nationalpost:  Winter Solstice 2011: The shortest day of the year, and the official start of winterDepending on where you are in the world, December 21 or 22 marks the  winter solstice in the northern hemisphere: the official beginning of  winter, and the longest night of the year. (In Canada, the switch  happens either late at night on the 21st, or early in the morning on the  22nd; for those on Eastern Standard Time, the new season begins at 12:30 a.m. December 22).
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