List Of All December Global Holidays & Their History

December Global Holidays

December is the 12th and last month ending the year according to the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It is also the last month with a 31-day length and in certain places, known for the coming of winter.

There’s a fantastic of holidays which is celebrated around and within this period and these holidays have remarkable history. December is regarded as the year’s most festive month.

The month harbors all kinds of events and festivals worldwide, including religious, cultural, corporate events, and more. This is the time of the year when people take time off their busy schedules to meet family and friends to spend quality time together.

Indeed, no matter the type of culture or religion a person belongs to, December is well spent for everyone. In this article, we are going to give you a list of all December Global Holidays around the world & their history including their rich origin and how they are being celebrated.

List Of All December Global Holidays & Their History

1. World AIDS Day

World AIDS Day is a day celebrated to raise awareness to fight against HIV/AIDS and honor those who are living with or affected by the illness. This is a season when people unite to create awareness of the AIDS-related illness and commemorate those who have died from it worldwide.

Date Celebrated: 1st December of every year.

History: World AIDS Day started in 1988 and was the first-ever global health day. According to reports, World AIDS Day was declared by James W.Bunn and Thomas Netter in August 1987. They declared December 1 to mark the World AIDS Day celebration and it has been celebrated since that time till date.

There are a variety of means to commemorate the day, including paying visits to destitute children who have been orphaned by HIV, funding safe-sex programs, and pressing governments to increase efforts to combat the illness.

2. Hannukah

Hannukah is a Jewish Festival celebrated to commemorate the re-dedication of the Second Temple of Jerusalem after the Maccabean Revolt. It is an eight-day celebration that is usually characterized by the lighting of candles every night throughout the eight days.

Date Celebrated: The date for Hannukah varies depending on the year but it is usually celebrated between November to December. However, this year’s (2021) Hannukah will fall between November 28 and December 6.

See also  How To Withdraw Money From PayPal In Ghana

Kindly find below the Hannukah Dates for the coming years;

  • 2022: 8 December 2022 – 26 December 2022
  • 2023: 7 December 2023 – 15 December 2023
  • 2024: 25 December 2024 – 2 January 2025
  • 2025: 14 December 2025 – 22 December 2025

Other Names: Chanukah or the Festival of Lights

Greetings: If you want to greet or wish someone during Hanukkah, you have to sayHanukkah Sameach” meaning Happy Hanukkah or “Chag Sameach” meaning Happy Holiday.

3. Santa Lucia

Santa Lucia or Santa Lucy’s Day is celebrated every year among the people across Italy and beyond. Santa Lucy was a saint from Italy who died as a martyr. In the darkest months of the year, she is refered to as a light of hope by many.

Date Celebrated: Santa Lucia or Santa Lucy’s Day is celebrated every year on December 13.

Who is Santa Lucia? Santa Lucia is a Catholic saint who was born in Syracuse, Sicily, in 283 AD and was martyred at the age of 20. Santa Lucia is honored as a symbol of light and hope.

People who Celebrate this day: It is celebrated among the people across Italy. Also celebrated among the people of Sweden, Norway, and some parts of Finland.

4. Yule

Yule or Yuletide is one of the most romantic among the December global holidays celebrated. It is celebrated by igniting a large log in a bonfire and spending the entire night outside with friends and family.

Yule or Yuletide is also referred to as Christmas and it is one of the oldest and major December holidays globally celebrated.

Date Celebrated: Yule or Yuletide is celebrated from December 21 to January 1 every year.

Which people celebrate Yule? Yuletide is usually celebrated by Northern Europeans, Germanic peoples, Neopagans, etc.

The celebration has pagan origins, including links to the Norse god Odin and the Anglo-Saxon Feast of Modraniht.

5. Festivus

Festivus is a December global holiday celebrated by standing nearby or raising an aluminum pole. It is known as a secular holiday celebrated.

Date Celebrated: Festivus is celebrated on December 23 every year.

