December Celebrations

                The musing for December is inspired by Holiday Insights’ “Bizarre, Wacky and Unique Holidays.”  We offer some light-hearted relief for this busy month based on the “2013 Daily Holidays, Special, and Wacky Days.” Some of the holidays listed here are official and have historical context; many are food-related; some make no sense; and, of course, some observances in December are activities to prepare for Christmas.

History

Pilgrims landing at Plymouth Rock

                Among the serious observances is World Aids Day on December 1, which was first observed in 1988. On December 5, you can drink to Repeal Day and commemorate the end of Prohibition, when Mormon Utah ratified the Twenty-first Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and gave the U.S. government the three-quarters majority of state support it needed to overturn Prohibition. The seventh of December is day that will “live in infamy”—the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. Human Rights Day is recognized on December 10; it was on this day in 1948 that the U.N. General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. December 21 is especially remembered in Massachusetts; on this day in 1620 the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock. Other

December dates marking historical events or social concerns include National Roof over Your Head on December 3, to bring awareness to homelessness; International Civil Aviation Day (December 7) to promote civil aviation around the world; International Children’s Day (December 8) sponsored by UNICEF; and December 15 to mark the day in 1791 when the first ten amendments (The Bill of Rights) were added to the Constitution.

Food

                 Food is ever-present this month: there are sixteen days involving food. One may wonder why some of these days are celebrated in December; a little research found that some food items—for example, ice cream—have special days or even months throughout the year. Those food items most associated with Christmas are listed with the Christmas-related activities; below are non-Christmas kitchen activities. Bon Appetite!

                Dec. 1: Eat a Red Apple Day

                Dec. 2: National Fritters Day

                Dec. 7: National Cotton Candy Day

                Dec. 8: National Pastry Day

                Dec. 11: National Noodle Ring Day

                Dec. 12: National Ding-a-Ling Day

                Dec. 13: Ice Cream Day

                Dec. 14: National Bouillabaisse Day

                Dec. 15: National Lemon Cupcake Day

                Dec. 16: Chocolate-covered Anything Day

                Dec. 17: National Maple Syrup Day

                Dec. 18: Oatmeal Muffin Day

                Dec. 22: National Date Nut Bread Day

                Dec. 24: National Chocolate Day

                Dec. 25: National Pumpkin Pie Day

                Dec. 29: Pepper Pot Day

Fortunately, there is no “get on the scale” day! 

Holidays

                The special days associated with the Christmas Holiday can serve as a “to do” list for the holiday preparations. Santa’s List Day is on December 4—but you could preempt it with Black Friday (November 29) and Cyber Monday (December2)!  For those who venerate the real St.   Despite its name, Christmas Card Day is not to do this chore, but rather to recognize Sir Henry Cole of England, who created the first Christmas card in 1843. Poinsettia Day, on December 12, honors J.P. Poinsett, who was the first U.S. ambassador to Mexico; his perhaps most-noted contribution to foreign relations was to introduce the United States to a plant now called the poinsettia. 

St. Nicholas

Nichols, a patron saint of the Orthodox Church, the observance is on December 6. A good day to work on your Christmas letter is the seventh, Letter Writing Day, which is followed two days later by Christmas Card Day.

                If you follow the “to do” list, you will be very busy on December 18. On this day are two chores: baking cookies and roasting a suckling pig. We hope the next day you will have energy to “Look for an Evergreen.” And the activity the day after is to “Go Caroling.” Perhaps December 21, “Humbug Day,” will get an “amen” from you. December 24 may offer a little pick-up—you can lift a wassail cup to toast National Eggnog Day and ready yourself for Christmas Day. You are still not finished with holiday events, though! December 26 is Boxing Day and the day after is National Fruitcake Day. (Is that a re-gifting day?!)  With all your eating and celebrating during the past few weeks, welcome relief comes on December 30,

National Bicarbonate of Soda Day.

                Around the world in December are many different religious observances. Usually all of the eight days of Jewish holiday Hanukkah are observed in December; this year celebrations begin in   Another religious observance is on December 8, known as Bodhi Day, when the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, experienced enlightenment. From December 21-15 is Pancha Ganapati, a five-day Hindu festival in honor of Lord Ganesha.

November. Kwanzaa, which honors African heritage, family, community and culture, is a week-long celebration at the end of the month.

A common theme and symbol of many December religious celebrations is lights. This includes the many different celebrations of the winter solstice on December 21: the Zuni and Hopi Soyal ceremony; the Iranian festival of Yalda; and Saturnalis, the Roman solstice festival.  Even our list of “bazaar and unique” holidays appropriately lists on December 21 “National Flashlight Day” and “Look on the Bright Side Day.”  If none of the above observances is appropriate to your belief system, there is always Festivus on December 23. Festivus became popular after 1997 episode of “Seinfeld” which described it as an alternative to the consumerism and frenzy of the holidays. The day is marked with a “Festivus pole,” which is a plain aluminum pole. When celebrants gather, they air grievances, have feats of strength, and feast on meatloaf. “A Festivus for the rest of us,” as they say on the show.

              

Whatever your affiliation or lack thereof, by the time National Bicarbonate Day rolls around on December 30, and maybe a New Year’s resolution to go on a diet, too—you have made it through the month.  Do not to worry if your resolve weakens; January 17 is set aside as the day to “Ditch your New Year’s Resolution!”

Miscellaneous

                Here are a few holidays that did not fit in the above categories and might leave you scratching your head: Wear Brown Shoes Day on December 4, Take in the Ear Day on December 8, and Violin Day on December 13. A few celebrations seem to have been created by teachers and parents to keep children amused and calm: Mitten Tree Day (December 6); Make Cut-Out Snowflakes Day (December 27); and Card Playing Day (December 28). 

We may have overlooked a few unique holidays, but what is certain that with all this activity and celebrating during the month, Bathtub Party Day should be observed much later in the month than on December 5. There should be at least two such party days.

Happy December!