December is the twelfth and last month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian Calendars. It is one of seven months with the length of 31 days. December is the first month of meteorological winter in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, December is the seasonal equivalent to June in the Northern hemisphere, which is the first month of summer. December is the month with the shortest daylight hours of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the longest daylight hours of the year in the Southern Hemisphere.
December symbols: Its birth flower is the narcissus. The birthstones of December are the turquoise, zircon, and tanzanite. The zodiac signs for the month of December are Sagittarius (until December 21) and Capricorn (December 22 onwards).
1st » Nicholas Ferrar (Episcopal Church in the United States of America named Episcopal Church (United States))
1st » December 1 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
1st » Public holidays in Thailand called Damrong Rajanubhab Day (Thailand)
1st » Earliest day on which Public holidays in Turkmenistan or Good Neighborliness Day can fall, while December 7 is the latest; celebrated on the first Sunday in December. (Turkmenistan)
1st » Kazakhstan Public holidays known as First President Day (Kazakhstan)
1st » Public holidays in Chad called Freedom and Democracy Day (Chad)
1st » Great Union Day, celebrates the Union of Transylvania with Romania in 1918; since 1990, National Day of Romania named National Day (Romania)
1st » Military of Costa Rica called Military Abolition Day (Costa Rica)
1st » Public holidays in Burma known as National Day (Burma)
1st » Public holidays in the Central African Republic called Republic Day (Central African Republic)
1st » Public holidays in Portugal called Restoration of Independence (Portugal)
1st » Public holidays in Iceland named Self-governance Day or 'Fullveldisdagurinn' (Iceland)
2nd » Armed Forces Day Cuba e.g Armed Forces Day (Cuba)
2nd » Christian Feast Day:
2nd » Saint Bibiana called Bibiana
2nd » Channing Moore Williams (Anglicanism)
2nd » Chromatius
2nd » December 2 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
2nd » International Day for the Abolition of Slavery (International observance or International)
2nd » Public holidays in Laos named National Day (Laos)
4th » Day of Shango (Santería, Lucumi people called Lukumí)
4th » Amidah Prayers for rain in winter and dew in summer called First day that rain is prayed for, notably the only Jewish day which is tied to the civil calendar. (Jewish diaspora e.g Diaspora in Judaism)
4th » Navy Day (India and Italy)
4th » Saint Barbara Day-related observance:
4th » Eid il-Burbara, a holiday similar to Halloween in honor of Saint Barbara. (Lebanon, Syria, and Palestinian National Authority e.g Palestine)
4th » Secret ceremonies in honor of Bona Dea (Roman Empire)
4th » Public holidays in Thailand or Thai Environment Day (Thailand)
5th » Clement of Alexandria (Calendar of saints (Episcopal Church in the United States of America) or Episcopal Church in the United States of America)
5th » Sabbas the Sanctified
5th » December 5 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
5th » Ninja Burger Day of the Ninja e.g Day of the Ninja (Holiday Unofficial holidays e.g Unofficial)
5th » Discovery Day Hispaniola e.g Discovery Day (Haiti and Dominican Republic)
5th » Roman festivals e.g Faunalia, in honor of Faunus (Roman Empire)
5th » UNRIC UN international days and observances or International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development (International observances e.g International)
5th » Nicholas of Myra named Saint Nicholas Eve (Belgium, Czech Republic, Slovakia, the Netherlands, Hungary, Romania, Poland and the United Kingdom or UK)
5th » Krampusnacht (Austria)
6th » Public holidays in Ecuador named Anniversary of the Founding of Quito (Ecuador)
6th » Christian Feast Day:
6th » Abraham of Kratia
6th » Saint Aemilianus known as Aemilianus (Roman Catholic Church)
6th » Saint Nicholas named Nicholas of Myra, and its related observances:
6th » December 6 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
6th » Spanish Constitution of 1978 named Constitution Day (Public holidays in Spain or Spain)
6th » Public holidays in Azerbaijan known as Day of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technologies of Azerbaijan (Azerbaijan)
6th » Independence Day (Finland) named Independence Day, celebrates the independence of Finland from Russia in 1917.
