DECEMBER

Some facts and trvia . . .

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December starts on the same day of the week as September starts every year, and ends on the same day of the week as April ends every year.

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The name December comes from the Latin decem for “ten”, as it was the 10th month in the Roman calendar.

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The Anglo-Saxons called it “Winter monath” or “Yule monath” because of the custom of burning the Yule log around this time.

The Yule log, Yule clog, or Christmas block is a specially selected log burnt on a hearth as a winter tradition in regions of Europe, particularly the United Kingdom, and subsequently North America. The origin of the folk custom is unclear. Like other traditions associated with Yule, the custom may ultimately derive from Germanic paganism.

An illustration of people collecting a Yule log from Chambers Book of Days (1832)

This tradition of yuletide was observed for about 12 days and was later known as the 12 days of Christmas Eve.

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After many Anglo-Saxons became Christians they called it “Heligh monath” or holy month, because Christmas, the birth of Jesus is celebrated in December.

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December's birth flower is the narcissus.

December's birthstones are the turquoise, zircon, and tanzanite.

Tanzanite was given its name by Tiffany & Co. after Tanzania, the country in which it was discovered. The scientific name of "blue-violet zoisite" was not thought to be sufficiently consumer friendly by Tiffany's marketing department, who introduced it to the market in 1968. In 2002, the American Gem Trade Association chose tanzanite as a December birthstone, the first change to their birthstone list since 1912.

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December often marks the beginning of rain, snow, and cold weather in the northern hemisphere and is the beginning of summer in Oz, from 1 December to 28 February.

December in the Northern Hemisphere is similar to June in the Southern Hemisphere.

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December is associated with Christmas in many countries. There are Christmas decorations, sales, musicals, and parties. Many people spend their time Christmas shopping and Christmas holidays in such countries are common.

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Common decorations on a Christmas tree each have their specific meanings.

Candles signify the light of the world, the Star at the top is a reminder of the first Christmas night and candy canes are to represent the shepherd’s cane.

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“Jingle bells” was composed in 1857, and not for Christmas – it was meant to be a Thanksgiving song.

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In 1647 English Puritan leader Oliver Cromwell banned the festivities of Christmas as being immoral on such a holy day. The ban was lifted in 1660.

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An ancient legend states that forest animals can speak in human language on Christmas Eve.

Does that mean we will be able to speak in parseltongue?

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There are fewer daylight hours in December in the northern hemisphere, and more in the southern hemisphere, than in any other month.

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In the UK more drivers are breathalyzed during December than in any month. It is also the worst month for road deaths.

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On December 5th, 2013, the Texas A&M Traditions Club in Bryan, Texas completed building the largest gingerbread house in the world.

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December 6th is Saint Nicholas Day. St. Nicholas, the patron saint of children, inspires traditions around the world from hunts for presents to stockings or shoes filled with sweets.

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December 7th is National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day in the US, the anniversary of the attack.

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Nobel Prizes are awarded on December 10th on the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death.

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On December 11th 1936, King Edward VIII abdicated the throne of England to marry a twice-divorced American named Wallis Warfield Simpson.  That's them on the right . . . 

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On December 17th, 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright, two brothers from Dayton, Ohio, ushered in the era of flight and entered the history books . . .

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The summer solstice is the day with the longest period of daylight and shortest night of the year. It happens on 21 or 22 December each year in Oz.

In the US it is the first day of winter on either December 21st or 22nd, which is the shortest day of the year and the longest night.

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Times Square became the go-to place for New Year’s Eve revelers as early as 1904, but it was in 1907 that the New Year’s Eve Ball made its first appearance.

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