December Holidays
This holiday may have been celebrated as early as 336 C.E. during the reign of the first Christian emperor, Constantine.
What is Christmas?
If you hail from Down Under or the British Isles, you'd likely use this name for the jolly old elf.
What is Father Christmas?
On December 6, 1865, the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, abolishing this.
What is slavery?
This Christmas song released in 1954 is the best-selling single of all time since the advent of recorded music, with estimated sales in excess of 50 million copies worldwide.
What is "White Christmas?"
This semi-precious stone is considered the birthstone for those with December birthdays.
What is turquoise?
This Festival of Lights commemorates the miracle of a day's worth of oil lasting 8 days during a battle in 165 B.C.
What is Hanukkah?
The name Santa Claus is said to have evolved from a Dutch nickname, Sinter Klaas, which is a shortened form of this saint's name.
Who is Saint Nicholas (or Sint Nikolaas)?
December 1, 1955, might be considered the birth of the modern American civil rights movement, as this person was arrested in Montgomery, Alabama, for refusing to give up her seat to a white man.
Who is Rosa Parks?
This 2018 holiday film is the highest grossing Christmas movie of all time, earning more than $538 million worldwide.
What is The Grinch?
In the Roman calendar, which began in March, "December" was actually this.
What is the tenth month?
The 8-day cultural celebration of Kwanzaa was created in 1966 as a way to unite African-Americans after what Los Angeles event?
What is the Watts Rebellion?
This name for Santa, used in the 1947 movie "Miracle on 34th Street," comes from the German Christkindl or "Christ child."
What is Kris Kringle?
On December 25, 1776, during the American Revolution, this commander-in-chief of the Continental Army took 2,400 of his men across the Delaware River.
Who is George Washington?
The Spangler Candy Company in Ohio is the largest manufacturer of this holiday staple in the country, producing approximately 45% sold in the United States.
What are candy canes?
This annual meteor shower, which usually peaks in mid-December, is named for the constellation that it appears to "fall" from.
What is the Geminid Meteor Shower?
This British tradition occurs the day after Christmas, and was originally a day to ensure that upper class Britons gave servants and workers a day off.
What is Boxing Day?
This French Father Christmas has a robe and wicker basket, and he wanders with his donkey, Gui (which translates to "mistletoe").
Who is Pere Noel?
The U.S. Naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, was attacked by nearly 200 Japanese aircraft in a raid that lasted just over one hour and left nearly 3,000 Americans dead on this date in 1941.
What is December 7th?
The tallest Christmas tree ever displayed at New York's Rockefeller Center was the 1999 Norway spruce from Connecticut that reached this height.
What is 100 feet?
This religious festival, celebrated in Mexico and Latin American countries between December 16 and 24, commemorates the journey that Joseph and Mary made from Nazareth to Bethlehem.
What is Las Posadas?
Originally a Norse festival, this December celebration is observed by Wiccans and neo-Pagans, among others, on the darkest day of the year.
What is Yule (or Winter Solstice)?
Amongst Pennsylvania Germans, this fur-clad character carries a switch and visits homes prior to Christmas to check up on the behavior of the children.
Who is Belsnickel?
On December 16, 1944, during World War II, this offensive began as the Germans launched a big counter-offensive in the Ardennes Forest along a 75-mile front, taking American troops by surprise.
What is the Battle of the Bulge?
The honor for the oldest known existing fruitcake goes to one that was baked in 1878 when this man was president of the United States.
Who is Rutherford B. Hayes?
This winter festival, celebrated in ancient Rome in December, was a time of unrestrained merrymaking.
What is Saturnalia?