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December is the twelfth and final month of the year in the
Julian Julian may refer to: People * Julian (emperor) (331–363), Roman emperor from 361 to 363 * Julian (Rome), referring to the Roman gens Julia, with imperial dynasty offshoots * Saint Julian (disambiguation), several Christian saints * Julian (give ...
and Gregorian calendars and is also the last of seven months to have a length of 31 days. December got its name from the Latin word ''decem'' (meaning
ten Ten, TEN or 10 may refer to: * 10, an even natural number following 9 and preceding 11 * one of the years 10 BC, AD 10, 1910 and 2010 * October, the tenth month of the year Places * Mount Ten, in Vietnam * Tongren Fenghuang Airport (IATA code ...
) because it was originally the tenth month of the year in the calendar of Romulus 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.
Macrobius Macrobius Ambrosius Theodosius, usually referred to as Macrobius (fl. AD 400), was a Roman provincial who lived during the early fifth century, during late antiquity, the period of time corresponding to the Later Roman Empire, and when Latin was ...
, ''
Saturnalia Saturnalia is an ancient Roman festival and holiday in honour of the god Saturn, held on 17 December of the Julian calendar and later expanded with festivities through to 23 December. The holiday was celebrated with a sacrifice at the Temple ...
'', tr. Percival Vaughan Davies (New York: Columbia University Press, 1969), book I, chapters 12–13, pp. 89–95.
In Ancient Rome, as one of the four Agonalia, this day in honour of Sol Indiges was held on December 11, as was Septimontium. Dies natalis (birthday) was held at the temple of
Tellus Tellus is a Latin word meaning "Earth" and may refer to: * An alternative name for the planet Earth * Tellus of Athens, a citizen of ancient Athens who was thought to be the happiest of men * Tellus Mater or Terra Mater, the ancient Roman earth mo ...
on December 13, Consualia was held on December 15,
Saturnalia Saturnalia is an ancient Roman festival and holiday in honour of the god Saturn, held on 17 December of the Julian calendar and later expanded with festivities through to 23 December. The holiday was celebrated with a sacrifice at the Temple ...
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.


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). 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 25 – 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 (astrology), Sagittarius (until December 21) and Capricorn (astrology), Capricorn (December 22 onwards).The Earth passes the junction of the signs at 10:02 UT/GMT December 21, 2020, and will pass it again at 15:59 UT/GMT December 21, 2021.. Signs in UT/GMT for 1950–2030.


December symbols

December's birth flower is the Narcissus (plant), narcissus. December's birthstones are the turquoise, zircon, and tanzanite.


Observances

''This list does not necessarily imply either official status or general observance.''


Non-Gregorian observances: 2021 dates

(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 observances

*In Catholic tradition, December is the Month of the Advent of Christ. *National Egg Nog Month (United States) *List of observances in the United States by presidential proclamation#Annual special months recognized by presidential proclamation, National Impaired Driving Prevention Month (United States) *National Fruit Cake Month (United States) *National Pear Month (United States) *Gender neutrality#Activism, No Gender December (International observance, International)


Movable observances: 2021 dates

*See also Movable Western Christian observances *See also Movable Eastern Christian observances Tuesday immediately following fourth Thursday of November: November 30 *Giving Tuesday (United States) (can sometimes fall in December) First Friday: December 3 *Public holidays in Ghana, Farmer's Day (Ghana) *Public holidays in the Marshall Islands, Gospel Day (Marshall Islands) First Sunday: December 5 *Public holidays in Turkmenistan, Good Neighborliness Day (Turkmenistan) *Sindhi Cultural Day (Sindhi diaspora) Second Monday: December 13 *Green Monday *National Tree Planting Day (Malawi) December 15, unless the date falls on a Sunday, then December 16: December 15 *Koninkrijksdag (Kingdom of the Netherlands) Winter Solstice: December 21 *Blue Christmas (holiday) *Brumalia ( Ancient Rome) *Dongzhi Festival (Asia) *Global Orgasm *Korochun (Slavic people, Slavic) *Midsummer in the Southern Hemisphere. (Contemporary Paganism) *Sangamitta, Sanghamitta Day (Theravada, Theravada Buddhism) *Shalako (Zuni people, Zuni) *Yaldā (Iran) *Yule in the Northern Hemisphere (Contemporary Paganism) *Ziemassvētki (Latvia) December 22, unless that date is a Sunday, in which case it's moved to the 23rd: December 22 *Forefathers' Day (Plymouth, Massachusetts) December 26, unless that day is a Sunday, in which case the 27th: December 27 *Boxing Day (Commonwealth of Nations) **Day of Good Will (Public holidays in South Africa, South Africa and Public holidays in Namibia, Namibia) **Family Day#Vanuatu, Family Day (Vanuatu) **Thanksgiving (Solomon Islands) **Start of Boxing Week


