When: December 21st, 2025, at 7:03 am PT

What: The Sun enters Capricorn, signaling the seasonal Solstice.

Takeaway: The darkest day of the year invites you to release the old from 2025 and set fresh intentions for 2026.

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First things first: What is a solstice?

When the Sun enters Capricorn on December 21st, it signals the seasonal Solstice. If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, this is the shortest day of the year, when the dark stretches over more of our waking hours. If you’re in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the opposite: The Sun shines longer on this day than on any other.

The word “solstice” combines the Latin words sol (the Sun) and sistere (to stand still). In the Northern Hemisphere, the December Solstice is a symbolic rebirth; the Sun’s light has reached its lowest point, and from this day on, it begins increasing again. And in the Southern Hemisphere, the light has reached its peak. No matter where you are in the world, this event is a threshold moment and a transition to both honor and work with.

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An invitation to reflect and reset

Just like the equinoxes, the solstices echo the cycles of nature. In the Northern Hemisphere, the December Solstice marks a time when the crops lie dormant and fallen leaves decay, nourishing the soil for next year. Borrowing this agricultural language, we’re invited to use this moment to consider the “growing seasons” of our own lives. Because the December Solstice occurs so close to the Gregorian New Year, it’s a potent opportunity to reflect on what you want to take with you into 2026 and what you want to leave behind in 2025. If there are memories, ideas, situations, or relationships that you no longer want to hold on to, this is the time to set them down.

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10 rituals to honor the December Solstice

Wherever you are in the world, this Solstice is a culmination before the days start getting longer or shorter. To celebrate this occasion, here are 10 rituals to honor the December Solstice:

1. Unwind with Sleep Stories in the CHANI app. Narrated by Chani Nicholas, these soothing audio journeys can help you drift off into dreamland, tap into your subconscious, and stay receptive to any messages from your inner world. Wisdom is easier to access when you’re relaxed and well-rested, after all.
2. Immerse yourself in nature. Visit your favorite park, garden, farm, body of water, or other natural spot. Sync up with the rhythms of the season, and contemplate what these cycles can teach you.
3. Acknowledge all that is culminating in your own life. Recognize the situations, projects, or relationships that have reached a crucial threshold. Consider all that you’ve achieved and the challenges still to come. Then celebrate your works in progress, and boost your morale for the final stretch.
4. Release the idea that you need to get it right, and embrace the reality of being in an ongoing process. Refuse to carry unrealistic expectations into the new year. Hold a letting-go ceremony in which you write down every unreasonable standard that you want to bid farewell to, then tear up the list. Recycle the shreds or bury them outside. For more ideas, check out the December Solstice ritual in the CHANI app (available starting December 20th).
5. Set intentions for 2025. Whether you wish to learn a new skill, commit more fully to your aspirations, develop a budding connection, or plumb uncharted depths in an existing relationship, cast your spells. To realize your dreams, it helps to identify what you desire in the first place. If your goals feel daunting, break them down into doable steps, then write them in your calendar or 2026 Astro Planner.
6. Invite warmth into your home, especially if you live in the Northern Hemisphere. Light candles on your altar. Brighten your room with lamps or fairy lights. Get cozy. By doing so, you cheer on the rebirth that’s unfolding in your life and all around you.
7. Adorn your home and/or altar with local foliage, such as cedar boughs, wreaths, ripe fruits, dried oranges, mistletoe, pine cones, flowers, or anything seasonal in your region. Convert your space into a sanctuary that reflects the time of year. In this way, you can connect to the spirit and beauty of this sacred moment.
8. Gather with friends, family, and chosen kin. Throw an office party, a gift exchange, or a festive dinner with your inner circle. Spend time with the people who keep your joy and faith alight.
9. Meditate, or commit to a practice that helps you ground into your body and the moment. If you need some ideas, check out the abundance of guided meditations in the CHANI app.
10. Learn about the major astrological moments impacting your life in 2026 and plan accordingly.‍

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