Bear in mind that the Winter Solstice (December 21) is Midwinter — even as the Summer Solstice is Midsummer. The solstices are the middles, not the beginnings, of their seasons.
Today is halfway between the Autumn Equinox and the Winter Solstice, so today gets the distinction of being the "cross quarter" day and official archeo-astronomical First Day of Winter. If you have been noting the position of the sun on the horizon at sunrise each day, you will have noted that our dearest and nearest star has moved from due east (equinox) to exactly halfway toward the southernmost position where it will rise at Midwinter.
The ancient Celtic (or Celtic-adjacent) astronomers noted the equinoxes, solstices, and cross-quarters, and adjusted their calendars as necessary. They had names for the cross-quarters. Today is Samhain (sah’-wahn). Pay no attention to the silly neo-pagans who say this has something to do with Halloween!
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