Winter begins December 21, 2013

Saturday, December 21, 2013, at 6:12 AM (Eastern Standard Time) marks the winter solstice, and the official start of Winter in the Northern Hemisphere. Depending on whether you are a glass half-empty or half-full type, this date either represents the longest night of the year (for your negative types), or else it marks the start of the 6-month period during which each passing day grows longer (for you happy ones). In the Southern Hemisphere, the situation is reversed, and December…