diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 6608dfda2e..446055c8ca 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+### xlibre-xserver 25.1
+
+winter solstice release
+https://github.com/X11Libre/xserver/wiki/XLibre-XServer-25.1-Changes
+
 ### xlibre-xserver 25.0.0.16
 
 hotfix release xlibre-xserver-25.0.0.16
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 8fe02b7130..6244aef7a0 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -3,10 +3,10 @@ project('xserver', 'c',
             'buildtype=debugoptimized',
             'c_std=gnu99',
         ],
-        version: '25.0.0.7',
+        version: '25.1.0',
         meson_version: '>= 0.61.0',
 )
-release_date = '2025-07-29'
+release_date = '2025-12-21'
 
 add_project_arguments('-DHAVE_DIX_CONFIG_H', language: ['c', 'objc'])
 cc = meson.get_compiler('c')