‘Jingle bells, Jingle bells, Jingle All The Way’, have you noticed that there is only a particular time of the year you hear this festive song?Yes, that time is December. The magnificently peculiar month of the year that makes everyone’s hearts go warm even while their bodies go cold.Besides its association with Christmas, did you know any other fun facts about December? This article is here to present you with the most interesting December facts to start off your global holiday month with some very exciting knowledge.The name December comes from the Latin word ‘Decem,’ meaning 10; this is because according to the previously used Roman Calendar, December was the 10th and last month of the year. But when the Roman calendar was changed into the Gregorian calendar, and two more winter months of January and February were added to the beginning of the year, December became the 12th month. Yet its name did not change.Many days before Christmas Eve, on December 24, people begin their Christmas shopping, buying indoor and outdoor lights for their house, presents for their loved ones, candy canes for children, and most importantly, a Christmas tree.While the Southern Hemisphere of the Earth remains extremely hot in December, most countries witness heavy snowfall and chilling cold weather in Northern Hemisphere. Hence, in the northern half of the world, December is mostly treated as synonymous with freezing weather. In the Northern Hemisphere, December 21 or 22 marks the winter solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year.Internationally, other special days in December include Indonesian Mother’s Day on December 22, Victory Day in Bangladesh on December 16, and Homecoming Day in Alderney, Guernsey on December 15.Did you know that every year, December starts on the same day of the week as September while it ends on the same day as the month of April? Read on for some interesting facts about December.Birthdays In DecemberThe zodiac sign, also known as the star sign of a person, is the astrological constellation they were born under. It is based upon their day of birth and birth month.Those born between November 20 and December 21 have Sagittarius as their star sign.The Capricorn star sign belongs to the people born between December 22 and January 19.If you are born in December, are you team Sagittarius or team Capricorn? The following famous personalities are born in December too. Check out if you’ve got a birthday twin among them!Walt Disney, famous for creating the cartoon characters of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, was born on December 5, 1901. He was a writer, animator, cartoonist, voice actor, and television producer. The popular entertainment company Disney is named after him too.The great American musician and actor Frank Sinatra was born on December 12, 1915. He is known for legendary jazz songs like ‘Strangers in the Night’ and ‘My Way’ and is considered one of the best-selling singers of all time. Hundreds of millions of records of his music have been sold worldwide.Nostradamus, a well-known French poet, and physician who wrote prophecies and was believed to be a ‘seer’, someone who can see into the future, was born on December 14, 1503. Along with other doctors, he fought against the plagues in France in the 16th century and was the private astrologer of Catherine de Medici, the queen of France at that time.Jane Austen was born on December 16, 1775. Her novels explore the struggles and rights of women in the 18th century and are regarded of great significance to date. Her popular novels like ‘Pride and Prejudice,’ ‘Sense and Sensibility,’ and ‘Emma’ have since been developed into major films.Other famous December-born personalities include the American singer-songwriter Britney Spears, Kylian Mbappe, the prodigal French footballer, and world-famous Oscar-winning actor Brad Pitt.Highlights Of DecemberThe biggest highlight of December remains Christmas, undoubtedly. But for most people, Christmas isn’t just a one-day event.The Christmas celebrations in most countries begin as soon as December starts, go on through Christmas Day and Boxing Day, the day after Christmas, and last all the way till New Year’s Eve.The holiday season starts off in December. People buy new things not just to decorate their houses but to also gift one another and donate to charities or volunteer at various places.All these good deeds are to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ on December 25, the central figure of Christianity. Therefore, December is also called the holy month by Christians. It is said the child Christ was born in a stable, with angels spreading the word of his arrival to the masses.The story of Jesus Christ’s birth is recapitulated even today through plays, and choir songs everywhere from primary school plays to full-fledged Broadway dramas. Sometimes, Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on January 7, in accordance with the Eastern Orthodox Church.While most people around the world follow the Gregorian calendar, according to which Christmas lies on December 25, those who follow the Julian Calendar, the calendar which preceded the Gregorian calendar, believe that Christmas