Fixed observances

*November 25 – December 10: 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence *December 1 **Days of Military Honour, Battle of the Sinop Day (Russia) **Thomas Roy#List of days, Bifocals at the Monitor Day (Holiday#Unofficial holidays, unofficial) **Damrong Rajanubhab Day (Thailand) **Portuguese Restoration War, Day of Restoration of Independence (Portugal) **List of food days#December, 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 **National Day (Laos) **National Day (United Arab Emirates) **List of food days#December, National Fritters Day (United States) *December 3 **National Doctors' Day, Doctors' Day (Cuba) **United Nations' International Day of Persons with Disabilities *December 4 **List of food days#December, National Cookie Day (United States) **Navy Day (India) **Saint Barbara's Day-related observances: ***Barbórka (Poland) ***Eid il-Burbara (Russia, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestinian National Authority, Palestine, Syria, Turkey) **Thai Environment Day (Thailand) **Tupou I Day (Tonga) *December 5 **Thomas Roy#List of days, Bathtub Party Day (Holiday#Unofficial holidays, unofficial) **Children's Day (Suriname) **Ninja Burger#Day of the Ninja, Day of the Ninja (Holiday#Unofficial holidays, unofficial) **Days of Military Honour, Day of Military Honour – Battle of Moscow (Russia) **Discovery Day#Hispaniola, Discovery Day (Haiti and Dominican Republic) **International Volunteer Day, International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development **Klozum (Schiermonnikoog, Netherlands) **Saint Nicholas, Saint Nicholas Eve (Belgium, Czech Republic, Slovakia, the Netherlands, Hungary, Romania, Germany, Poland and the United Kingdom, UK) ***Krampusnacht (Austria) **King's Birthday (Thailand) **Repeal of Prohibition in the United States#External links, Repeal Day (United States) **International Year of Soil, World Soil Day *December 6 **Anniversary of the Founding of Quito (Ecuador) **Armed Forces Day#Ukraine, Armed Forces Day (Ukraine) **Constitution Day (Spain) **Day of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technologies of Azerbaijan **Independence Day of Finland **National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women (Canada) **St Nicholas Day (Western Christianity) *December 7 **Armed Forces Flag Day (India) **Eve of the Immaculate Conception (Western Christianity) and related observances: ***Day of the Little Candles, begins after sunset (Colombia) ***Quema del Diablo, begins after sunset. (Guatemala) **Flag Land Base Day (Scientology) **International Civil Aviation Day **Culture of East Timor#Public holidays, National Heroes Day (East Timor) **National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (United States) **Spitak Remembrance Day (Armenia) *December 8 **Battle Day (Falkland Islands) **Bodhi Day (Japan) **CARICOM–Cuba Day (Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Cuba) **Constitution Day (Romania) **Constitution Day (Uzbekistan) **Jean Sibelius, Day of Finnish Music (Finland) **Feast of the Immaculate Conception (public holiday in Feast of the Immaculate Conception#Cultural impact, several countries, a holy day of obligation in others), and its related observances: ***Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Anglican Communion), lesser commemoration ***Christmas on Campus (University of Dayton) ***Mother's Day (Panama) ***Festa da Conceição da Praia, celebrating Yemanjá, Queen of the Ocean (Salvador, Bahia) ***Festival of Lights (Lyon) **List of LGBT awareness days, Pansexual/Panromantic Pride Day **Public holidays in North Macedonia, Saint Clement of Ohrid Day (North Macedonia) **List of food days#December, National Brownie Day (United States) **National Youth Day (Albania) *December 9 **Name days in Sweden, Anna's Day (Sweden and Finland) **Feast of the Immaculate Conception#Eastern Orthodoxy, Feast of the Conception of the Most Holy Theotokos by St. Anne (Eastern Orthodox) **Independence Day (Tanzania) **International Anti-Corruption Day **National Heroes Day (Antigua and Barbuda) **List of food days#December, National Pastry Day (United States) **Armed Forces Day#Sri Lanka, Navy Day (Sri Lanka) **Ásatrú holidays#The Troth, Remembrance for Egill Skallagrímsson (The Troth) **Yuri's Day in the Autumn (Russian Orthodox Church) *December 10 **Alfred Nobel Day (Sweden) **Constitution Day (Thailand) **Human Rights Day (International observance, International) *December 11 **Human Rights and Peace Day (Kiribati) **Indiana Day (Indiana, United States) **List of food days#December, National Have a Bagel Day (United States) **List of food days#December, National Noodle Ring Day (United States) **National Tango Day (Argentina) **Pampanga Day (Pampanga province, Philippines) **Republic Day (Burkina Faso) *December 12 **Constitution Day (Russia) **Armed Forces Day#Croatia, Croatian Air Force Day (Croatia) **Day of Neutrality (Turkmenistan) **Public holidays in Mexico, Feast of the Apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Mexico) **Baháʼí calendar, Feast of Masá'il Baháʼí calendar (only if Baháʼí Naw-Rúz falls on March 21, which it does for 2015) **Kanji of the year, Kanji Day (Japan) **Jamhuri Day (Kenya) *December 