The month of December is regarded around the globe as a family time to celebrate the various religions, cultures, and traditions that have been a part of humanity for centuries. Check out the following list for different fascinating and bizarre facts about December!
The month of December falls between November and January. It is the 12th and last month in the Gregorian calendar. December, in general, is nearly completely dominated by various customs and practices, and there is nothing else to be concentrated on during this time.
The energy left for everything else is spent being apathetic about our weather. Winter is here for those who live in the northern hemisphere, so be prepared for cold, dark days cozying up by the heat.
However, it’s not all bad. It’s a great opportunity to read the books you’ve always thought of reading! It’s not surprising that December is quite different for those living in the southern, northern hemisphere. The summer has officially begun by this point, and it’s going to get hotter!
The month of December across the Southern Hemisphere may be extremely hot, so it’s always best to drink plenty of fluids and take pleasure in the cool of the evening instead of heading out in the middle of the daylight hours. There are some positives, but it’s also a great time to enjoy pool celebrations and endless BBQs!
Facts About December
1. The almanac predicts that Easter will be mild, green, and bright if it snows during Christmas Day.
2. The word “December” comes in the Latin Decem, which means “ten,” as it was the 10th month of the Roman Calendar.
3. The word Yuletide is derived from the Norse custom of burning and cutting the tree to celebrate the Winter Solstice. It was intended to last for 12 days later, becoming known as the Twelve Days of Christmas.
4. December 12th is Poinsettia Day.
5. Saint Nickolas, who was later known as Santa Claus, was originally the patron saint of kids, thieves, and Pawnbrokers!
6. December 28th is believed by many to be the luckiest day of the year.
7. The first artificial Christmas trees were created in Germany and were made from goose feathers dyed green!
8. Spider webs and spiders are believed to bring luck at Christmas.
9. Common decorations for the Christmas tree all have their meaning. Candles symbolize the shining light of the world. The Star at the top of the tree alludes to how Christmas began. Candy canes symbolize the shepherd’s cane.
10. “Jingle bells” was composed in 1857 but not meant to be a Christmas song – it was intended to be a hymn to Thanksgiving!
11. In 1647, Oliver Cromwell, English Puritan leader, banned the celebrations of Christmas due to being viewed as unmoral on holy days. Anyone caught celebrating was detained! The ban was lifted in 1660.
12. A myth from the past states that animals from the forest can communicate in human languages at Christmas!
13. December was among the first months of the old Roman calendar used between 775 BC and 45 BC. In the original Roman calendar, December was the 10th month. This makes sense for December since the month’s name means “tenth month.” When Julius Caesar changed the calendar in the year 45 BC in 45 BC to the Julian calendar, he introduced two new months in February and January that were added at the start of the year calendar. These changes will forever be made in December, a month that has the wrong name.
14. On December 5th in 1901, a touch of magic was introduced to the world and with it the birth of Walt Disney. Disney created his first animated film that featured Mickey Mouse, called Steamboat Willie, at 27. When he reached 54, the Disney empire had grown by leaps and bounds with the opening of Disneyland in Anaheim, California. Today, Disney is a popular phrase in the homes of all over the world due to the innumerable number of films, books, animations, and various other entertainment options developed from The Walt Disney Company.
15. December was originally just 30 days, according to the old Roman calendar. When the calendar was redesigned to the Julian calendar, December gained one day, making it the seventh month of the year, which had 31 consecutive days.
16. On December 8th, 1991, the cogs and wheels that comprised the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republika, more commonly called the Soviet Union) came abruptly when the USSR was disintegrated.
17. The Anglo-Saxons were the first to have different names for December. One of them is “Winter Monath,” which translates to “Winter Month” and requires no explanation.
18. December 10th, 1896 was the date of death for the Nobel Prize’s benefactor, Alfred Nobel. In his will, Nobel declared that the wealth he had amassed would be used to award prizes to those who have made a significant contribution to the advancement of humanity. A few of the more well-known Nobel prize recipients include Albert Einstein, Marie Curie, Martin Luther King Jr., and Mother.
Also, read 22 Juicy Facts About September!
19. Another name the Anglo-Saxons gave Christmas is “Yule Monath,” which refers to lighting the Yule log in this month as part of Pagan Yule celebrations. Although some of the Yule customs have gone out of fashion through time, certain practices like burning the Yule log continue to be celebrated across different parts of the world.
20. A new December name was created after many Anglo-Saxons converted to Christianity. Based on their new convictions, they named the month of December “High Monath,” which means “Holy Month.”
21. The Bill of Rights came into effect on December 15th, 1791. The Bill of Rights included the first 10 modifications of the US constitution. Rights are believed to be the foundations of the current US government and society.
22. If you are within the Northern Hemisphere, winter will begin at the beginning of December, either on the 1st (if you observe weather patterns) or following the winter solstice on the 20th or 21st day of December (if you observe the calendar of the astronomical seasons). If you are in the southern part of the hemisphere, it is the reverse obviously, and summer begins at the beginning of the month or after the solstice in the summer.
23. The humorously titled Battle of the Bulge commenced on December 16th, 1944. The Battle of the Bulge saw the last chance to counterattack German troops in the Ardennes Forest, located to the southeast of present-day Belgium. When the German army was defeated, the number of casualties was staggeringly high and included around 130,000 German and 77,000 Allied deaths.
Also, read 34 Interesting Facts About October!
