Month at a Glance
December is the month the calendar throws everything it has at you. Hanukkah lands somewhere in the first three weeks depending on the lunar calendar, Christmas takes the 25th, Kwanzaa starts on the 26th, the winter solstice marks the shortest day around the 21st, and New Year's Eve closes the whole thing out on the 31st. It's also the only month where 'what are you doing for the holidays' is a meaningful question you can ask a stranger.
2026 Calendar
Every day in December
Battle of the Sinop Day (Russia)
Armed Forces Day (Cuba)
Doctors' Day (Cuba)
Navy Day (India)
Children's Day (Suriname)
Anniversary of the Founding of Quito (Ecuador)
Armed Forces Flag Day (India)
Battle Day (Falkland Islands)
Anna's Day, marks the day to start the preparation process of the lutefisk to be consumed on Christmas Eve, as well as a Swedish name day, celebrating all people named Anna. (Sweden and Finland)
Alfred Nobel Day or Nobeldagen (Sweden)
Establishment of Kurdish Women's Union (Iraqi Kurdistan)
Constitution Day (Russia)
Acadian Remembrance Day (Acadians)
Alabama Day (Alabama)
Bill of Rights Day (United States) 2nd Amendment Day (South Carolina)
Day of Reconciliation, formerly celebrated as Day of the Vow by the Afrikaners (South Africa)
Accession Day (Bahrain)
International Migrants Day
Goa Liberation Day (Goa, India)
Abolition of Slavery Day, also known as Fête des Cafres (Réunion, French Guiana)
Armed Forces Day (Philippines)
Dongzhi Festival
Birthday of the Queen Silvia, an official flag flying day (Sweden)
Christmas Eve (Christianity) and its related observances: Aðfangadagskvöld, the day when the 13th and the last Yule Lad arrives to towns. (Iceland)
Christmas Day, Christian festival commemorating the birth of Jesus. (Internationally observed)
Boxing Day, except when December 26 is a Sunday. If it is a Sunday, Boxing Day is transferred to December 27 by Royal Proclamation. (Commonwealth of Nations), and its related observances: Day of Good Will (South Africa and Namibia)
Constitution Day (North Korea)
King Taksin Memorial Day (Thailand)
Constitution Day (Ireland)
Day of the Declaration of Slovakia as an Independent Ecclesiastic Province (Slovakia)
International Solidarity Day of Azerbaijanis (Azerbaijan)