Why Summer is Longer during Winter?

In the summer, the amount of daylight that we get is more than we get in winter. This is not because as much people think we are closer to the sun but because of the tilt of the earth.
The earth is actually closer to the sun in winter than it is in summer, but you would be forgiven for thinking that is cannot be true after looking out of your window on a cold and frosty morning.
It seems strange that as the earth get closer to the sun during its orbit then the amount of daylight that we get decrease. But that is the case. It is the tilt of the earth that determine the amount of day light we get and so the lenght of the time that for us the sun is above the horizon.