Around the world, people celebrate the solstice in many different ways. In the Northern Hemisphere, the December solstice marks the shortest day of the year. It represents a turning point in the season and the return of light. In the Southern Hemisphere, the December solstice marks the longest day of the year and a celebration of summer.

Whether you will celebrate a summer solstice or a winter solstice this December, read on to find out why you should include geocaching in your solstice plans!

Earlier this year, we celebrated the June solstice with a unique souvenir. Geocachers in the Southern Hemisphere braved cold temperatures to find geocaches on some of the shortest days of the year, while geocachers in the Northern Hemisphere experienced warm temperatures and long days. This month, those experiences are reversed!

On December 21, 2023, the Southern Hemisphere will tilt toward the Sun more than any other day of the year. This will allow those south of the equator to experience the maximum intensity of the Sun’s rays. At the same time, the Northern Hemisphere will tilt away from the Sun more than any other day of the year.

Geocaching HQ created a souvenir for geocachers to celebrate the December solstice. To earn this souvenir, geocachers must find a total of 12 geocaches, Event Caches, and/or Adventure Lab® Locations between December 17–23, 2023. We chose 12 because December is the 12th month of the year.

How will you celebrate the solstice this December?