December Holidays & Quirky Celebrations (2023)
This list of December Holidays and Quirky Celebrations is the 12th and final installment in my monthly series on celebration-worthy moments. I hope these posts will help you make every month more memorable this year.
You’ll notice that some items on this list are linked to other pages. Click through for ideas and resources to help your family get the most out of each occasion.
Rather than relying on memory or needing to reference this post multiple times throughout the month, I suggest making note of any holidays that interest you on your calendar or day planner and printing the related resources in advance.
December Holidays and Quirky Celebrations
December 1
- Advent Season Begins (Sunday after Thanksgiving) – Celebrate Advent with our Scripture Countdown Chain or one of our other Advent Calendars
- Eat a Red Apple Day – “An apple a day keeps the doctor away!”
- National Pie Day – If you’re tired of sweet pies after Thanksgiving, try our savory pot pie recipe instead– it’s a great way to use up leftover turkey!
- National Christmas Lights Day – String up those Christmas lights and let them shine!
- Wear a Dress Day – Come on, Ladies! Embrace your feminine side by donning a dress for the day.
- Christmas Countdown Day – We offer a lot of fun ways to count down the days of advent.
December 2
- Coats and Toys for Kids Day (first Saturday in December) – This December holiday is the perfect time to clear out your closets of outgrown or little worn coats or jackets to take to the nearest homeless shelter.
- Earmuff Day (first Saturday in December)
- International Day for the Abolition of Slavery
- National Fritters Day – How about having corn fritters with dinner and apple fritters for dessert?
- National Mutt Day
- Safety Razor Day – If you’ll order your razors through Dollar Shave Club, you’ll never be without a safe, sharp blade again.
- Play Basketball Day – Anybody up for a round of knock-out? (If you don’t know how to play, you’ll find directions for this fun game of hoops in our free Family Olympic Print Pack.)
December 3
- GivingTuesday (on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving)
- National Roof over Your Head Day – Yet another reason to be grateful!
- International Sweater Vestival
- Make a Gift Day – Nothing says love like homemade!
- National Green Bean Casserole Day – One of our favorite Thanksgiving side dishes. Time to finish it off if you have any left over!
- Let’s Hug Day – Hugs make great Christmas gifts. How about giving a loved one a bunch of coupons for hugs and other nice treats?
December 4
- Wear Brown Shoes Day
- Santas’ List Day – Are you on his “nice” or “naughty” list?
- National Dice Day
- National Sock Day
- International Cheetah Day
- National Cookie Day – Bake a couple dozen cookies to share with neighbors and friends. We have several yummy cookie recipes to choose from.
December 5
- World Trick Shot Day (first Tuesday in December)- Grab a ball and attempt some trick shots of your own. (You might even watch a few Dude Perfect Videos for inspiration)
- Day of the Ninja
- Repeal Day – Anniversary of the day that marked the end of Prohibition.
- International Volunteer Day – ‘Tis the season to do for others… and volunteering is a great way to start. So sign up to serve soup at a homeless shelter, sing Christmas carols at a nursing home, or ring the bell for Salvation Army.
- National Blue Jeans Day
- Walt Disney’s Birthday – Walt Disney Day is celebrated on the first Monday in December, but Dec. 5 is his actual birthday — a good day for watching a Disney Classic
- World Soil Day
- National Communicate with Your Kids Day – For some great discussion prompts to use with your kids, check out our free printable Conversation Starters or get a copy of my Table Talk book.
December 6
- National Microwave Oven Day
- Mitten Tree Day
- Put on your own Shoes Day
- National Gazpacho Day
- St. Nicholas Day – Take advantage of this December holiday to teach your children about the original Santa Claus.
December 7
- Channukah (date varies) – This day marks the beginning of the Jewish Festival of Lights.
- International Civil Aviation Day
- National Cotton Candy Day
- Pearl Harbor Day – This is a good time to review history with your kids and honor the sailors who lost their lives at Pearl Harbor.
- Letter Writing Day – Want to pen a Christmas letter people will actually read? Check out these fun ideas for formatting your annual update.
December 8
- Official Lost and Found Day (second Friday in December) – I have lots of amazing lost and found stories, but this is one of my favorites.
