All - Leep Calendar

In the northern hemisphere, winter begins on the winter solstice. A solstice is an occurrence when the sun is farthest from the equator. During the winter solstice, the most southern point of the Earth points towards the sun, giving cooler temperatures north of the equator.

Africa

Dec

Yalda (IR): December 21

06:20 AM | -

Yalda, Shab-e Chelleh, or Shab-e Yalda could be considered equivalent to the "Thanksgiving Day" celebration in the Persian world, dominated by Iran but including Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Kurdistan, Tajikistan, and non-Islamic communities in Turkey. The winter solstice, the longest night of the year, is a time for family and friends to gather together and feast. Yalda originated between the second and third centuries AD, 300 years before Islam, within pagan communities distressed by the celebrations of Christians moving into the area. Over the years and centuries, it became part of the social fabric, and in 2008 the government of Iran officially recognized Yalda on its List of National Treasures.

Africa

Dec

Yule: December 21

06:20 AM | -

"Troll the ancient yuletide carols, fa la la la la..." If you've been in a Christian country during the holiday season, no doubt you've heard a reference to Yule in the carol "Deck the Halls." This event is the song's topic. Yule is the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere, the shortest day of the year. Pagan faiths previously, and Wiccans today, believe the Yule, or Alban Athan, occurs on the year's longest night. The faithful believe this night marks the sun god's death and the earth goddess's rebirth. Feasting, bonfires, and singing mark celebrations. Enter Rome. Pope Julius I, who shepherded the Christian faith between February 6, 337 - April 12, 352, chose December 25 as the birthday of Jesus Christ. The date coincided with the pagan Roman holiday "Dies natalis solis invicti," which translates to "the birthday of the invincible Sun," permitting those who hadn't converted to celebrate their traditions with others, including caroling, feasting, and fire. Fire brings us to the symbol of the Yule log, which originated in Scandinavia. The Yule log was an entire tree set alight on the solstice to entice the sun to return. The tree would burn for twelve days, and its ashes were folded into the soil at spring planting to ensure a bountiful harvest. In modern times it is tradition to burn a large log on the fire on Christmas Eve. Streaming services also provide a Yule log screen saver for those without a fireplace.

Africa

Dec

Be a Lover of Silence Day: December 22

06:20 AM | -

As the hecticness of the holiday season comes to a climax, take some time for yourself and find a quiet place and be. Be a Lover of Silence Day is your opportunity to give yourself a mini-vacation from sound.

Africa

Dec

Date-Nut Bread Day, Ntl.: December 22

06:20 AM | -

Date Nut Bread Day celebrates the non-yeast, cake-like sweet bread first seen in the US during the early 20th century.

Africa

Dec

Forefather's Day (1620): December 22

06:20 AM | -

National Forefathers' Day is celebrated in Plymouth, Massachusetts, on December 22 and marks the anniversary of the pilgrims' arrival on December 21, 1620. The date was first celebrated in 1769. Why is it on the 22nd instead of the 21st? Somebody didn't count right. Until 1752, the Julian Calendar marked time in America. After 1752, the Gregorian was used. When someone decided to figure out the date in the Gregorian calendar, they miscounted the difference and established the day on December 22 instead of December 21. Oops! That oops continues to this day.

Africa

Dec

Re-gifting (White Elephant) Day: December 22

06:20 AM | -

The Thursday before Christmas in the United States is Re-gifting Day or White Elephant Day. A white elephant gift is a re-gifted gift that the receiver didn't want and is often tacky or tasteless. Everyone has received a present that they don't want or appreciate. If it is unmatched by the receiver's personality, tastes, or needs, it falls under the category of a white elephant gift. Sometimes, we receive more than one of the same gift or something we already have (like three blenders for a wedding gift, one each from different people). These also make excellent re-gifting gifts. Today is the day to dust off those items in the back of your closet and give them as gifts to people who might like them. Or, as a joke, if it's a white elephant. It's all in good humor!

Africa

Dec

The Big Press Conference (RU): December 22 (est)

06:20 AM | -

[Possibly canceled in 2022.] The date for this event is generally confirmed in the third quarter of each year. Due to the war with Ukraine, as of late November 2022, it appears to be unscheduled and set to be missed this year. The Big Press Conference is one of the rare occasions Russian President Putin takes questions from the press. The event typically lasts several hours, and leaders, politicians, diplomats, and journalists watch it in Russia and worldwide. Russia is the largest country in the world by land mass, nearly twice as big as the United States (including Alaska) and Canada, which comes in at #2, even after the break-up of the Soviet Union. From an empire ruled by tsars to an authoritarian dictatorship under communism, and finally, to a fledgling democracy hampered by corruption and crumbling infrastructure, Russia ended the 20th century with political whiplash, a vacancy in power, and an uncertain future. It was in this atmosphere, at the turn of the 21st century (December 31, 1999), that a shrewd, calculating former KGB intelligence officer and one of three First Deputy Prime Ministers would seize the reigns of power through the appointment of the former President, Yeltsin, and elections. Vladimir Putin would hold power through changing the laws, strategy, calculated intelligence, and astute politicking, on par with the canny of a world-class chess player. Putin sees himself as the Russian people's father, protector, leader, and their representative. The annual Big Press Conference is his version of a town hall—meet the press—throne room, where he solves local issues, positions the nation on the world stage, and engages with the people through the press once a year. The event is carefully orchestrated to promote his image, vision, and policies and to project the strength of the Russian nation to both allies and adversaries. Each year the archive is available on the Kremlin site in English and Russian.