is celebrated on January 7.December also hosts the annual winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. The winter solstice occurs on December 21 or 22 every year. It counts the longest night and shortest day of the year, as, on this day, the northern pole of the Earth is on its maximum tilt away from the Sun.Its season equivalent is the summer solstice, which records the longest day and shortest night of the year and occurs on June 20 or 21 each year in the Northern Hemisphere.The Cold Moon, as the last full moon of the year is called in many native cultures, is also visible only in December. It is called the Cold Moon because December is considered to bring the onset of the cold season. It is also called the Long Night Moon as it occurs on one of the longest nights of the year.In the Southern Hemisphere, the Full Cold Moon arrives in June.Holidays In DecemberIn western countries, most schools, universities, and institutions are given a special Christmas break that lasts about two weeks. This is because, apart from Christmas, there are many other national and international holidays that lie in December and are celebrated by people worldwide.But Christmas Eve on December 24, Christmas Day on December 25, Boxing Day on December 26, and New Year’s Eve on December 31 remain the most common international holidays everywhere.Yule, Yuletide, or Yulefest is a 12-days long festival celebrated by the Germanic people, the indigenous people of Central Europe, and Scandinavia. It starts each year on the day of the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, December 21, and ends on January 1.Since Yule is an indigenous festival, people exchange nature-based gifts and organize campfires to celebrate the longest night of the year and the coming of the Sun as it is in December that the year’s last full moon arises. The last full moon of the year is also known as the Cold Moon.Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of Russia and Greece. Accordingly, Saint Nicholas Day is celebrated in these countries along with many others on December 6, the day of his death. Children leave shoes and hay outside their bedrooms for the Saint’s horses the night before Saint Nicholas Day.The story of Santa Claus has emerged from Saint Nicholas’s name too.Saint Stephen’s Day is celebrated on December 26 to remember Saint Stephen, who is considered the first Christian martyr. Saint Stephen was known to be the patron saint of horses; thus, the festival is celebrated with horse and sleigh rides.Since 1990, December 18 has been celebrated as International Migrants Day worldwide, as decided by the General Assembly of the United Nations. It is the world day to recognize the rights of migrants from all countries. It advocates their acceptance in society along with raising awareness about the issues they face.International Day for the Abolition of Slavery is observed on December 4 every year.On December 31, 1857, Ottawa was selected to be the capital city of Canada.December 5 is recognized as International Volunteer Day. It is a great day for individuals to volunteer for social causes through blood donation, helping out at NGOs, old-age homes, animal shelters, and the like. A vast number of organizations at the local, national, and international levels record a rise in volunteers on this day.Fun Facts About DecemberAccording to the ancient Roman calendar, December was the 10th month of the year and only had 30 days in it. But Julius Caesar, the historical Roman ruler, changed the Roman calendar into the Julian calendar and added January and February to the calendar.This is how December acquired its 12th place on the calendar and gained another day, making it the last month of the year with 31 days.The Anglo-Saxons called December the ‘Yule Monath’ because the indigenous Yule festival is celebrated during this month in which the Yule log is traditionally burnt.Apart from its interesting history, December has witnessed quite some modern-day turn of events too.The famous Christmas song ‘Jingle Bells,’ written by James Lord Pierpont in 1857, was actually meant to be a Thanksgiving song!The Nobel Prize is awarded annually on December 10 to various pioneers in scientific, economic, and humanitarian fields. The award is presented each year on the death anniversary of Alfred Nobel, the inventor of the dynamite, who died in 1896.Most shockingly in recent history, the leader of the legendary British band The Beatles, John Lennon, was killed on December 8, 1980, by a man named Mark David Chapman. Chapman was a former safety guard in Hawaii and claimed to be a Beatles fan but said that he shot dead Lennon as his public opinions agitated him.He is still imprisoned in the United States. Lennon’s death was a massive shock to the world and a massive loss to the music industry, where he was seen not only as a talented musician and global icon but also a passionate peace activist.In December, while snow falls in several regions of the Northern Hemisphere, the Sun shines in all its glory in the Southern Hemisphere.
‘Jingle bells, Jingle bells, Jingle All The Way’, have you noticed that there is only a particular time of the year you hear this festive song?
