Winter meetings two weeks before winter.

How did these meetings get to be known as winter?  It's still fall.

google search:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_Meetings

... off-season meetings during December dates back to 1876 ... The Winter Meetings became an annual event in 1901.
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Yeah, but why are they called winter?  Maybe they were originally held closer to or even after the start of winter.  But since that would be just a few days before Christmas it seems unlikely.

Anyone know?