December

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December is the twelfth and final month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days.

Contents

December, from the Tres Riches Heures du duc de Berry Les Tres Riches Heures du duc de Berry decembre.jpg
December, from the Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry

December’s name derives from the Latin word decem (meaning ten) because it was originally the tenth 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. [1] [2]

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 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.

Astronomy

Month December depicted in Hans Bol's and Adriaen Collart's Emblematica Evangelica. Hans Bol - Adriaen Collaert - Emblemata evangelica - Erfgoedfonds Koning Boudewijnstichting - Fonds du Patrimoine Fondation Roi Baudouin - 12.jpg
Month December depicted in Hans Bol's and Adriaen Collart's Emblematica Evangelica.

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 (until December 21) and Capricorn (December 22 onward). [3] [4]

Symbols

Yellow narcissus flower Yellow Narcissus.JPG
Yellow narcissus flower

December's birth flower is the narcissus. Its birthstones are turquoise, zircon and tanzanite.

A slab of turquoise Turquoise polie 1 (USA).jpg
A slab of turquoise
Zircons Zircon-rlkg001a (cropped).JPG
Zircons
Rough and polished tanzanite Zoisite (Tanzanite).jpg
Rough and polished tanzanite

Observances

A Christmas tree at the Eaton Centre in Toronto. Eaton Centre Christmas Tree.JPG
A Christmas tree at the Eaton Centre in Toronto.

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.)

Month-long

Movable

Tuesday immediately following fourth Thursday of November

First Friday

First Sunday

Second Monday

December 15, unless the date falls on a Sunday, then December 16

Winter Solstice

December 22, unless that date is a Sunday, in which case the 23rd

December 26, unless that day is a Sunday, in which case the 27th

Fixed

A Christmas market in Dresden Weihnachtsmarktindresden.jpg
A Christmas market in Dresden

Related Research Articles

April is the fourth month of the year in the Gregorian and Julian calendars. Its length is 30 days.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">August</span> Eighth month in the Julian and Gregorian calendars

August is the eighth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days.

February is the second month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. The month has 28 days in common years or 29 in leap years, with the 29th day being called the leap day. It is the first of five months not to have 31 days and the only one to have fewer than 30 days. February is the third and last month of meteorological winter in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, February is the third and last month of meteorological summer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holiday</span> Festive day set aside by custom or by law

A holiday is a day or other period of time set aside for festivals or recreation. Public holidays are set by public authorities and vary by state or region. Religious holidays are set by religious organisations for their members and are often also observed as public holidays in religious majority countries. Some religious holidays, such as Christmas, have become secularised by part or all of those who observe them. In addition to secularisation, many holidays have become commercialised due to the growth of industry.

January is the first month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days. The first day of the month is known as New Year's Day. It is, on average, the coldest month of the year within most of the Northern Hemisphere and the warmest month of the year within most of the Southern Hemisphere. In the Southern hemisphere, January is the seasonal equivalent of July in the Northern hemisphere and vice versa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">June</span> Sixth month in the Julian and Gregorian calendars

June—abbreviated Jun or Jun.—is the sixth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars—the latter the most widely used calendar in the world. June is 30 days long, and comes after May and before July. June marks the start of summer in the Northern Hemisphere and contains the summer solstice, the day with the most daylight hours. In the Southern Hemisphere, June is the start of winter and contains the winter solstice, the day with the fewest hours of daylight out of the year.

July is the seventh month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days. It was named by the Roman Senate in honour of Roman general Julius Caesar in 44 B.C., being the month of his birth. Before then it was called Quintilis, being the fifth month of the calendar that started with March.

March is the third month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days. In the Northern Hemisphere, the meteorological beginning of spring occurs on the first day of March. The March equinox on the 20 or 21 marks the astronomical beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere and the beginning of autumn in the Southern Hemisphere, where September is the seasonal equivalent of the Northern Hemisphere's March.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">May</span> Fifth month in the Julian and Gregorian calendars

May is the fifth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days.

November is the eleventh and penultimate month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 30 days. November was the ninth month of the calendar of Romulus c. 750 BC. November retained its name when January and February were added to the Roman calendar. November is a month of late spring in the Southern Hemisphere and late autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. Therefore, November in the Southern Hemisphere is the seasonal equivalent of May in the Northern Hemisphere and vice versa. In Ancient Rome, Ludi Plebeii was held from November 4–17, Epulum Jovis was held on November 13 and Brumalia celebrations began on November 24. These dates do not correspond to the modern Gregorian calendar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">October</span> Tenth month in the Julian and Gregorian calendars

October is the tenth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days. The eighth month in the old calendar of Romulus c. 750 BC, October retained its name after January and February were inserted into the calendar that had originally been created by the Romans. In Ancient Rome, one of three Mundus patet would take place on October 5, Meditrinalia October 11, Augustalia on October 12, October Horse on October 15, and Armilustrium on October 19. These dates do not correspond to the modern Gregorian calendar. Among the Anglo-Saxons, it was known as Winterfylleth (Ƿinterfylleþ), because at this full moon, winter was supposed to begin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">September</span> Ninth month in the Julian and Gregorian calendars

September is the ninth month of the year in both the Gregorian calendar and the less commonly used Julian calendar. In the modern Gregorian calendar, its length is 30 days.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Summer</span> Hottest of the four temperate seasons

Summer is the hottest and brightest of the four temperate seasons, occurring after spring and before autumn. At or centred on the summer solstice, daylight hours are the longest and darkness hours are the shortest, with day length decreasing as the season progresses after the solstice. The earliest sunrises and latest sunsets also occur near the date of the solstice. The date of the beginning of summer varies according to climate, tradition, and culture. When it is summer in the Northern Hemisphere, it is winter in the Southern Hemisphere, and vice versa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Year's Day</span> First day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 1 January

In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Day is the first day of the calendar year, 1 January. Most solar calendars begin the year regularly at or near the northern winter solstice, while cultures and religions that observe a lunisolar or lunar calendar celebrate their Lunar New Year at less fixed points relative to the solar year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">September equinox</span> When sun appears directly over equator

The September equinox is the moment when the Sun appears to cross the celestial equator, heading southward. Because of differences between the calendar year and the tropical year, the September equinox may occur from September 21 to 24.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">March equinox</span> When sun appears directly over equator

The March equinox or northward equinox is the equinox on the Earth when the subsolar point appears to leave the Southern Hemisphere and cross the celestial equator, heading northward as seen from Earth. The March equinox is known as the vernal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere and as the autumnal equinox or fall equinox in the Southern Hemisphere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Summer solstice</span> Astronomical phenomenon

The summer solstice or estival solstice occurs when one of Earth's poles has its maximum tilt toward the Sun. It happens twice yearly, once in each hemisphere. For that hemisphere, the summer solstice is the day with the longest period of daylight and shortest night of the year, when the Sun is at its highest position in the sky. At either pole there is continuous daylight at the time of its summer solstice. The opposite event is the winter solstice.

Lists of holidays by various categorizations.

The following are 11 public holidays in Ukraine.

References

  1. Macrobius, Saturnalia , tr. Percival Vaughan Davies (New York: Columbia University Press, 1969), book I, chapters 12–13, pp. 89–95.
  2. "December"  . Encyclopædia Britannica . Vol. VII (9th ed.). 1878. p. 19.
  3. 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.
  4. "Astrology Calendar", yourzodiacsign. Signs in UT/GMT for 1950–2030.

See also