Yes, that’s right: today is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere (I’m choosing to ignore you dratted southerners who are basking in summer sun right now). Sunset is due here in NYC at 4:32 pm today, but from here on out there can only be more light, even if, in theory, it will get colder. Here’s a look at how one of nature’s holidays is celebrated around the world:

England:
Druids and assorted flavors of pagans gathered at Stonehenge for sunrise this morning. Because the event is a religious observance, English Heritage allows the be-robed and drumming masses access to the inner circle of stones.

China:
In China, the solstice is celebrated as part of the astronomical calendar, the same one that puts the Chinese New Year on a shifting date from late January to February. Called Dōngzhì, the festival is an all-night family reunion where everyone partakes red bean rice dumpling soup.

Spain:
In Spain, the 22nd is a big part of the seasonal build up to Christmas, as it’s the day the main drawing of the national lotteries is held. It’s called El Gordo (the Fat One)- or El Sorteo de Navidad, and the extravagant proceedings are a 200-year-old tradition. This year the jackpot for the Cordoba lottery alone was 10 million euros, and nearly €2 billion was handed out across the country as a whole, almost €50 for every person living in Spain. The Fat One indeed.