December is the twelfth and final month of the year in the Gregorian calendar. It is a winter month in the northern hemisphere and a summer month in the southern hemisphere. December contains the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere, when the day with the fewest sunlight hours occurs. In the southern hemisphere, December contains the summer solstice.
December marks the start of astronomical winter in the northern hemisphere and astronomical summer in the southern hemisphere. It is a month associated with holidays like Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year’s Eve, and Boxing Day. December also contains the first day of winter in the northern hemisphere and the first day of summer in the southern hemisphere.
Some key questions to explore about December include:
- What are the astronomical events in December?
- What holidays are celebrated in December?
- What are the seasonal associations and weather patterns in December?
- What cultural and religious traditions surround December?
This article will provide an overview of December by exploring these key questions. It will look at December from cultural, religious, astronomical, and seasonal perspectives.
Astronomical Events
December contains two major astronomical events – the December solstice and the Geminid meteor shower peak.
December Solstice
The December solstice occurs between December 20-23 each year. In 2023, it falls on December 21. This marks the day with the fewest hours of sunlight in the northern hemisphere and the most hours of sunlight in the southern hemisphere.
| Hemisphere | December Solstice Mark |
|---|---|
| Northern | Winter solstice – shortest day of the year |
| Southern | Summer solstice – longest day of the year |
On the December solstice, the Sun reaches its most southern point in the sky, directly overhead at noon at the Tropic of Capricorn. After this date, daylight hours start to lengthen in the northern hemisphere as the Sun travels northward again.
The December solstice has been celebrated by cultures around the world for millennia as a significant astronomical event. Ancient sites like Stonehenge in England and Newgrange in Ireland are aligned to the winter solstice sunrise and sunset.
Geminid Meteor Shower
The Geminid meteor shower peaks around December 13-14 each year. In 2023, it will reach its peak on the night of December 13 into the early morning hours of December 14.
The Geminids are considered one of the best and most reliable meteor showers of the year, with up to 120 meteors visible per hour under ideal conditions. The meteors emerge from the constellation Gemini.
The nearly new moon on December 14, 2023 means there will be darker skies this year, making for prime Geminid viewing.
Holidays and Traditions
December contains some of the most widely celebrated holidays around the world. The cultural and religious significance of these holidays adds to December’s symbolism and meaning for many people.
Christmas
Christmas is celebrated on December 25 by over 2 billion Christians worldwide. It honors the birth of Jesus Christ and is preceded by the season of Advent.
Common Christmas traditions include gift-giving, Christmas trees, Christmas lights, nativity scenes depicting Jesus’s birth, Christmas carols, Santa Claus, family gatherings, and feasts. Countries celebrate with their own unique customs like Poinsettias in Mexico, the Yule Log in France, and Krampus in Austria.
Hanukkah
Hanukkah is the Jewish Festival of Lights, celebrated for eight days and nights. In 2023, Hanukkah falls from December 17-24.
Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 164 BCE. Traditions include lighting the menorah, eating fried foods like latkes, giving gifts, and spinning the dreidel.
Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa is a week-long African American and Pan-African holiday celebrated from December 26 to January 1. The name means “first fruits” in Swahili.
Kwanzaa emphasizes seven core principles including unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. Families celebrate with feasts, music, dance, poetry readings, and more.
New Year’s Eve
New Year’s Eve on December 31 is the final day of the Gregorian calendar. It is celebrated globally with events like balls, fireworks, concerts, and parties as the world prepares to welcome the new year.
Common New Year’s traditions include champagne toasts at midnight, singing “Auld Lang Syne,” and kissing loved ones at the stroke of midnight. Major public celebrations occur in cities like New York, London, Sydney, and Hong Kong.
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated the day after Christmas on December 26, originally in the United Kingdom and now in places like Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
There are competing theories on its origin, but it was traditionally a day when wealthy landowners gave boxes of gifts or money to their employees. Now it is known for sports events, shopping sales, and recovering from Christmas.
Seasons and Weather
December marks the start of astronomical winter in the northern hemisphere and summer in the southern hemisphere. The seasonal associations and weather patterns are quite different between the two hemispheres.
Northern Hemisphere
December is in the heart of meteorological winter in the northern hemisphere. Days are short, temperatures are cold, nights are long, and snow is common across northern latitudes.
| City | Average High Temp (F) | Average Low Temp (F) |
|---|---|---|
| Reykjavik, Iceland | 37 | 28 |
| Toronto, Canada | 33 | 22 |
| London, England | 48 | 38 |
| New York City, USA | 43 | 32 |
December weather can vary across the northern hemisphere depending on latitude, elevation, and proximity to the ocean. But cold temperatures, frost, snow, ice, and shorter days are common associations.
Southern Hemisphere
December is in the heart of meteorological summer in the southern hemisphere. Days are long, temperatures are warm, and the beach is a popular destination.
| City | Average High Temp (C) | Average Low Temp (C) |
|---|---|---|
| Santiago, Chile | 28 | 13 |
| Cape Town, South Africa | 26 | 16 |
| Sydney, Australia | 26 | 18 |
December brings sunny days, warmer weather, and the summer holiday season south of the equator. Beaches, outdoor barbecues, and summer fashion come to the forefront.
Conclusion
December marks the culmination of the Gregorian calendar year and the start of new seasonal cycles in the northern and southern hemispheres. The major astronomical events like the solstice give December symbolic meaning.
Culturally, December is dominated by major religious and secular holiday celebrations that bring families and communities together. These holidays highlight values like light overcoming darkness, hope, gift-giving, and reflection.
December evokes both warm and cold associations depending on one’s hemisphere. But the month has become firmly established in human culture as a time of festivity, gathering, traditions, charity, and preparing for the year ahead. December’s themes help give the Gregorian calendar a sense of closure, renewal, and new beginnings.