December Global Holidays 2022, December Calendar

December Global Holidays Around the World

December is the month when we celebrate our holidays. As we know, it has a special place for many of us and our families. We tend to share more gifts, food, and joy throughout this period. If you plan to create a new tradition with your friends and family, the December holiday is the best time to do so.

Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa are all December holidays. The three are different but have some similarities. Christmas is the celebration of Jesus Christ’s birth on December 25th, also known as Christmas Day.

Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple following its desecration by Antiochus Epiphanies IV; also known as Chanukah. Kwanzaa is an African American cultural celebration that honors African heritage and lasts seven days, beginning December 26th each year. Now, let shed light for the whole list. 

December global holidays
December global holidays 2022

So, what are the 17 Holidays in December; and Their Origin

During December, there are a global collection of celebrations, not just Christmas. There are arrays of people from different walks of life celebrating various festivals as illustrated- look for yours and make the D-day count.

#1. Krampusnacht

Krampusnacht is celebrated in Central Europe on December 5th. It’s not a religious holiday but a Pagan tradition closely linked with Christmas and Candlemas. The name comes from krampen which means “to clamp,” and the German Nikolo, which means Santa Claus.

Krampus celebrations consist of parades where participants dress up as devils, witches, and other scary creatures. They walk around their town or village, scaring people with bells attached to their costumes. As well as this, many customs take place, including eating specific foods before going to bed, for example, sauerkraut, butternut squash, and sweet dumplings, which people believe will save them from nightmares caused by Krampus.

Krampus is a dark and frightening creature. In German folklore, he is the companion of Saint Nicholas and comes to punish children who have misbehaved rather than deliver presents as Santa does. Krampusnacht is a way to strengthen family bonds through the winter months; mark your calendar for it.

#2. Hanukkah

Hanukkah is celebrated by Jews worldwide during one of the darkest times of the year. This celebration begins on December 16 and ends on the night of December 24. Not only do you have to find time to celebrate with your friends and family, but you also must make sure you have enough money for presents for others.

Hanukkah is the Jewish festival of lights, celebrated with a menorah and candle lighting. Hanukkah began in 165 BC when Judah Maccabee and his band of Jewish warriors drove out their Syrian oppressors and rededicated the Temple in Jerusalem.

#3. World AIDS Day 

World Aids Day (WAD) is celebrated every year on December 1st. It is celebrated as a part of World AIDS Week, including World AIDS Day and World HIV Day.

The main goal of WAD is to increase awareness of the cause, prevention, and treatment of HIV/AIDS throughout the world. Martina Navratilova and Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group, created the day. He brought attention to the subject by donating a percentage of their commercial airline profits for an entire year to help fight AIDS.

#4. Bodhi Day

Bodhi Day is a day to remember Buddha’s enlightenment and the two years of meditation and teachings. On this day, Buddhists worldwide, who follow the Theravada tradition, will meditate for at least 10 minutes in the morning or evening.

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It can be done when lying or sited. The most common practice on Bodhi Day is to spend time in meditation under a Bodhi tree which represents awakening.

According to a lunar calendar, Bodhi day takes place on the full moon of December. It is also known for being a time when people visit their fathers’ gravesites in hopes of gaining further wisdom and understanding from their ancestors. Mark your calendar on December 8th for celebration.

#5. St. Lucia’s Day

The day is celebrated on December 13th in Sweden and other Scandinavian countries like Finland, Denmark, and Norway. On this day, Swedish girls dress up like St. Lucia and crown themselves with a wreath of candles on their heads.

Everyone takes saffron buns to eat porridge, which is enjoyed at work or school without milk. Women sing Christmas carols in the streets during the evening, and the most popular song is “Three maids from Linkoping.” It is celebrated to honor St. Lucia, who has traditionally been depicted wearing a wreath in the form of a crown with candles on it.

#6. Kwanzaa

The holiday is centered on African-American identity but is observed by people of all backgrounds. It is 7-day celebration consists of a feast, candlelight ceremony and gift giving amongst family members.

The first was celebrated in 1966 in Oakland, California, by Maulana Karenga. He created Kwanzaa to bring together black people who had been separated by slavery and segregation. Today families gather at their homes or host parties as an opportunity to learn more about their ancestors’ culture and heritage.

Kwanzaa has seven principles which include:

  • Umoja (unity), 
  • Kujichagulia (self-determination)
  • Ujima (collective work and responsibility)
  • Ujamaa (cooperative economics)
  • Nia (purpose)
  • Kuumba (creativity)
  • Imani (faith)

#7. St. Stephen’s Day

The day is celebrated with a large feast. This national holiday is observed on December 26th, and it is an off-day for work. Everyone gives presents to one another on Christmas, and St. Stephen’s Day is usually used to return or reciprocate those gifts.

At lunchtime, individuals celebrating this holiday sit down for the traditional main course of roast turkey, ham, rump steak, and pork sausages with boiled potatoes and brown sauce. This specific meat can only be eaten on this day. 

#8. Yule

Yule is a celebration during the winter solstice, held between December 20th and 23rd. It marks the transition from darkness to light in celebrating the return of the Sun God Ra. It’s done through ritual feasts, offerings, prayers, and songs. It was probably one of the first festivals celebrated by early Christians during the Roman Times.

