The sun will set in DC today at 4:48 p.m. A week ago, it set at 4:46 p.m.

[magicarpet]

13. Actually the days are getting shorter until 12/21 the date of the winter solstice.

This post indicates the sun is setting later. So it appears the day is getting longer. But for total day light hours one needs to take the hour of the sunrise into consideration. Then the hour of sunset. The total time in between is total day light.

This is how it goes,.. as you can see the day is getting shorter until the winter solstice,.. then starts to get longer again after 12/22 - Wednesday of 2022.

12/11 - 9hours-32minutes of daylight
12/15 - 9...........30
12/16 - 9...........30
12/17 - 9...........29
12/18 - 9...........29

Here is another interactive chart with the details of sunrise/sunset info. This one is Farmer's Almanac.

https://www.almanac.com/astronomy/sun-rise-and-set/DC/Washington/2022-12-18