8th » Foreign relations of Cuba Relations with Caribbean Community (CARICOM) known as CARICOM-Cuba Day (Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Cuba)
8th » Christian feast day:
8th » Clement of Ohrid (Julian Calendar), and its related observances:
8th » Saint Eucharius named Eucharius
8th » Feast of the Immaculate Conception (public holiday in Feast of the Immaculate Conception Cultural impact known as several countries, a Holy Day of Obligation in others), and its related observances:
8th » Anglican Communion known as Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, lesser commemoration, Anglican Communion
8th » Christmas on Campus (University of Dayton)
8th » Yemaja Brazil named Festa da Conceição da Praia, celebrating Yemanjá, Queen of the Ocean (Salvador, Bahia)
8th » Festival of Lights (Lyon)
8th » Richard Baxter (Calendar of saints (Episcopal Church in the United States of America) or US Episcopal Church)
8th » Romaric
8th » December 8 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
8th » Public holidays in Romania e.g Constitution Day (Romania)
8th » Constitution Day (Uzbekistan)
8th » Earliest day on which National Tree Planting Day Malawi e.g National Tree Planting Day can fall, while December 14 is the latest; celebrated on the second Monday in December (Malawi)
16th » Ralph Adams Cram, Richard Upjohn and John LaFarge (Episcopal Church (USA))
16th » December 16 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
16th » O Sapientia (Anglicanism)
16th » Day of Reconciliation, formerly celebrated as Day of the Vow by the Afrikaners (South Africa)
16th » Independence Day, celebrates the independence of Kazakhstan from the Soviet Union in 1991.
16th » National Day, celebrates the withdrawal of United Kingdom from Bahrain, making Bahrain an independent emirate in 1971. However December 16 is only the date on which the state celebrates the event, while the actual day on which the independence of Bahrain
16th » Public holidays in Thailand known as National Sports Day (Thailand)
16th » The first day of 'Las Posadas' (Mexico, Latin America)
16th » The first day of the 'Simbang Gabi' novena of Mass (liturgy) e.g masses (Philippines)
16th » Victory Day (Bangladesh)
17th » Culture of Bahrain Holidays or Accession Day (Bahrain)
17th » Christian Calendar of saints called Feast Day:
17th » Daniel the Prophet
17th » Lazarus of Bethany (local commemoration in Cuba)
17th » O antiphon (Catholic Church)
17th » Wivina
17th » Saint Sturm named Sturm
17th » December 17 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
17th » International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers (United States)
17th » National Day (Bhutan)
17th » Saturnalia, in honor of Saturn (Roman festivals)
17th » Rumi Mewlewī Sufi Order named Urs of Rumi, the final and main day of the two weeks Mewlānā Festival (Turkey)
21st » Divalia, in honour of Angerona (Roman Empire)
21st » Earliest date for the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere and the summer solstice in the Southern Hemisphere, and its related observances:
21st » Earliest date for Yule in the Northern Hemisphere, and Midsummer in the Southern Hemisphere. (Contemporary Paganism known as Neopagan Wheel of the Year)
21st » Sangamitta named Sanghamitta Day (Theravada named Theravada Buddhism)
21st » Ziemassvētki (ancient Latvia)
21st » Public holidays in São Tomé and Príncipe called São Tomé Day (São Tomé and Príncipe)
22nd » Christian Calendar of saints called Feast Day:
22nd » Anastasia of Sirmium (Eastern Orthodox Church known as Orthodox Church)
22nd » Frances Xavier Cabrini
22nd » O antiphon known as O Rex
22nd » Lottie Moon (Episcopal Church (USA))
22nd » December 22 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
22nd » Srinivasa Ramanujan e.g National Mathematics Day (India)
22nd » Public holidays in Zimbabwe known as Unity Day (Zimbabwe)
22nd » Winter solstice related observance (see December 21):
23rd » Flag days in Sweden Birthday of the Queen Queen Silvia of Sweden Silvia, an Flag days in Sweden official flag day (Sweden)
23rd » Christian Calendar of saints named Feast Day:
23rd » Abassad (Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria named Coptic Church)
23rd » John Cantius
23rd » O Emmanuel
23rd » Psote (Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria named Coptic Church)
23rd » Saint Thorlak known as Thorlac Thorhallsson, patron saint of Iceland; The last day of preparations before Christmas.
