All - Leep Calendar

December 7 is the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese empire in 1941. The following day the United States declared war on Germany, Italy and Japan, thus entering WWII. National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Americans honors the more than 2,400 Americans killed on that day.

Africa

Dec

People's Choice Awards: December 7

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The People's Choice Awards have been held since 1975. They are one of the several most popular award shows in the United States. Movies, actors, TV, music and musicians, games and celebrities - the People's Choice Awards envelop almost the entire spectrum of the pop culture in the country and are especially beloved for the fact that the public is the jury that decides the winners. PLEASE NOTE: All televised and venue specific events (sporting, concerts, trade shows, etc.) should be treated as estimated, even if the dates are set. Several factors can cause an event to change dates at the last minute including weather, strikes, natural disasters, political upheaval, conflicting programming and current events. Because of this, always verify the event with the promotor prior to committing resources. In many cases we must estimate the dates based upon previous years' schedules, as the final dates are not set until a few months or weeks prior to the event. If the date is known to be estimated, you will see an (est) following the date in the title.

Africa

Dec

Student's Day, (IR)(1953): December 7

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Student's Day is in memory of three student protesters martyred December 7, 1953, free speech and the right to assemble. Most of the animosity between the West and Iran can be traced back to 1953. At the beginning of the year, Iran was a democracy and seen as one of the most progressive nations in the region. Its natural resources, highly educated society and forward thinking prime minister Mohammad Mosaddeq, projected a bright future for the Asian country. Mosaddeq was a man of the people, and he believed the natural resources of his nation should belong to the people. This created a problem for two other countries, the United States and Great Britain. Nationalized oil wouldn't allow for American or British companies to profit to the extent required, and there was a lot of profit to be had. Oil wasn't the only natural resource. Iran has a variety of ecosystems,, minerals and sources of wealth. The prime minister had other progressive ideas that would make the most populous and wealthiest Persian nation less amenable to foreign stewardship and coaxing; these ideas also made the nation less susceptible to the internal corruption of the past. This was not acceptable to various powers in the post World War II political classes, nor to former loyalists of the monarchy within Iran. Essentially, on August 19, 1953, agents of the CIA, MI-6 and various dissenting factions within the Iranian population, orchestrated a coup, overthrew the prime minister and installed the exiled Shah, (king), back in power. Martial law was declared and the secret police began arresting and tracking dissenters. The Shah, a dictator, ruled with an iron fist, but deferred to Western powers, which helped him to stay in power until his people overthrew him in 1979. The Hostage Crisis, culminating with the storming and occupation of the US Embassy in Tehran, is one of the most well-known events of that year. The year 1979 is when animosity between Iran and its Arab neighbors began to escalate. It is also the year much of the Arab world pivoted to very conservative. That's another story. Given this (very, very, very) basic background of a tremendously complex history, we go to the reason Iran observes Student's Day. December 7, 1953, Tehran University students gathered to protest the upcoming December 9 arrival of US Vice President Richard Nixon. The peaceful protests were met with a 'Shoot to Kill' order from the Shah's security forces. Three student protesters, Mostafa Bozorgnia, Ahmad Ghandchi and Mehdi Shariat-Razavi were killed. Though the public remembered the martyrs each year thereafter, the Shah's security services would ruthlessly pursue and dissuade anyone from recognizing their sacrifice during his rule. Immediately following the 1979 revolution and the deposing of the Shah, Student's Day became a symbol of the nation's displeasure with American foreign policy. Over the next few decades, under the strict rule of the Ayatollahs, the day was often used by the people to voice opinions about their own rulers, in addition to foreign nations. This did not sit well with the religious and political leaders, who brought the repression of dissent and free speech back full circle to 1953, without the bullets. By 2009, celebrations of Student's Day could be observed, as long as they were not critical of the Iranian government or its religious leaders. Iran's Student's Day embraces a dynamic history. How it will be observed in the future, only the future will tell. Review the events of the 1953 coup via the US National Security Archives: https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB435

Africa

Dec

Bodhi Day (B)(JP)(532 BC): December 8

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Bodhi Day celebrates the enlightenment of Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism. Japan celebrates this event annually on December 8th. People following the Chinese religious calendar celebrate it on the 8th day of the 12th lunar (as apposed to Solar) month in the Chinese Calendar. This day is the anniversary of him becoming the Buddha. A common misconception is that Siddhartha Gautama was born in India. He was born in Nepal, and the small Himalayan country takes great pride in this fact!

