December

December is the twelfth and final month of the Gregorian calendar (the international calendar in current use). It has 31 days. It follows November and precedes January, which begins the new year.

The name 'December' comes from the Latin word 'december', derived from 'decem' meaning ten. This is because in the earlier Roman calendar, this month was the tenth, as the year began in March. When two months—January and February—were added to the calendar, the name remained unchanged despite the shift in its position.

Climate and seasons

In the Northern Hemisphere, December is part of winter, and is the month with the shortest day. In the Southern Hemisphere, such as in Australia and South Africa, it is summer, with long days. The December solstice—when the sun is at its lowest or highest point on the meridian—typically occurs on 21 or 22 December.

In Somalia and the East African region generally, December falls during the Jiilaal season, a dry period with little rainfall and winds from the northeast. Pastoralists migrate during this time to areas where water and pasture can be found.

Observances and customs

December hosts many global observances. 25 December is Christmas, celebrated by the majority of Christians. 31 December is the last day of the year, when many people mark the end of the year and celebrate the arrival of the new year at night. Additionally, 10 December is International Human Rights Day, commemorating the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.

Other notes

The months of the Islamic calendar (Hijri) do not align consistently with December, because the Islamic year is shorter than the solar year, causing the Islamic months to advance each year. Therefore Ramadan and other Islamic months sometimes fall in December, and sometimes in other months.