the New Hampshire seacoast or spend the day outside eating, drinking, and shopping in one of Maine's quaint coastal towns.

However, if a rainstorm pops up, that's okay because we still have lots of daylight which feels so good.

Each year, the longest day of the year hits on the summer solstice, which happens on June 20 or 21 and occasionally on June 19 or 22. It's the official kick-off of summer, even though we all started celebrating summer over the Memorial Day weekend.

We love that day of the year. Then, of course, the autumnal equinox, which is between September 19 and 22. And although we love fall, we know shorter days in terms of daylight are slowly approaching.

The winter season officially begins between December 19 and 22. While we always refer to the beginning of winter as the shortest day of the year, it's actually not that simple. It may surprise you to know that the sun is already setting later by the time the winter season is officially here.

Intriguing right? Or, at the very least, kind of nice to know that the sun is already setting later in the day.

According to the Boston website, the sun sets the earliest each year, around December 6 or 7, while we're technically still in fall.

So what's with that dark and gloomy reputation given to the first official day of the winter solstice when the sun is already setting later and has been for a couple of weeks now?

According to the Time and Date website, while the seasons change with the tilt of the earth with the sun's movement we live on the same 24-hour clock. The latest sunrise happens on the winter solstice by a few minutes; however, the majority of us are still asleep or inside with lights on, getting ready for work.

This means the majority of us actually experience the least amount of daylight in early December.

Since far more people are awake and aware of things at 4:30 PM than they are at 6 in the morning, in a very real sense, you can forget about the solstice and the official ‘shortest day of the year’ in terms of daylight.

Here's one more fun fact for you. According to Time and Date, winter is the shortest season of the year. I know, I know, for most of us, it sure doesn't feel like that since Mother Nature doesn't follow the seasons correctly.

2025 Season Start Dates

Spring officially starts on March 20, summer is on June 20, fall is on September 22, and winter kick-offs on December 21.