Africa

Dec

Family Roots Day: December 23

06:20 AM | -

In the days preceding Christmas, families begin to gather. Stories are swapped, legends made, and the inevitable questions from children about where they came from come up. Family Roots Day, an initiative of the Mormon faith, is set aside each year to explore each family's unique genealogy. Please take this opportunity to map your family tree and help your children trace their roots.

Africa

Dec

Festivus: December 23

06:20 AM | -

Festivus originated in a 1997 episode of "Seinfeld," an American television show. It's celebrated within multi-faith cultures and large cities and provides a reason for people of various faiths to celebrate the season together. The episode goes as such: George Costanza's father, Frank, is the exact person to "blame" for Festivus. Jerry says that when George was a kid, Frank got tired of all the commercialism associated with typical holidays, so he decided to create his own. Frank said: "Many Christmases ago, I went to buy a doll for my son. I reached for the last one they had, but so did another man. As I rained blows upon him, I realized there had to be another way. A new holiday was born: Festivus for the rest of us!" Now, one might ask: what does a Happy Festivus mean? Well, it includes a Festivus dinner, an unadorned aluminum Festivus pole, practices such as the "Airing of Grievances" and "Feats of Strength," and the labeling of easily explainable events as "Festivus miracles." Basically, Festivus is a reason to have a party not associated with a religion or ethnicity in which all are welcome!

Africa

Dec

Human Light Celebration: December 23

06:20 AM | -

Created in 2001 by the New Jersey Humanist Network as a response and alternative to the Christian celebration of Christmas and Jewish observance of Hanukah, Humanlight Celebration promotes humanist values of tolerance, compassion, empathy, honesty, free inquiry, reason, and rationality. Observed by atheists and humanists annually.

Africa

Dec

Moon-New: December 23

06:20 AM | -

The New Moon occurs when the moon and the sun have the same elliptical longitude, and the moon is at its closest orbit to the sun. From earth, we usually cannot see it. The New Moon is considered the first phase.

Africa

Dec

Pfeffernusse Cookies Day: December 23

06:20 AM | -

Pfeffernüsse Cookies Day celebrates Pfeffernüsse, the tiny spice cookies originating from Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands. These little cookies are synonymous with Christmas and the holiday season in North America.

Africa

Dec

Radishes, Oaxaca Feast of (MX-OA): December 23

06:20 AM | -

Described as whimsical and fascinating, each year, the city of Oaxaca (pronounced Wa-Saw-Kha) in Mexico hosts the Night (or Feast) of the Radishes, Noche de Rabanos. The tradition began over 100 years ago when the merchants of the town square were looking for ways to draw worshippers exiting Christmas season services to their stores. Radishes were at peak harvest, so they started carving them into little people and animals. The people loved them and purchased them in force, using them as decorations for holiday festivities. In 1897, it was declared an official festival on December 23rd each year, the day before Christmas Eve. Today expert and novice carvers alike compete for the best-carved radishes. These are not your typical small kumquat-size radishes found in the produce section. Oaxaca grows a mega radish that can weigh up to 6.5 pounds (3kg) and be up to 20 inches in length (50 cm). The festival draws people worldwide and includes a parade, music, food, and fireworks. It's one of the unique Christmas celebrations in the world. Image: Alejandro Linares Garcia, Creative Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rabanos2014_068.JPG

Africa

Dec

Christmas Eve (C): December 24

06:20 AM | -

Christmas Eve is the night before Christmas Day. Christmas Day is the second most important day in the Christian calendar, second only to Easter. It celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ sometime between 1 BC and 1 AD. (There is no year "0"). Christians believe Jesus Christ is the son of God, the messiah promised to the Israelites (and later the Hebrews), and He is the world's savior. Christmas means "The mass of Christ." Christmas is observed by over 2 billion people each year. Some denominations observe it on December 25, and others choose January 7, the day after the Epiphany, or March 25, when the angel told the Virgin Mary that she would have the messiah. Emperor Constantine was the first to declare December 25 as the day set aside to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ in 336 AD, and Pope Julius I confirmed the date a few years later. In reality, it is believed that Jesus was born in the early spring as The Bible story of the nativity details the census, the reason the family traveled to Bethlehem, in some detail. The actual date of His birth is not included in scripture.

Africa