The month of december is also knows as “the month of festivities”. It comes with plenty of beautiful lights, vibrant wreaths, and a lot of family gatherings. It is considered the most cheerful month of the year as it is full of festivities, celebrations and holidays, that add colors for making this month happiest for everyone. Because of the multicultural events that take place every day, this month is known as the most festive month of the year.
December is the month of many national holidays, beginning with World Aids Day and ending with Ominsoka. Winter holidays mostly comprise of December Global Holidays because it’s jam-packed with countless winter festivals. Holidays around the world in December consist of many religious, national, and cultural events. Since, there are many December holidays around the world, we have shortlisted 15 most popular holidays with some really interesting information.
List of The Most Popular December Global Holidays
Here is a list of notable December global celebrations. Although there are many other festivals in December celebrated by various countries, communities, and religions (that are not mentioned here), we did our best to provide you with a list of the most well-known holidays in December. This list shows that December is not only about the beginning of rain, snow and cold weather but it is also a very popular time for celebrations and parties. Because the month of December is all about winter, the scope of festivities does not limit to cultural and obligatory events, but also serves as a home for many sports activities.
Some festivals are all about tradition and religion, while others are all about fun and excitement. Simply take a look at this list of some of the most well-known and infamous festivals and ceremonies held around the world and share it with your friends, family, and especially your children. We sincerely hope you enjoy it and find it useful for further discussion, learning, and some interesting related fun activities.
| Name | Date |
| Hanukkah | 7th – 14th December |
| Santa Lucia’s Day | 13th December |
| Yule | 21st December – 1st January |
| Festivus | 23rd December |
| Christmas | 25th December |
| World AIDS Day | 1st December |
| Kwanzaa | 26th December – 1st January |
| Omisoka | 31st December |
| Boxing Day | 26th December |
| Bodhi Day | 8th December |
| Krampusnacht | 5th December |
| National Cookie day | 4th December |
| International Monkey Day | 14th December |
| UAE National Holiday | 2nd December |
| Watch Night | 31st December |
| Worlds Aids Day | 1st December |
| Farmers Day in Ghana | 4th December |
| Saint Nicholas Day and Finland Independence Day | 6th December |
| Immaculate Conception | 8th December |
| Advent Fast Begins | 12th December |
| Feast Day of our lady of Guadalupe | 12th December |
| Posadas Navidenas | 16th December |
| Zarathosht Diso and Boxing Day | 26th December |
| Feast of the holy family | 27th December |
| Holy innocents’ day | 28th December |
| Omisoka and Watch night | 31st December |
| Solstice | 21st December |
1. Hanukkah
There are many religious holidays in December, one of them is Hanukkah. Hanukkah is one of many religious holidays celebrated in December. Hanukkah, also known as Chanukah, is an eight-day Jewish festival. It’s a Hebrew word for “dedication.” This festival is also known as the Festival of Lights, the Maccabee Feast, and the Feast of Dedication. Hanukkah is all about solidifying the value systems of commemoration and Judaism. Also, Read Places Around the World That Celebrate Hanukkah.
This event involves rededicating the second temple of Jerusalem. Candles are lightened on each day, along with daily scripture reading. It has been also observed that there is recitation of Psalms, singing special hymn and almsgiving on each day.
There is inclusion of some liturgy like Hallel prayer, Torah reading and alha-nissim prayer. It is very joyous event that includes many celebrations like Purim, with lack of work restrictions for everyone. It’s also a custom on Hanukkah holiday to eat their traditional oil dried delicious foods like latkes, and sufganiyot etc.
| Date | 28th November – 6th December |
| Category | Religious |
| Celebrated by | Jewish people around the world and Israel |
| Celebrated for | To re-dedicate second temple Jerusalem |
2. Santa Lucia’s Day
Lucia Day, also known as Saint Lucy’s Day, is celebrated every year on 13th December. This auspicious occasion acts as a symbol of light. St. Lucia was an Italian saint that was martyred. She acts as a role model for getting hope, motivation and courage from the darkest fragment of the year. This significant holiday begins with parade led by designee of St. Lucia along with young girls and boys following it in white dresses, singing some traditional songs.
This event was meant to be marked as the initiation of the Christmas season. Schools and other institutions generally close earlier that usual so that people start preparing to celebrate the holiday.