Africa

Dec

Chocolate Brownie Day, Ntl.: December 8

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Africa

Dec

Constitution Day, (UZ)(1991): December 8

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Uzbekistan's Constitution Day marks the anniversary of December 8, 1991, the day the people approved their new constitution. This is a national holiday.

Africa

Dec

Feast of the Immaculate Conception (C): December 8

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The Feast of the Immaculate Conception is one of the most important Marian feasts in Roman Catholicism, praising the solemn belief in the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mary is one of the most important figures in Christianity and Islam. Both faiths believe in the immaculate conception and revere Mary, though only Christians mark it as a holy day. Many predominantly Catholic countries in the world celebrate it as a national holiday. Panama considers this day Mother's Day. This observance is celebrated worldwide eight months prior to the feast of the Nativity of Mary.

Africa

Dec

Lady of Camarin Day (GU): December 8

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Africa

Dec

Lard Day, Ntl.: December 8

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National Lard Day premiers in 2018 and promotes the use of healthy, animal based fats in cooking and baking. This day strategically falls on the day before National Pastry Day. Lard is what makes pastries flakey and tasty. With trans-fats, the manufactured synthetic fats, on their way out, people are rediscovering the versatility and flavor found in natural animal based fats like lard.

Africa

Dec

Take It in the Ear Day: December 8

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Africa

Dec

Anti-corruption Day, Intl.: December 9

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Africa

Dec

Christmas Card Day: December 9

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Christmas cards have been around since Sir Henry Cole commissioned the creation of such on May 1, 1843. This first set of cards was illustrated by John Callcott Horsley in London. Sir Henry was charged with creating the penny post office in Britain. Queen Victoria had just commissioned the first stamps, which made posting a letter something even the ordinary citizen could afford. Coupled with the railroad, suddenly goods, services and messages were able to move around the kingdom at a fraction of the cost. Prior to stamps, only the wealthy could afford to send letters via couriers. Sir Henry came up with the idea for Christmas cards as he was designing the systems for what would become Royal Mail and looking for ways to encourage the public to use the services. Within the next six years, Christmas cards would reach the United States. In 1875, German immigrant Louis Prang began printing and mass producing them. Cards, and especially Christmas Cards, became big business. Finally, on January 10, 1910, Joyce Hall and his brothers formed Hallmark cards, beginning with just two shoeboxes full of post cards. In 1915 they would buy their first printing press and begin producing cards in-house. Hallmark would go on to define the industry and create many of the cards, holidays and traditions we see today.

Africa

Dec

Genocide Victims Day, Intl. (1948): December 9

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International Genocide Victims Day has the longest official name of any event in the calendar: International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and the Prevention of this Crime. This day marks the anniversary of December 9, 1948 and the adoption of the Genocide Convention by the United Nations. The organization began observing this day in 2015.

Africa

Dec

Independence/Republic Day, (TZ)(1961): December 9

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Independence and Republic Day in Tanzania marks the anniversary of December 9, 1961, the day the nation achieved independence from Britain. In 1964, the then known nation of Tanganyika joined with Zanzibar to become the new nation of Tanzania. This is a national holiday.

Africa

Dec

Pastry Day, Ntl.: December 9

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National Pastry Day celebrates all pastry and the best way to celebrate is to indulge! This is an unofficial event with no sponsor.

Africa