Yule is a holiday celebrated by many globally, most notably in northern Europe and Germanic countries such as Germany, Austria, and Sweden. Its beginnings can also be traced back to the Viking Age, specifically 912 AD.

It involves celebrating the return of light or lengthening days and feasting with your family and community. A popular food item associated with Yule time was gingerbread, sometimes called “Yule Bread.”

#9. Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is on December 24th. During Christmas Eve, people celebrate the birth of Jesus. Many families have dinner together and exchange gifts. Some people open a few presents before dinner and then open others after dinner. 

People usually have a big feast for dinner, including ham or roast turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans and carrots with gravy, cornbread dressing, cranberry sauce, pickles and relishes, honey-butter biscuits, and sometimes pumpkin pie.

#10. Christmas

Christmas is the biggest holiday of the year. People from all over the world celebrate Christmas in different ways. In America and Europe, people celebrate Christmas by putting up trees, eating lots of food, and watching special TV shows about Santa Claus.

However, in some other countries like Australia and Japan, people celebrate it differently because they don’t have a lot of snow like in Canada after Christmas Day. They have presents under their trees while they eat lots of delicious food and make jokes on December 25.  African aren’t left behind as they remember the birth of Jesus Christ. 

#11. Boxing Day

Boxing Day is traditionally celebrated on the 26th of December in most countries worldwide. For instance, it’s mainly celebrated in the urban environment in Canada instead of those who live in rural areas.

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Significant practice on this day is to exchange cards, gifts, and small tokens of appreciation with friends, family, and co-workers. Fortune cookies are also given humorous fortunes inside them, wishing everyone a Happy New Year.

#12. Human Rights Day

It’s happens on December 10th yearly. This day commemorates the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which includes 30 articles outlining fundamental human rights and freedoms that all nations should universally protect.

The purpose of Human Rights Day is to promote and protect the human rights of all people by teaching about their inherent dignity and worth. Human Rights Day was first observed in 1948 and is now marked annually by governments, international organizations, and non-governmental organizations that commemorate this critical document.

#13. Feast of the Immaculate Conception

It’s a Christian holy day observed on December 8. The feast commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ and celebrates his conception by his mother, Saint Anne. It’s commonly celebrated with masses and parades in Brazil and Colombia. Still, many Christians in the Americas celebrate this special day by attending church services and preparing special meals.

The day is also called as The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. The feast is a significant event that some refer to as their “birthday” because it marks the moment they believe God divinely conceived her, and she gained grace from him when she was created.

#14. Osaka

Osaka is celebrated for up to a week with eating, drinking, and fireworks. Families will gather and eat traditional food such as takoyaki and okonomiyaki while drinking alcohol like sake.

During New Year’s Day, it’s tradition to make Dango, a rice ball with sweet red bean paste filling and mochi on top, which gives it its shape. Those who celebrate Osakan Christmas are called ‘mago-kachi’; it happens on December 23rd by going around with lanterns.    

#16. Las Posadas

Las Posadas is celebrated in December 16th to 24th as a nativity celebration. The story begins with Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem to register for their census. On the way, an innkeeper tells them that all of the rooms are full and they must find somewhere else to stay.

They wander the streets for the next eight nights, looking for lodging in other homes, where those who host them begin singing praises to the baby Jesus. Las Posadas is seen as a reflection of how God provided shelter for His people by leading them through the darkness toward light.

#17. Omisoka

Omisoka is a holiday of giving and appreciating. The day usually starts with families gathering around their table to eat breakfast together. Afterward, they move into their rooms and collect all the gift bags they have been preparing in secret for each other since October.

Each person opens their first gift one by one until the last present, which is considered the best of all. Afterward, a special kind of okonomiyaki will be made as a snack. Many other foods are also seen at this time, such as traditional dumplings and noodles-especially soba.

Children await Santa Claus at 10 p.m. when he comes by boat downriver carrying gifts in his bag from house to house before finally leaving Japan on this day after giving out presents. In the Japanese calendar, it happens on December 31st.

More Holidays

Holiday RegionDate 
Saba Day BonaireDecember 2sec
Farmer’s DayGhanaDecember 2sec
Asom DivasIndiaDecember 2sec
National Day LaoDecember 2sec
National DayUAEDecember 2sec
World Disabled DayIndiaDecember 3rd
Memory DayEast TimorDecember 7th
Constitution DayUzbekistanDecember 8th 
Albanian National Youth DayAlbaniaDecember 8th 
List of December Global Holidays 2022

Frequently Asked Questions- FAQs of December Global Holidays

What are the December global holidays? 

December international holidays are a set of holy days people celebrate during December. The holidays are designed to create time for families and friends to spend together, in addition to the religious significance each holds.

When are these dates for the global December holiday? 

The dates of December international holidays can vary from year to year as they depend on lunar calendars.

When do the December global holidays begin?

December global holidays tend to be most associated with Thanksgiving in America, but the season begins on Boxing Day for Australians and Canadians.

Wrap Up | December Global Holidays

In conclusion, December is a month of celebration, with many nations celebrating various forms of Christmas and other vital occasions. The international holiday season is a time for families to get together, for people to be generous, and for traditions to be welcomed again.

We need to pause and celebrate people’s work throughout the year. Moreover, we have a lot of special memories during this time of year and it’s the occasion to enjoy warm festivals, share laughter and good food!

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