Yahoo Lifestyle 100+ Holidays and Observances You Can Celebrate in December
December is a month that can be summarized easily into one word: Christmas. With all of the parties, preparation and countdown, for many of us the month is pretty much dedicated to all of the events surrounding this specific holiday. However, there are other holidays and observances in December that are fun to know about as well.
For instance, did you know that there is a National Cookie Day? This may not seem out of the ordinary with all of the baking and cookie exchanges that go on in December! If you prefer brownies, there is a day for that too!
Besides special food days, other December holidays include remembrances or certain recognitions. It's nice to have days to recognize important things like the International Day of Persons with Disabilities and the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, which also fall in December. During this final month of the year, we also recognize Rosa Parks, Jane Addams and Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.
A lot of the observances in December conveniently coincide with activities that we like to do during the month that are related to Christmas. There is Christmas Lights Day, Build Joy Day and Make A Gift Day, as well as days to celebrate peppermint bark, pears and gingerbread houses. For those who like to Christmas shop after the chaos of Black Friday, the 14th would be a good day to do some online shopping, since that day is National Free Shipping Day!
Some observances last an entire week or the whole month. Hanukkah is a week-long observance, as well as Kwanzaa. And if you like to play games, the whole month of December is Bingo Month. Finally, the month of December goes out with a bang with fun New Year's Eve parties as we begin to celebrate a fresh new year.
Don't worry about trying to keep track of all of the December holidays and observances for 2024. We've put together some lists by month, week and day so that you won't miss a thing!
Related: 55 Christmas Tree Instagram Captions That Are To Bring You Joy This Holiday Season
Why Do We Have Special Observances Each Month?
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Observing special days or weeks each month is a way to raise awareness of issues that are important, inspire learning or are just plain fun. The idea started as a way to remember historical events and significant people and has grown to include all kinds of topics.
It's important to reflect on our history and not forget the issues that were addressed and the things we have learned. What we have gone through in the past has shaped our future.
A lot of the awareness days inform us of a variety of illnesses or issues that affect society. It is a way of spreading news and becoming informed and maybe passing the information on to someone else as well.
Many of the special food days throughout each month started as promotions for restaurants or other retailers to gain more sales. So, on National Cookie Day, for example, you could expect to see special deals on cookies!
Related: What Is the Real Meaning Behind the Feast of the Seven Fishes? All About the Christmas Eve Tradition 'The Bear' Made Even More Famous
Monthly Observances for December
Art and Architecture Month
Bingo Month
Egg Nog Month
Gift of Sight Month
Learn a Foreign Language Month
Made in America Month
Month of Giving
National Cat Lovers’ Month
National Human Rights Month
National Pear Month
National Tie Month
Operation Santa Paws (Dec. 1-24)
Read a New Book Month
Safe Toys and Gifts Month
Universal Human Rights Month
Worldwide Food Service Safety Month
Write a Friend Month
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List of Weekly Observances in December
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National Cookie Cutter Week (December 1-7)
Crohn's and Colitis Awareness Week (December 1-7)
Computer Science Education Week (December 6-12)
Las Posadas (December 16-24)
National Influenza Vaccination Week (December 6-12)
National Handwashing Awareness Week (December 5-11)
Twelve Days of Christmas (December 25-January 5)
Hanukkah (December 25-January 2)
Kwanzaa (December 26-January 1)
Related: Keep the Christmas Spirit Alive with Charity, Goodwill, and 50 Happy Boxing Day Wishes
December's Daily List of Holidays and Observances
December 1
Antarctica Day
Bifocals at the Monitor Liberation Day
Cyber Safety Sunday
Day Without Art
Eat a Red Apple Day
National Cookie Cutter Day
National Christmas Lights Day
National Package Protection Day
National Peppermint Bark Day
National Women Support Women Day
Prisoners for Peace Day
Rosa Parks Day
World AIDS Day
Related: Remembering Rosa Parks with the Civil Rights Activist's 25 Best Quotes
December 2
Business of Popping Corn Day
Cyber Monday
International Day for the Abolition of Slavery
International Sweater Vestival
National Anytime Hawaiian Day
National Build Joy Day
National Fritters Day
National Mutt Day
National Skip School Day
Safety Razor Day
Special Education Day
World Computer Literacy Day
World Pollution Prevention Day
December 3
Coats and Toys for Kids Day
Faux Fur Friday
First Sunday of Advent - Advent Begins
Giving Tuesday
International Day of Persons With Disabilities
Let’s Hug Day
National Day of Giving
National Green Bean Casserole Day