Families celebrate this festival by dressing up their daughters in white traditional dresses, serving baked edibles like ginger biscuits and saffron bread called as lussekatter with coffee. These special traditional food items are also offered to visitors on this day. This event is one of the most important religious holidays in December.
| Date | 13th December |
| Category | Religious |
| Celebrated by | Sweden, Italy, Norway |
| Celebrated for | paying tribute to Lucia of Syracuse. |
3. Yule
As a 12 days festival, Yule or Yuletide is a festival mostly celebrated bAs 12 days festival, Yule or Yuletide is a festival mostly celebrated by German people. It is basically pagan rooted with honouring Norse God Odin. In this festival people give thanks to their gods and goddesses. It falls on the winter solstice, that’s why people call it the most famous and oldest event. In ancient days people light a big log in bonfire then spent their whole night there, outdoors.
This tradition is still in practice by German communities on this day. People also built a Yule altar and a Yule wreath on this day. Families prepare special candlelit dinners along with Yule tree decoration. This holiday is filled with love, to cherish each other and thanking the presence of God in their life.
| Date | 21st December – 1st January |
| Category | Pagan |
| Celebrated by | German People |
| Celebrated for | paying tribute to the Norse god Odin |
4. Festivus
Festivus is one of December Global Holidays. This day is courtesy of eternal and world most famous comedy TV show Seinfeld. This holiday was featured in 9th season in the episode named ‘The Strike’. The episode was on aired on 18th of December,1997, and from that time people got really inspired by it. The purpose of this holiday is to speak up for opposing to Christmas consumerism.
This holiday represents contrast to holiday materialism. People celebrating Festivus also contribute in “Airing of Grievances”, that is a chance to express others about how they saddened you in the past. Then it followed by a special dinner that ended on “Feats of Strength”.
| Date | 23rd December |
| Category | Secular, Parody |
| Celebrated by | Particularly in US |
| Celebrated for | To promote against Christmas consumerism |
5. Christmas
This festival is all about celebrating the birth of Jesus. This is a family holiday, celebrated by Christians. This festival is famous in the whole world. In this event, Santa claus is the pivotal character. People start preparing for Christmas by deep cleaning their houses. After that Christmas tree has been placed with lighting in the whole house.
Christmas tree is main entity that decorated by colorful lights, flowers, Christmas bells and gifts etc. people start this day by going to church. Later they join their friends and families to give and take gifts with delicious food and pleasant music.
Happiness of Christmas in children is like no other. People enjoy traditional cupcakes, plum cakes and muffins with lip-smacking puddings. Many gifts are distributed among kids with new dresses. Then kids also meet with ‘Santa Claus’ having beautiful fluffy dress. Sant claus shower a lot of gifts upon children, with hugs and love.
This festival evening is always very happening with full of colors, lights, flowers, romance and love. Santa Cruz Holiday Events were well-known for their Christmas Eve events in 2015. This is the most important occasion. Whether you look at the religion calendar for 2015, 2016, or another year, the 25th of December is the most celebrated holiday.
| Date | 25th December |
| Category | Religious |
| Celebrated by | Christens worldwide |
| Celebrated for | To honoring the birth of Jesus Christ |
6. World AIDS Day
This day is observed to raise awareness about the deadly HIV virus and its spread, as well as the ongoing AIDS epidemic. Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is an abbreviation for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. WHO established it for the first time in 1988. It is observed on the first of December each year, making it one of the December first holidays.
This day is about making it easier for people to learn about AIDS, as well as exchanging information between national governments and international organisations. The first case of AIDS was identified in 1981, and many people died as a result of this virus until 1988. As a result, AIDS awareness became a major concern, and it became critical to educate people about this epidemic. Many international organisations have supported these public awareness campaigns.
This holiday celebrated worldwide, and each country arranges an agenda related to World AIDS Day. There are many campaigns that lasts for week, along with different ceremonies, marches, rallies, debates and speeches at national, international and local level etc. Main international symbol of world aids day is red ribbon that need to be worn as representation of your commitment to fight against AIDS.
| Date | 1st December |
| Category | Health |
| Celebrated by | Worldwide |
| Celebrated for | To spread awareness about HIV/AIDS |
7. Kwanzaa
This holiday is all about honoring African heritage. It is weeklong celebrations. This holiday was first created by chairperson of Africana studies at California state university in 1966, named Dr. Maulana Karenga. The name Kwanzaa is based on phrase ‘matunda ya kwanza’that means first fruit in Swahili.
There are many traditional celebrations take place for example singing, dancing, poetry, storytelling, conventional African drumming and a big feast. All seven days of Kwanzaa represents seven values. African culture has seven principals and each day one principal is focused.
