December

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2017

December is the twelfth and final month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian Calendars. It is the seventh and last month to have the length of 31 days.

December, from the Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry

December got its name from the Latin word decem (meaning ten) because it was originally the tenth month of the year in the Roman calendar, 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]

In Ancient Rome, one of the four Agonalia, this day in honor of Sol Indiges was held on December 11, as was Septimontium. Dies Natalis was held on of the temple of Tellus on December 13, Consualia was held on December 15, Saturnalia was held December 17–23, Opiconsivia held on December 19, Divalia on December 21, Larentalia 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

December symbols

Observances

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

Non-Gregorian observances, 2017

(please note that all Jewish observances, which are set by the Hebrew calendar, begin at sunset the day prior to the date listed and end on the sunset of the date in question unless otherwise noted. The same applies to observances set by the Bahá'í calendar, and by the Islamic calendar)

Month-long observances

Movable Observances - 2016 dates

Last Week of November: November 21-December 1

First Friday: December 2

Second Friday after Thanksgiving

First Sunday: December 4

Sunday two weeks before Christmas: December 11

Second Monday: December 12

Sunday before Christmas: December 18

Winter Solstice: December 21

Thursday before Christmas: December 22

December 22, unless that date is a Sunday, in which case it's moved to the 23rd: December 22

Last Friday before Christmas: December 23

Last Saturday before Christmas: December 24

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

Last Friday: December 30

Sunday after Christmas, or on the 30th if Christmas falls on a Sunday: December 30

Fixed observances

A Christmas market in Dresden

References

  1. ↑ Macrobius, Saturnalia, tr. Percival Vaughan Davies (New York: Columbia University Press, 1969), book I, chapters 12–13, pp. 89–95.
  2. ↑ "Zodiac signs and date ranges used in astrology".
  3. ↑ http://www.hindu-blog.com/2009/01/amavasi-days-in-2009-amavasya-no-moon.html
  4. ↑ http://www.mfed.gov.ki/events/human-right-peace-day

See also

Wikiquote has quotations related to: December
Look up December in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to December.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for December.
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