23rd » December 23 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
23rd » Festivus, a holiday made popular by the sitcom 'Seinfeld'
23rd » HumanLight (Secular humanism in United States)
23rd » Larentalia, in honor of Dea Tacita called Larenta. (Roman Empire)
23rd » Night of the Radishes (Oaxaca, Oaxaca known as Oaxaca, Mexico)
23rd » Victory Day (Egypt)
24th » Christian Calendar of saints e.g Feast Day:
24th » Adela and Irmina
24th » December 24 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
24th » Christmas Eve (Christianity) and its related observances:
24th » Yule Iceland e.g Aðfangadagskvöld, the day when the 13th and the last Yule Lads or Yule Lad arrives to towns. (Iceland)
24th » Feast of the Seven Fishes (Italy)
24th » Yule called Juleaften/Juleafton (Denmark, Norway and Sweden)
24th » Nochebuena (Spain and Spanish-speaking countries)
25th » Christian Calendar of saints called Feast Day:
25th » Anastasia of Sirmium (Catholic Church)
25th » December 25 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
25th » Christmas Day, Christian holiday commemorating the Nativity of Jesus or birth of Jesus. (International observance e.g International)
25th » Constitution Day (Taiwan)
25th » Malkh-Festival (Nakh peoples of Chechnya and Ingushetia)
26th » Boxing Day, except when December 26 is a Sunday. If it is a Sunday, Boxing Day is transferred to December 27 by Royal Proclamation. (Commonwealth of Nations), and its related observances:
26th » Boxing Day Day of Goodwill Day of Good Will (Public holidays in South Africa South Africa and Public holidays in Namibia Namibia)
26th » Family Day Vanuatu e.g Family Day (Vanuatu)
26th » Public holidays in the Solomon Islands e.g Thanksgiving (Solomon Islands)
26th » Christian Calendar of saints called Feast Day:
26th » Abadiu of Antinoe (Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria known as Coptic Church)
26th » Earliest day on which Holy Family or Feast of the Holy Family can fall, celebrated on Sunday after Christmas or 30 if Christmas falls on a Sunday.
26th » James the Just (Eastern Orthodox Church)
26th » Saint Stephen called Stephen (Latin Church e.g Western Church)
26th » Synaxis or Synaxis of the Theotokos (Eastern Orthodox Church)
26th » December 26 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
26th » Independence and Unity Day (Slovenia)
26th » Mauro Hamza Day (Houston called Houston, Texas)
26th » The first day of Kwanzaa, celebrated until January 1 (United States)
26th » The first of Twelve Holy Days (Esoteric Christianity)
26th » The second day of Twelve Days of Christmas or Christmas (Western Christianity)
27th » Christian Calendar of saints e.g feast day:
27th » Saint Fabiola or Fabiola
27th » John the Apostle
27th » Nicarete
27th » December 27 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
27th » Public holidays in North Korea called Constitution Day (North Korea)
28th » Christian Calendar of saints called Feast Day:
28th » Cain and Abel or Abel (Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria named Coptic Church)
28th » Caterina Volpicelli
28th » December 28 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
28th » Public holidays in Thailand known as King Taksin Memorial Day (Thailand)
28th » Proclamation Day, celebration started on the day following Christmas (South Australia)