On first day black candle is lit to demonstrate concept of umoja means unity. Second day is about Kujichagulia meaning self-determination. On 3rd day principal of Ujima, is celebrated that leds to collective work and taking Responsibility. on 4th day principal of Ujamaa is focused that gives meaning of cooperative economics, 5th principal is called Nia that means purpose.
On 6th day principal of Kuumba is celebrated that means Creativity. And on last day principal Imani is celebrated that means faith. On last day families also enjoy a big African feast named karamu. Hence this festival also comes in category of festivals in January.
| Date | 26th December – 1st January |
| Category | Cultural |
| Celebrated by | Worldwide particularly US |
| Celebrated for | To preserve African heritage |
8. Omisoka
It is a Japanese Traditional occasion celebrated in the last day of the year. It is considered as one of the most significant day in Japanese culture because it is last day of previous year and eve of new year’s first day. All Japanese families came at omisoka for having bowl of their traditional noodles called ‘toshikoshi-soba’ and it is believed that eating long noodles can give you long life.
People visit temples and shrines for ‘Hatsumode’. Temples rings their bells and distribute sweet drink named as ‘Amazake’. ‘Joya-no-kane’ is called as ringing of one large bell on the shrine. They have very large cast bells that ring once for each 108 desires that supposed to be reason of human suffering.
| Date | 31st December |
| Category | Cultural |
| Celebrated by | Japanese people |
| Celebrated for | To spot the end of the year |
9. Boxing Day
It is a holiday observed after Christmas Day. It is a day when the wealthy used to give away boxes to the needy. Boxing Day is all about random acts of kindness and gift-giving. This holiday has nothing to do with boxing. This holiday is known as Boxing Day because it entails boxing up all of your unwanted gift items or anything valuable that you no longer want but could be useful to another needy or poor person.
As a result, people believed that boxing day, also known as ‘Alms Box day,’ occurred immediately after Christmas. It is a traditional and well-known December holiday in British culture.
| Date | 26th December |
| Category | General |
| Celebrated by | Commonwealth nations |
| Celebrated for | Charity |
10. Bodhi Day
In Buddhist culture, Bodhi Day is observed. In the Buddhist community, it is a religious observance. Its history revolves around the Buddha ‘Siddhartha Gautama (Shakyamuni).’ He attained enlightenment, also known as bodhi, while sitting beneath the bodhi tree (Ficus religiosa). The Bodhi tree is also known as the ‘Tree of Awakening.’
He meditated by simply sitting under this tree near the Niranjana River in Gaya until he discovered the source of one’s sufferings and how to alleviate them. Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, explained four truths about grief that anyone can accept in order to overcome their sufferings.
Grief is everywhere and it is main cause of sorrow, there is grief in births, grief in separation and also there is grief in unfulfillment of desires. To get out of this worldly grief Siddhartha Gautama (Shakyamuni) has communicated about ‘Ashtangik Marg (Octagonal Path)’.
People celebrates this day in very quiet, calm and peaceful manner. Buddhists meditate on this day praying with emphasis on those Noble truth related to grief and sufferings. At home people decorate a bodhi tree as well with lights and statue of buddha in the house.
| Date | 8th December |
| Category | Religious |
| Celebrated by | Buddhist people |
| Celebrated for | To honoring Buddha’s awakening or enlightenment |
11. Krampusnacht
Krampusnacht is a holiday which impersonates Halloween more than a Christmas. A scary demon with big horns is also part of Christmas eve. Krampusnacht is all about celebrating this animal like demon that has blazing eyes, frightening horns and teeth that run after naughty children so that he can have them in coffin. People on, 5th December, dress up Horrifyngly in a traditional attire that is made up of hand crafted wooden masks and a dress made up of sheep or goat skin. Cowbells are also worn around the hips.
This costume might be very expensive in Europe but now it can be prepared by cheap items like faux fur with face painting that is enough to give a look of Krampus. This whole ambiance makes it a terrorizing event. The folklore and its associacted stories goes long way back.
| Date | 5th December |
| Category | Religious |
| Celebrated by | People of Austria |
| Celebrated for | To educate children about obedience |
12. National Cookie day
Because it is National Cookie Day, the fourth of December is served as the sweetest treat. Bakers from all over the world are preheating their ovens in preparation for baking delicious cookies. And we enjoy it by having and distributing delicious cookies during the holiday season. We thank the Dutch for these cookies more than we do for windmills and tulips.
The word cookie is an English word that is derived from the Dutch word koekie. Koekie is Dutch for “small cake.” Cookie production began in Persia in the seventh century.
