December is the 12th and final month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days.
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December is the 12th and final month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days.
December's name derives from the Latin word decem (meaning 10) because it was originally the 10th month of the year in the calendar of Romulus c. 750 BC, which began in March. The winter days following December were not included as part of any month. Later, the months of January and February were created out of the monthless period and added to the beginning of the calendar, but December retained its name.
December is the first month of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and the first month of summer in the Southern Hemisphere.
In Ancient Rome, as one of the four Agonalia, this day in honor of Sol Indiges was held on December 11, as was Septimontium. Dies natalis (birthday) was held at the temple of Tellus on December 13, Consualia was held on December 15, Saturnalia was held December 17–23, Opiconsivia was held on December 19, Divalia was held on December 21, Larentalia was held on December 23, and the dies natalis of Sol Invictus was held on December 25. These dates do not correspond to the modern Gregorian calendar.
The Anglo-Saxons referred to December–January as Ġēolamonaþ (modern English: "Yule month"). The French Republican Calendar contained December within the months of Frimaire and Nivôse.
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Astronomy
December contains the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, the day with the fewest daylight hours, and the summer solstice in the Southern Hemisphere, the day with the most daylight hours (excluding polar regions in both cases, which consistently have none or 24 hours, respectively, near the solstice). December in the Northern Hemisphere is the seasonal equivalent to June in the Southern Hemisphere and vice versa. In the Northern hemisphere, the beginning of the astronomical winter is traditionally 21 December or the date of the solstice.
Meteor showers occurring in December are the Andromedids (September 24 – December 6, peaking around November 9), the Canis-Minorids (December 4 – December 15, peaking around December 10–11), the Coma Berenicids (December 12 to December 23, peaking around December 16), the Delta Cancrids (December 14 to February 14, the main shower from January 1 to January 24, peaking on January 17), the Geminids (December 13–14), the Monocerotids (December 7 to December 20, peaking on December 9. This shower can also start in November), the Phoenicids (November 29 to December 9, with a peak occurring around 5/6 December), the Quadrantids (typically a January shower but can also start in December), the Sigma Hydrids (December 4–15), and the Ursids (December 17-to December 25/26, peaking around December 22).
Astrology
The zodiac signs for the month of December are Sagittarius (until December 21) and Capricorn (December 22 onward).
Symbols
December's birth flower is the narcissus. Its birthstones are turquoise, zircon and tanzanite.
Observances
This list does not necessarily imply either official status or general observance.
Non-Gregorian
(All Baháʼí, Islamic, and Jewish observances begin at the sundown prior to the date listed, and end at sundown of the date in question unless otherwise noted.)
List of observances set by the Baháʼí calendar
List of observances set by the Chinese calendar
List of observances set by the Hebrew calendar
List of observances set by the Islamic calendar
List of observances set by the Solar Hijri calendar
Month-long
In Catholic tradition, December typically marks the beginning of the Season of Advent. It is also devoted to the Immaculate Conception.
National Egg Nog Month (United States)
National Impaired Driving Prevention Month (United States)
National Fruit Cake Month (United States)
National Pear Month (United States)
Movable
See also Movable Western Christian observances
See also Movable Eastern Christian observances
Tuesday immediately following fourth Thursday of November
Giving Tuesday (United States) (can fall in December)
First Friday
Farmer's Day (Ghana)
Gospel Day (Marshall Islands)
First Sunday
Good Neighborliness Day (Turkmenistan)
Sindhi Cultural Day (Sindhi diaspora)
Second Monday
Green Monday
National Tree Planting Day (Malawi)
December 15, unless the date falls on a Sunday, then December 16
Koninkrijksdag (Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Winter Solstice
Blue Christmas (holiday)
Brumalia (Ancient Rome)
Dongzhi Festival (Asia)
Global Orgasm
Korochun (Slavic)
Midsummer in the Southern Hemisphere. (Contemporary Paganism)
Sanghamitta Day (Theravada Buddhism)
Fixed
November 25 – December 10: 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence
December 1
Battle of Sinop Day (Russia)
Damrong Rajanubhab Day (Thailand)
Day of Restoration of Independence (Portugal)
Eat A Red Apple Day (United States)
Feast for Death of Aleister Crowley (Thelema)
First President Day (Kazakhstan)
Freedom and Democracy Day (Chad)
Great Union Day (Romania)
Military Abolition Day (Costa Rica)
National Day (Myanmar)
Republic Day (Central African Republic)
Restoration of Independence Day (Portugal)
Rosa Parks Day (Ohio and Oregon, United States)
Self-governance Day (Iceland)
Teachers' Day (Panama)
World AIDS Day
Day Without Art
December 2
Armed Forces Day (Cuba)
International Day for the Abolition of Slavery
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Shalako (Zuni)
Yaldā (Iran)
Yule in the Northern Hemisphere (Contemporary Paganism)
Ziemassvētki (Latvia)
December 22, unless that date is a Sunday, in which case the 23rd
Forefathers' Day (Plymouth, Massachusetts)
December 26, unless that day is a Sunday, in which case the 27th
Boxing Day (Commonwealth of Nations)
Day of Good Will (South Africa and Namibia)
Family Day (Vanuatu)
Thanksgiving (Solomon Islands)
Start of Boxing Week
National Day (Laos)
National Day (United Arab Emirates)
National Fritters Day (United States)
December 3
Doctors' Day (Cuba)
United Nations' International Day of Persons with Disabilities
The Declaration of Christmas Peace (Old Great Square of Turku, Finland's official Christmas City)
Quviasukvik (Inuit, Yupik, Aleut, Chukchi, Iñupiat and NunatuKavummiut people of Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, Yukon, Nunavik, Nunatsiavut, NunatuKavut, Alaska, Greenland and Chukotka), a new year celebration held until January 7th.
Day of Military Honour – Siege of Ismail (Russia)
Independence Day (Libya)
Mōdraniht (Anglo-Saxon paganism)
National Eggnog Day (United States)
December 25
Children's Day (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Republic of Congo)
Christmas (Christianity)
Constitution Day (Taiwan)
Good Governance Day (India)
Newtonmas (Atheist community)
Quaid-e-Azam's Day (Pakistan)
Takanakuy (Chumbivilcas Province, Peru)
National Pumpkin Pie Day (United States)
December 26
Independence Day in Slovenia – Independence and Unity Day
Kwanzaa (December 26 to January 1) (African-American community, United States)
Saint Stephen's Day
Wren Day (Ireland and the Isle of Man)
December 27
Independence and Unity Day (Slovenia)
Mauro Hamza Day (Houston, Texas)
Mummer's Day (Padstow, Cornwall)
Saint Stephen's Day (public holiday in Alsace, Austria, Catalonia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Ireland, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovakia and Switzerland)
Father's Day (Bulgaria)
The first day of Junkanoo street parade, the second day is on the New Year's Day (The Bahamas)
National Fruitcake Day (United States)
Zartosht No-Diso (Zoroastrianism)
December 28
Proclamation Day in South Australia
December 29
December 30
Day of the Declaration of Slovakia as an Independent Ecclesiastic Province (Slovakia)
National Bicarbonate of Soda Day (United States)
Rizal Day (Philippines)
December 31
International Solidarity Day (Azerbaijan)
National Champagne Day (United States)
New Year's Eve
Novy God Eve
Bisperás ng Bagong Taón (Philippines)
Ōmisoka (Japan)
Start of Hogmanay (Scotland) December 31 – January 1, in some cases until January 2.