13 **Acadian Remembrance Day (Acadians) **National Day (Saint Lucia) **Thomas Roy#List of days, Pick a Pathologist Pal Day **Republic Day (Malta) **Armed Forces Day#Brazil, Sailor's Day (Brazil) **Saint Lucy's Day (mainly Scandinavia, some regions of Italy) *December 14 **Alabama Day (Alabama) **Forty-seven Ronin, Forty-seven Ronin Remembrance Day (Sengaku-ji, Tokyo) **Martyred Intellectuals Day (Bangladesh) **Monkey Day (International observance, International) *December 15 **United States Bill of Rights, Bill of Rights Day (United States) ***2nd Amendment Day (South Carolina) **Thomas Roy#List of days, Cat Herders Day **Homecoming Day (Alderney) **International Tea Day **List of food days#December, National Cupcake Day (United States) **Remembrance Day of Journalists Killed in the Line of Duty (Russia) **Zamenhof Day (Esperantist, International Esperanto Community) *December 16 **Thomas Roy#List of days, Barbie and Barney Backlash Day **National Day (Kingdom of Bahrain) **Victory day of Bangladesh **Day of reconciliation (South Africa), Day of Reconciliation in South Africa *December 17 **Accession Day (Bahrain) **International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers **National Day (Bhutan) **List of food days#December, National Maple Syrup Day (United States) **Pan American Aviation Day (United States) **Wright Brothers Day (United States) *December 18 **List of food days#Brazil, National Muffin Day (Brazil) *December 19 **Liberation Day, Goa Liberation Day (Goa, India) **Public holidays in Anguilla, National Heroes and Heroines Day (Anguilla) *December 20 **Abolition of Slavery Day, also known as ''Cafres, Fête des Cafres'' (Réunion, French Guiana) **Bo Aung Kyaw Day (Myanmar) **International Human Solidarity Day (International observance, International) **Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day (Macau) **List of food days#December, National Sangria Day (United States) *December 21 **Armed Forces Day (Philippines) **First day of winter (some cultures) **Forefathers' Day (Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States) **Thomas Roy#List of days, Humbug Day **List of food days#December, National Hamburger Day (United States) **Public holidays in São Tomé and Príncipe, São Tomé Day (São Tomé and Príncipe) **The first day of Pancha Ganapati, celebrated until December 25 (Saiva Siddhanta Church) *December 22 **Armed Forces Day (Vietnam) **Mother's Day (Indonesia) **List of food days#December, National Date Nut Bread Day (United States) **National Mathematics Day (India) **Teachers' Day (Cuba) **Unity Day (Zimbabwe) *December 23 **The Emperor's Birthday, a national holiday in Japan **Festivus **HumanLight (Humanism) *December 24 **Christmas Eve ***Aðfangadagskvöld, the day when the 13th and the last Yule Lads, Yule Lad arrives to towns. (Iceland) ***Feast of the Seven Fishes (Italy) ***Juleaften (Denmark)/Julaften (Norway)/Julafton, Julafton (Sweden) ***Nittel Nacht (certain Orthodox Jewish denominations) ***Nochebuena (Spain and Spanish-speaking countries) ***The Declaration of Christmas Peace (Old Great Square (Turku), Old Great Square of Turku, Finland's official Christmas City) ***Quviasukvik (Eskimo of Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, Yukon, Nunavik, Nunatsiavut, NunatuKavut, Alaska, Greenland and Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Chukotka), a new year celebration held until January 7th. **Days of Military Honour, Day of Military Honour – Siege of Ismail (Russia) **Independence Day (Libya) **Mōdraniht (Anglo-Saxon paganism) **List of food days#December, 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) ***Malkh-Festival (Nakh peoples of Chechnya and Ingushetia) ***Newtonmas (Atheist community) ***Quaid-e-Azam's Day (Pakistan) ***Takanakuy (Chumbivilcas Province, Peru) **List of food days#December, National Pumpkin Pie Day (United States) *December 26 **Independence Day in Slovenia – Independence and Unity Day **Kwanzaa (December 26 to January 1) (African-American, 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 , Mauro Hamza Day (Houston, Houston, Texas) **Mummer's Day (Padstow, Cornwall) **St. 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) **List of food days#December, National Fruitcake Day (United States) **Zartosht No-Diso (Zoroastrianism) *December 28 **Proclamation Day (South Australia), Proclamation Day in South Australia *December 29 **Thomas Roy#List of days, Tick Tock Day *December 30 **Remembrance days in Slovakia, Day of the Declaration of Slovakia as an Independent Ecclesiastic Province (Slovakia) **Thomas Roy#List of days, Falling Needles Family Fest **Scientology holidays, Freedom Day (Church of Scientology) **List of food days#December, National Bicarbonate of Soda Day (United States) **Rizal Day (Philippines) *December 31 **International Solidarity Day (Azerbaijan) **List of food days#December, National Champagne Day (United States) **New Year's Eve ***Novy God, Novy God Eve **Bisperás ng Bagong Taón'' (Philippines) **Ōmisoka (Japan) **Start of Hogmanay (Scotland) December 31 – January 1, in some cases until January 2.


References


See also

* Historical anniversaries * Undecimber {{Authority control December, Months, *12