2024 December Trivia and History

Name History

Latin: December. From the word decem, ten (it was the 10th month in the old Roman calendar). The Latin name is derived from Decima, the middle Goddess of the Three Fates who personifies the present.

December is:

• National Awareness Month

Special 2024 December weeks:

• Computer Science Education Week - 9th-15th (week of 9th)
• Kwanzaa (from December 26th to January 1st.)
• Hanukkah starting at sunset on December 25th for 8 days (December 25th - sunset of the 33rd).

Special 2024 December Days:

•  1st* • (Sunday)  World Aids Day
•  2nd* • (Monday)  Cyber Monday (Monday after Thanksgiving)
•  3rd* • (Tuesday)  Giving Tuesday (Tuesday after Thanksgiving)
•  7th* • (Saturday)  National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (flags are flown at half-staff)
•  8th* • (Sunday)  Feast of the Immaculate Conception
• 10th* • (Tuesday)  Human Rights Day
• 15th* • (Sunday)  Bill of Rights Day
• 17th* • (Tuesday)
  •  Pan American Aviation Day
  •  Wright Brothers Day
• 21st* • (Saturday)  Winter Solstice Universal Time*
• 24th* • (Tuesday)  Christmas Eve
• 25th* • (Wednesday)
  •  Christmas Day
  •  Hanukkah/Chanukah (begins at sundown on the evening of the 25th in 2024, and continues for 8 days; nightfall of 25th - nightfall of 33rd)
• 31st* • (Tuesday)
  • First Night Celebration (noon to midnight)
  •  New Year's Eve*

December special historical dates:

• 1982 - 23rd - A blizzard covered the Midwest, including Omaha.
• 1948-9 - Nov-Apr - A blizzard covered the Midwest for several months.
• 1865 - 6th - Slavery in the United States was officially abolished when the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified.
• 1856-7 - Dec 1-Jan - First major blizzard after settlement of the states started.

Quotes relating to December

• “At Christmas I no more desire a rose
Than wish a snow in May's new-fangled mirth;
But like of each thing that in season grows.” • William Shakespeare

• “I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!” • Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

• “Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childhood days, recall to the old man
the pleasures of his youth, and transport the traveler back to his own fireside and quiet home!” • Charles Dickens

• “Christmas is coming, the geese are getting fat.
Please put a penny in the old man's hat.
If you haven't got a penny, a half penny will do.
If you haven't got a half penny, then God bless you.” • Traditional English Christmas rhyme

• “Each Christmas I remember
The ones of long ago;
I see our mantelpiece adorned
With stockings in a row.

Each Christmas finds me dreaming
Of days that used to be,
When we hid presents here and there,
For all the family.

Each Christmas I remember
The fragrance in the air,
Of roasting turkey and mince pies
And cookies everywhere.

Each Christmas finds me longing
For Christmases now past,
And I am back in childhood
As long as memories last.” • Carice Williams, Christmas Past

• “Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December;
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly, I wished the morrow; - vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Leonore
For the rare and radiant maiden who the angels name Lenore
Nameless here for evermore.” • The Raven, Edgar Allan Poe, 1809-1849