National Make a Gift Day
National Roof Over Your Head Day
World Pear Day
December 4
Choose Women Wednesday
Extraordinary Work Team Recognition Day
Global Fat Bike Day
International Cheetah Day
International Day of Banks
National Dice Day
National Sock Day
Santa's List Day
Wildlife Conservation Day
December 5
Bathtub Party Day
Celebrate Shelter Pets Day
International Ninja Day
International Volunteer Day
National AFL-CIO Day
National Blue Jeans Day
National Communicate With Your Kids Days
National Repeal Day
Sacher-Torte Day
Walt Disney Day
World Soil Day
December 6
Mitten Tree Day
National Bartender Day
National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women
National Gazpacho Day
National Microwave Oven Day
National Miners Day
National Play Outside Day
Put on Your Own Shoes Day
St. Nicholas Day
December 7
International Civil Aviation Day
National Cotton Candy Day
National Letter Writing Day
Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
December 8
Feast of the Immaculate Conception
National Blue Collar Day
National Brownie Day
National Health Savings Account Day
National Salesperson Day
Pretend To Be a Time Traveler Day
December 9
Christmas Card Day
Genocide Prevention Day
International Anti-Corruption Day
International Day Of Commemoration And Dignity Of The Victims Of The Crime Of Genocide
International Day of Veterinary Medicine
Lost and Found Day
National Llama Day
National Pastry Day
World Techno Day
Related: 50 Cheery, Heartfelt Ways to Sign a Christmas Card This Holiday Season
December 10
Dewey Decimal System Day
Festival for the Souls of Dead Whales
Human Rights Day
International Animal Rights Day
International Shareware Day
Jane Addams Day
National Lager Day
Nobel Prize Day
Worldwide Candle Lighting Day
December 11
Holiday Food Drive for Needy Animals Day
International Mountain Day
National App Day
Noodle Ring Day
UNICEF Birthday
UNICEF Day for Change
December 12
Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe
Festival of Unmentionable Thoughts
Gingerbread Decorating Day
Gingerbread House Day
Green Monday
International Day of Neutrality
International Universal Health Coverage Day
National Ambrosia Day
National Poinsettia Day
Universal Health Coverage Day
December 13
National Cocoa Day
National Cream Cheese Frosting Day
National Horse Day
National Ice Cream Day
National Violin Day
Pick A Pathologist Pal Day
St. Lucia National Day
U.S. National Guard Birthday
December 14
Free Shipping Day
Martyred Intellectuals Day
Monkey Day
More Good Today Day
National Energy Conservation Day
Roast Chestnuts Day
December 15
Bill of Rights Day
International Tea Day
National Cupcake Day
National Regifting Day
National Wear Your Pearls Day
National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day
December 16
National Chocolate Covered Anything Day
National Underdog Day
National Wreaths Across America Day
Stupid Toy Day
Underdog Day
Las Posadas starts
Related: 50 Best Ugly Christmas Sweaters
December 17
National Device Appreciation Day
National Maple Syrup Day
Pan American Aviation Day
Saturnalia
Wright Brothers Day
December 18
Answer the Telephone Like Buddy the Elf Day
Bake Cookies Day
Flake Appreciation Day
International Migrants Day
Wear a Plunger on Your Head Day
World Arabic Language Day
December 19
Look for an Evergreen Day
National Emo Day
National Hard Candy Day
National Oatmeal Muffin Day
December 20
Dot Your I’s Day
Games Day
Go Caroling Day
National Sangria Day
Sacagawea Day
December 21
Anne Frank & Samantha Smith Day (Anne & Samantha Day for short)
December Solstice
Don’t Make Your Bed Day
Humbug Day
Look On The Bright Side Day
National Crossword Puzzle Day
National Flashlight Day
National Homeless Persons’ Remembrance Day
National Short Girl Appreciation Day
Winter Solstice
World Snowboard Day
Yule
December 22
Forefathers’ Day
National Cookie Exchange Day
National Date Nut Bread Day
National Short Person Day
December 23
Festivus
HumanLight
National Christmas Movie Marathon Day
National Pfeffernusse Day
National Roots Day
December 24
Christmas Eve
Last-Minute Shopper's Day
National Eggnog Day
December 25
A’Phabet Day or No “L” Day (get it... Noel...)
Christmas
Hanukkah begins
National Pumpkin Pie Day
Related: When Is Hanukkah, or the 'Festival of Lights,' in 2024?
December 26
Boxing Day
Day of Goodwill
Kwanzaa begins
National Homeowners Day
National Thank You Note Day
National Candy Cane Day
National Whiners Day
Related: 50 Kwanzaa Greetings to Honor the Seven Principles and Celebrate Pan-African Culture
December 27
International Day of Epidemic Preparedness
National Fruitcake Day
Make Cut-Out Snowflakes Day
Visit the Zoo Day
December 28
National Card Playing Day
National Call-a-Friend Day
National Chocolate Candy Day
National Download Day
National Short Film Day
Pledge of Allegiance Day
December 29
International Cello Day
Still Need To Do Day
Tick Tock Day (not to be confused with the app, TikTok)
December 30
Falling Needles Family Fest Day
Festival of Enormous Changes at the Last Minute
National Bacon Day
National Resolution Planning Day
Sodium Bicarbonate Day
December 31
Make Up Your Mind Day
National Champagne Day
New Year's Eve
Universal Hour of Peace (from 11:30 pm to 12:30 am on Jan. 1)
Unlucky Day
World Peace Meditation Day
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