Sitting between November and January, December is the twelfth and final month of the Gregorian calendar.
December on the whole is almost completely overwhelmed by different holiday customs and traditions, with little else being focused on during this period.
What little energy we have left to focus on anything else tends to be used up by complaining about the weather.
For those in the northern hemisphere winter has finally arrived, so prepare yourself for gloomy days spent inside huddled by the heater.
It’s not all bad though, it’s a fantastic time to catch up on all those books you’ve been planning to read!
December is unsurprisingly quite different for those who live in the southern hemisphere.
Summer has well and truly begun by this point, and it’s just going to get hotter and hotter!
December in the southern hemisphere can be scorchingly hot, so it’s always a good idea to stay hydrated and enjoy the cool of the evening rather than venturing out during the day.
There are positives too of course, it’s also a time for pool parties and endless barbecues!
Let’s take a look at the origins of December, the traditions we celebrate during it, as well as some interesting little facts to bring it all together!
December was one of the original months in the ancient Roman calendar, which was in use from around 750 BC until 45 BC. In this original Roman calendar, December was actually the tenth month. This placement actually makes a lot more sense for December, as this month’s name translates into “tenth month”. When Julius Caesar changed the calendar in 45 BC to the Julian calendar he added two months, January and February, which were inserted at the beginning of the calendar year. These changes have forever cursed December to be a month with the wrong name.
On December 5, 1901, a little magic came into the world along with the birth of Walt Disney. Disney released his first cartoon, featuring Mickey Mouse, called Steamboat Willie at the age of 27. By the ime he was 54, the Disney empire grew in size with the construction of Disneyland in Anaheim, California. Today Disney is a common word in households around the world thanks to the endless number of books, cartoons, films, and other forms of entertainment created by the Walt Disney Company.
December originally had just 30 days according to the ancient Roman calendar. When the calendar was changed for the Julian calendar December gained a day, making it the seventh and last month in the year with 31 days.
On December 8, 1991, the wheels and cogs of the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, commonly known as the Soviet Union) came to a screeching halt as the USSR was dissolved.
The Anglo-Saxons originally had their own names for the month of December. One of these names was “Winter Monath”, which quite obviously translates into “Winter Month” and requires no real explanation.
December 10, 1896 saw the death of the Nobel Prize’s namesake, Alfred Nobel. In Nobel’s will, he declared that his accumulated wealth be used to give awards to members of society who show great achievement in the advancement of humanity. Some of the most famous Nobel prize recipients include Albert Einstein, Marie Curie, Martin Luther King Jr., and Mother
A second name that the Anglo-Saxons had for December was “Yule Monath”, which relates to the custom of burning a Yule log during this month, as a part of the pagan Yule celebrations. While many of the Yule practices have been lost over time, some of them such as burning a Yule log are still celebrated in various parts of the world today.
A new name for December came into being after many Anglo-Saxons were converted to Christianity. In line with their newfound beliefs they called December “Heligh Monath”, which translates into “Holy Month”.
The Bill of Rights came into effect on December 15, 1791. The Bill of Rights included the first ten amendments to the US constitution, rights which are said to be the pillars of modern US society and government
If you live in the northern hemisphere then winter begins on either December 1st (if you follow the meteorological seasons), or after the winter solstice the 20th or 21st of December (if you follow the astronomical seasons). If you live in the southern hemisphere this is the opposite, of course, with summer commencing at either the beginning of the month or after the summer solstice.