See also  20 examples of breakup letters and tips

History: Festivus became popular in in 1997 because of a Seinfeld episode called “The Strike.” The motive behind this holiday is to raise awareness about Christmas materialism.

What happens at Festivus? Find Below the main activities or steps that will get you into the Festivus mood;

  • Search for a Festivus (aluminum) pole.
  • Prepare a Festivus dinner (Meatloaf)
  • Air your grievances.
  • Join in the Feats of Strength.
  • Call all slightly non-routine events ‘Festivus miracles’

Some interpreters have slammed Festivus in the past saying that they preach wrong about Christmas and its importance. Since everyone has their own opinions, Those who choose to celebrate do it in grand style while others stay indoors.

6. Christmas

Christmas is a popular Christian festival that is celebrated to remember the the birth of Jesus Christ who is described as the son of God. 

By far, Christmas is one of the most popular and celebrated is December global holiday in the history of all holidays and festivals.

Date Celebrated: December 25 Every year

People who Celebrate Christmas: Christmas is a Christian festival celebrated by Christians from every country and also celebrated even by non-Christians worldwide.

Although it is a Christian festival, it is celebrated by people from all religious background and walks of life. In some cases, some people do not believe in Christianity and the history behind Christmas, however, it’s celebration is a must.

7. Boxing Day

Boxing Day is in general, is a day  celebrated worldwide and characterized by presenting gifts (esp. in boxes) to loved ones.

Date Celebrated: Boxing Day is celebrated on the 26th of December every year.

History: The history behind this day is not really clear since most people have different views on why it is celebrated.

Some say in the past, it was a day off for servants to present gifts (Christmas gifts in boxes) they received from their masters to their families.

Some also believe it was the special day when churches presented gifts to the needy after right after Christmas.

No matter the explanation given, Boxing Day is surely a day that’s not missed among the December global holidays because practically, everyone likes gifts.

8. Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa is a major global holiday in December that is celebrated and cherished by people in the United States to honor African heritage in African-American culture. It is Characterized by big feasts, parties and giving of gifts. It is also characterized by storytelling, remembrance, and discussion of various African culture.

See also  How to Add Songs and Lyrics to Instagram Stories

Date Celebrated: Kwanzaa is  a weeklong celebration observed from December 26th to January 1st every year 

Meaning of Kwanzaa: It comes from the Swahili phrase “matunda ya kwanza,” which means “the first fruits.” Kwanzaa is a translation of the Swahili word ‘kwanza,’ which means ‘first.’

History: The day was founded by Dr. Maulana Karenga. 1966 was the year it was first observed moments after the Watts riots in Los Angeles, California.

9. New Year’s Eve

New Year’s Eve is the last day of the year that is on December 31st. From here, the year comes to an end as we enter another.

Date celebrated: December 31st every year.

This is the Final December global holiday. The purpose of New Year’s Eve is to mark the end of the current year and welcome the new year.

In many countries, New Year’s Eve is celebrated at by chilling at parties, dancing or lighting fireworks.

Others say a prayer into the new year for good energy. Some Christians also attend a watch night (31st Allnight) at church to also praise their maker, commemorate all lost souls throughout the year and pray into the coming year for God to help them.

All in all, it is a moment where everyone is happy and grateful to life so far.

I believe after going through this amazing List Of All December Global Holidays & Their History, you now have a fair idea of how these notable holidays are celebrated and the special reasons behind it. If you found this article on December Global Holidays & their History insightful, kindly follow for more…

WhatsApp Job & Scholarship Alert

  1. To get daily Job and Scholarship Alerts on Whatsapp, Join Our WhatsApp Group via the link below.

NOTE: PLEASE IF YOU’RE ON ANY OF OUR WHATSAPP GROUPS, DON’T JOIN THIS ONE

CLICK HERE TO JOIN WHATSAPP GROUP

 

Take Note

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE SHOULD AN APPLICANT PAY MONEY TO ANYONE IN GETTING A JOB WE HAVE PUBLISHED 

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here