I thought this was a maths puzzle with some significance about the numbers when I first read this...then read the rest of the thread. Hope you got home!

Alas, unwell child, feeling mostly festive, but not doing any accounting.

Yay! I learnt the other day after this conversation that although 21st Dec is fewest hours of sunlight, the evenings had been getting lighter since 16 Dec (here atleast). The dark afternoons bother me more, so 16 Dec is my new favourite day. (The latest sunrise is something like 31st Dec).