Lyrics relating to December

•  “Only in my darkest moments can I see the light
  I think I'm prone to getting blinded when its bright
  Well, this December, I'll remember
  Want you to see it when I do” • Song: "This Christmas" • Performed by: Ricky Montgomery • From Album: "NA" • Released: NA • Authors: NA *
•  “Fell in love in December
  This is the time we get to remember” • Song: "December Lov”e" • Performed by: New Kids on the Block • From Album: "NA" • Released: NA • Authors: NA *
•  “Nobody knows
  What it takes to mend her
  She don't like the cold
  But she snows like December”” • Song: "December" • Performed by: Viking Barbie • From Album: "NA" • Released: NA • Authors: NA *
•  “Fell in love in December
  This is the time we get to remember” • Song: "December Lov”e" • Performed by: New Kids on the Block • From Album: "NA" • Released: NA • Authors: NA *
•  “December promise you gave unto me
  December whispers of treachery
  December clouds are now covering me
  December songs no longer I sing.”” • Song: "December" • Performed by: Collective Soul • From Album: "NA" • Released: NA • Authors: NA *
•  “For a while there, it was rough
  But lately, I've been doin' better
  Than the last four cold Decembers I recall.” • Song: "Beautiful Things" • Performed by: Benson Boone • From Album: "NA" • Released: NA • Authors: NA *
•  “You said it's such a life to remember,
  so come on, and we'll sleep away December”” • Song: "December" • Performed by: Lydia • From Album: "NA" • Released: NA • Authors: NA *
•  “Only in my darkest moments can I see the light
  I think I'm prone to getting blinded when its bright
  Well, this December, I'll remember
  Want you to see it when I do” • Song: "This Christmas" • Performed by: Ricky Montgomery • From Album: "NA" • Released: NA • Authors: NA *
•  “Dancing bears,
  Painted wings,
  Things I almost remember,
  And a song someone sings,
  Once upon a December.” • Song: "Once upon a December" • Performed by: Stephen Flaherty-Lynn Ahrens • From Album: "NA" • Released: NA • Authors: NA *
•  “Dancing bears,
  Painted wings,
  Things I almost remember,
  And a song someone sings,
  Once upon a December.” • Song: "Once upon a December" • Performed by: Stephen Flaherty-Lynn Ahrens • From Album: "NA" • Released: NA • Authors: NA *
•  “She's so pretty, oh Katy Perry won't you run with me, far away
  Where Mr. Brand can't take you from me
  She's hot and she's cold, she's yes and she's no, My firework, California girl, Oh Katy.” • Song: "Katy Perry" • Performed by: Beyond December • From Album: "NA" • Released: NA • Authors: NA *
•  “When December comes, I bet you want to
  Wrap me all up and take me home with you.”” • Song: "December" • Performed by: Ariana Grande • From Album: "NA" • Released: NA • Authors: NA *
•  “You said it's such a life to remember,
  so come on, and we'll sleep away December”” • Song: "December" • Performed by: Lydia • From Album: "NA" • Released: NA • Authors: NA *
•  “She's so pretty, oh Katy Perry won't you run with me, far away
  Where Mr. Brand can't take you from me
  She's hot and she's cold, she's yes and she's no, My firework, California girl, Oh Katy.” • Song: "Katy Perry" • Performed by: Beyond December • From Album: "NA" • Released: NA • Authors: NA *
•  “December come to me
  I hope I can see
  You not just in dreams.”” • Song: "December" • Performed by: Norah Jones • From Album: "NA" • Released: NA • Authors: NA *
•  “Do you remember the 25th night of December?
  Love was changin' the minds of pretenders
  While chasin' the clouds away”” • Song: "December" • Performed by: Earth, Wind & Fire • From Album: "NA" • Released: NA • Authors: NA *
•  “And it's been a long December and there's reason to believe
  Maybe this year will be better than the last
  I can't remember all the times I tried to tell myself
  To hold on to these moments as they pass.” • Song: "A Long December" • Performed by: Counting Crows • From Album: "NA" • Released: NA • Authors: NA *
•  “For a while there, it was rough
  But lately, I've been doin' better
  Than the last four cold Decembers I recall.” • Song: "Beautiful Things" • Performed by: Benson Boone • From Album: "NA" • Released: NA • Authors: NA *
•  “And I'd go back to December all the time.” • Song: "Back to December" • Performed by: Taylor Swift • From Album: "NA" • Released: NA • Authors: NA *
•  “Images come back to me
  Like a loving memory
  Of an old ritornello
  Formerly in December” • Song: "Far from the cold of December" • Performed by: Stephen Flaherty-Lynn Ahrens • From Album: "NA" • Released: NA • Authors: NA *