December is the month that brings with it many feasts and events. Want to know a brief history of December and what the month is known for? In this article, we will discuss the 9 December global holidays. Let’s start with a brief discussion of December.
December is one of the busiest months between Christmas and the start of the new year. The last month of the year is always full of multicultural celebrations and events. Many countries are celebrating their respective holidays and important dates in December. However, only a few are recognized as global holidays. So, here we discuss the best December global holidays and their significance. This article will also explore the historical significance of the December global holidays.
Table of Contents
1. Hanukkah – 28th November to 6th December
Hanukkah is on no. 1st in our list of first December Global Holidays. According to the Hebrew calendar, Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, begins on the 25th of Kislev. The menorah is lit in the middle of the festivities. Another candle is lit in the menorah every night after sunset. The ninth candle, called the shamash (“helper”), is used to light all the others.
Blessings are usually recited, and traditional Hanukkah meals such as potato pancakes and jam-packed donuts are fried in olive oil. Hanukkah traditions include exchanging gifts and playing with dreidels.
Hanukkah (or Chanukah) is an eight-day Jewish holiday that marks the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after the Maccabi Rebellion. The participants in the reincarnation saw what they believed to be a miracle. The flames continued to burn for eight nights, although there was not enough oil for the candles to last for a day.
When Judah-Maccabees entered the temple centuries ago, he found a small pot of oil. The jar had to be lit to break the darkness for a day, but magically the oil continued to burn for eight days in a row. This is the story behind the 8-day celebration with eight candles.
Some people believe that the candle should be lit on the first day and other candles every day for eight days. Others believe that all eight candles should be lit first, reducing the daily count.
2. World AIDS Day – 1st December
World AIDS Day comes on no. 2nd in our first December Global Holidays list. On December 1, the world celebrates World AIDS Day in honor of people living with HIV/AIDS. Also, in memory of those who have died from this disease. The day encourages people to take HIV testing and get their reports and status confirmed. Preventive messages and strategies are also currently being promoted to reduce the spread of the virus.
3. Santa Lucia – 13th December
The third festival for December Global Holidays is the St. Lucia festival. St. Lucia’s Day commemorates the sight of a bright star in the sky that brought the three kings to Bethlehem to meet the newborn Jesus.
Candles, cookies, and fruit are commonly given to children in Sweden and Norway to celebrate the holiday. To celebrate the holidays, many people enjoy singing carols and exchanging gifts.
You cannot celebrate St. Lucia’s Day without wearing a garland of candles around your head. During the persecution, Christians claim that Saint Lucia brought food and aid to those in need.
4. Yule – 21st December to 1st January
The next most religious festival in our list of December Global Holidays is Yule. Yule is celebrated during a global public holiday on December 21. Yule, also known as Yuletide, is one of the most critical December global holidays marked by Germans worldwide between December and January 1.
The festival has pagan origins and dates back to the Scandinavian god Odin and the Anglo-Saxon festival Medranihat. Technically, Yuletide falls on the winter solstice, making it one of the world’s oldest and most popular winter celebrations.
The elders identified Yule by lighting a large log in the fire and spending several nights. Although burning logs are still common today, most people celebrate the occasion by building a Christmas altar, making an evergreen Christmas wreath, or bringing it back to Mother Nature. Candlelight dinners and Christmas tree decorations are also common, as is the exchange of nature gifts.
5. Festivus – 23rd December
Festivus is one of the unique holidays in our list of December Global Holidays that came to life from a 1997 Seinfeld episode. “The purpose of this holiday is to celebrate a festival without any pressure and to commercialize it during the Christmas holiday season.
Many perceive Festivus as a parody festival, while some see it as a playful objection to consumers. The episode “The Strike” of “Seinfeld” was the first broadcast on December 18, 1997.
During this festival, some popular routines include Festivus Luncheon, Festivus Pole, Grouse Scraping, Festivus Miracle, and feats of strength.
6. Christmas – 25th December
Christmas is the most versatile festival among all December Global Holidays. Christmas Day is celebrated on December 25. In Christianity, Christmas is the historical celebration of Jesus. -Christ. For a pure cultural reason, Christmas traditions vary around the world.
As Americans celebrate Christmas trees, meet Santa, and dream up snowy landscapes, Christmas falls in the summer in Australia, where camping or going to the beach for the holidays is popular.
Some Australians decorate the “Christmas basket” an indigenous Australian tree whose leaves and small green flowers turn red in summer.
7. Boxing Day – 26th December
Boxing Day is on December 26. The holiday originated in the United Kingdom during the Middle Ages and is celebrated only in a few countries.
This was when charity boxes were opened, collection boxes for the poor were often placed in churches, and their contents were distributed, a tradition still taking place in some areas. They were also servants of the day, who traditionally took a day off to celebrate Christmas with their families.
Boxing Day has become a public holiday in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, among other countries. Football matches and horse racing are often held in England on Boxing Day.
8. Kwanzaa – 26th December to 1st January
After the Watts riots in Los Angeles, Dr. Maulana made Kwanzaa in 1966. He founded the United States of America, a cultural institution, and researched African “first fruit” (harvest) ceremonies. He formed the basis of Kwanzaa, combining aspects of many different harvest ceremonies.
The name Kwanzaa comes from the phrase “matunda ya kwanza,” which means “first fruit” in Swahili. Each family celebrates Kwanzaa in its own way, but celebrations often include songs and dances, African drums, storytelling, poetry readings, and an enormous traditional meal.
Every seven nights, families gather, a child lights one of the candles on the side, then one of the Seven Principles, the values of African culture, is discussed. An African feast, known as Karamu, will be held on December 31.
9. New Year’s Eve – 31st December
New Year is one of the most popular global holidays in December, celebrated with great enthusiasm by people worldwide. That Eve is probably the most popular of all the December global holidays worldwide.
The last day of the year, December 31, is celebrated with gratitude and people welcome new beginnings with great joy and happiness. People celebrate this day by dancing, singing, fireworks, partying, and spending time with their loved ones—the festivities of this evening last from the evening of December 31 until midnight on January 1.
More Global December Holidays
Here are more unique holidays celebrated each December :-
1st December – United Arab Emirates (National Day)
4th December – Ghana (Farmer’s Day)
6th December – Finland (Independence Day), Spain (Constitution Day)
7th December – Thailand (King Bhumibol’s Birthday)
10th December – Thailand (Constitution Day)
12th December – Mexico (The Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe)
13th December – Malta (Republic day)
16th December – Bangladesh (Victory Day), South Africa (Day of Reconciliation)
18th December – Qatar (National Day)
26th December – Various Countries (Boxing Day), Slovenia (Independence and Unity Day)
29th December – Sri Lanka (Unduvap Full Moon Poya)
30th December – Philippines (Rizal Day)