After when sugar become common, they spread in Europe by Muslims. In 14th century cookies were part of royal cuisine as well as it also sells by street vendors in Europe. In 17th century cookies travelled to America. Americans modified these delicious cookies into more innovative delicacies for example macaroons and gingerbread cookies. Most English-speaking countries also call cookies as biscuits. People usually celebrate this day by distributing their favorite cookies to friends and family.
| Date | 4th December |
| Category | General |
| Celebrated by | Worldwide |
| Celebrated for | To pay tribute to this little treat |
13. International Monkey Day
December 14 holiday is International Monkey day. It is also known as ‘World Monkey Day’. Casey sorrow and Eric Millikin create this holiday in 2000. Monkeys are very interesting animal, it is cute, intelligent and mischievous. There are many species of monkeys all around the world. Its habits and playful acts capture attention of humans.
This day is celebrated in many countries including United States, Germany, Canada, Thailand, Colombia, Scotland, Pakistan, India, Estonia and Turkey. Zoo celebrates this day by annual events related to monkeys, to protect its habitat, to raise funds about their growth, health and endangered species. It celebrated as ‘all things simians’ that raises awareness towards different species of monkey and primates all around the world.
It is celebrated Worldwide which focuses chiefly on apes, monkeys, lemurs etc.
| Date | 14th December |
| Category | General |
| Celebrated by | Worldwide |
| Celebrated for | To raise awareness regarding protection of monkeys and primates |
14. UAE National Holiday
Among many national holidays in December, UAE national day is observed on 2nd of December. This day commemorates the UAE’s success and stability as a Spirit of Union. This day is celebrated with zeal and zest throughout the UAE. On this day traditional stunning fire work display along with other festivities like huge fancy dinners, glittery ceremonies and elaborate parades. There are colors of national flag everywhere. Vibrant carnivals with rousing performances, aerobatic display and inspirational patriotic speeches imbued with colors of national courage and pride.
| Date | 2nd December |
| Category | National |
| Celebrated by | UAE |
| Celebrated for | Patriotism and giving tribute to founders of UAE |
15. Watch Night
Watch night having an alternative name called as freedoms’ eve. The full of festivals month of December also ended with a mind-blowing festival. The concept of watch night also rooted to an inspiration of finishing the month happily and start the new year with hope. There are many ways for observing this day and it vary from one community to another.
Many people visit their religious places on this night to worship giving thanks to their gods for granting one more year. Some people also notice this eve by enjoying at bars and cafes with their friends and family.
Display of dazzling firecrackers is contemporary and very important part of new years eve. People hang out having get to gather, melodious parties, that makes this night full of enjoyment. Historical legacy of watch night is also very interesting. On 31st December 1862 all Africans and Americans, whether enslaved or free, secretly gathered to celebrate the news that the Emancipation Proclamation had taken.
A day’s watch night is now regarded as an annual New Year’s Eve event that includes commemorations of freedom and slavery, celebrations of community and strength, and religious reflections.
| Date | 31st December |
| Category | Religious |
| Celebrated by | Christens around the world |
| Celebrated for | Welcoming new year with happiness and hope |
The Bottom-Line words
All of the December holidays can be summed up in one word: a large winter festival. Without a doubt, there is a wide range of colourful December seasonal holidays to help you enjoy the entire month. December is the month to work on improving yourself in your daily life. It is the ideal month to see your important friends and family and make them feel special by celebrating cheap holidays, giving various gifts, and most importantly, your love.
Seasonal celebrations with hearts full of happiness can make your bond with your people stronger that will make your life worth living with a satisfied soul. This month is also very perfect for giving charity and helping needy people so that they can also enjoy the festivities just like others. So, lets enjoy this snowy month full of happiness and pleasant holidays while humming melodious song of December global holidays doctor fantasy.
Frequently Asked Questions About December Global Holidays:
How many holidays are there in December?
There are, however, different holidays in each country in December. In general, there are 15 holidays in December.
What are the December global holidays lyrics and chords?
A global December holiday song includes musical notes, string numbers, finger placements, and chord combinations.
What are the major religious holidays in December?
Among the significant festivals are Hanukkah, Yule, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Omisaka.
When is Christmas celebrated?
Every year, Christmas is celebrated on December 25.
Is Christmas Day and Boxing Day a paid holiday?
In many countries, Christmas and Boxing days fall under the category of paid holidays. However, the rules may differ from country to country.
When is Boxing Day?
On December 29, we celebrate Boxing Day.
What is the date of Libya Independence Day?
On December 24, Libya celebrates its Independence Day.
When is Malta’s Republic Day?
Malta celebrates its Republic Day on December 13.