- National Christmas Tree Day – If you haven’t already decorated your Christmas tree, today’s the day to do it!
- Pretend To Be a Time Traveler Day
- Take it in the Ear Day
- Gingerbread Day – Make gingerbread men or decorate a gingerbread house in honor of this December holiday.
- National Chocolate Brownie Day – For some delectable, melt-in-your-mouth brownies, try this favorite family recipe.
December 9
- International Shareware Day (second Saturday in December)
- National Llama Day
- International Day of Veterinary Medicine
- National Pastry Day
- Christmas Card Day – If sending Christmas cards seems like too much of a chore, try incorporating the kids to work in assembly-line fashion.
December 10
- Worldwide Candle Lighting Day (second Sunday in December) – This is your season to shine!
- World Choral Day (second Sunday in December)
- Human Rights Day
- Nobel Prize Day
December 11
- National Noodle Ring Day
- Holiday Food Drive for Needy Animals Day< – Our furry friends have to eat, too, right?/li>
- National App Day
- National Have a Bagel Day – My favorite way to eat a bagel? Topped with avocados and radishes!
December 12
- National Ding-a-Ling Day
- Gingerbread House Day
- Poinsettia Day – I love their bright, vibrant blooms!
- National Ambrosia Day
December 13
- National Cocoa Day – Pour some cups of hot cocoa and top with marshmallows or peppermint sticks. Yum!
- National Day of the Horse
- National Violin Day
- Ice Cream Day – This December holiday is a great excuse to eat ice cream for breakfast!
December 14
- National Bouillabaisse Day
- Roast Chestnuts Day – If you’re gonna do this, you’ve got to do it right: On an open fire, with Jack Frost nipping at your nose!
- Free Shipping Day – Is this really a thing? Because I love free shipping!
- Monkey Day
December 15
- National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day (third Friday in December) – If you get invited or decide to host an ugly Christmas sweater party this year, use our Party Preparedness Pop Quiz to award the most over-the-top Christmas sweater dresser!
- Underdog Day (third Friday in December)
- Bill of Rights Day – The first 10 amendments to the US Constitution became law in 1791. Use our free printable Bill of Rights to memorize/discuss them.
- National Lemon Cupcake Day
- National Wear Your Pearls Day – My husband’s grandmother always believed if you didn’t wear your pearls often, they’d lose their luster.
- Cat Herder’s Day
- International Tea Day – Celebrate this December holiday by drinking a cup of hot tea and taking our tea time trivia test.
December 16
- National Wreaths Across America Day (third Saturday in December) – This is a nice way to honor our fallen vets
- National Chocolate Covered Anything Day
- Boston Tea Party Day (the first one took place in 1773)
- Stupid Toy Day
December 17.
- Beethoven’s Birthday (1770) – This is a great day to listen to some of Beethoven’s beautiful music — his fifth or ninth symphony, perhaps?
- National Maple Syrup Day
- Wright Brothers Day
December 18
- Bake Cookies Day – Again, you can find my favorite cookie recipes here — some with as few as three ingredients and less than 15 minutes prep time — so tie on that apron and get to baking!
- National Roast Suckling Pig Day
- Flake Appreciation Day – Let it snow! Let it snow! Let is snow! And to find some frosty family fun when it does, check out our snow day post.
- National Ham Salad Day
- National Twin Day – Find a fun-loving friend or family member and dress as twins for the day.
- International Migrants Day
- Answer the Phone Like Buddy the Elf Day – Celebrate this December holiday by watching the movie and taking our Elf Christmas Trivia Quiz
December 19
- Look for an Evergreen Day – Pack up the family and head to a local Christmas tree farm.
- National Hard Candy Day
- Holly Day – Gather it fresh to make swags for the stairs or a wreath for your door.
- National Oatmeal Muffin Day – Here’s our family’s secret recipe for scrumptious oat muffins (blueberries optional)
December 20
- Dot Your I’s Day – This is the perfect time to double check and make sure all your Christmas preparations are in order: menu planned, groceries purchased, gifts wrapped, etc.
- Games Day – Once all your preparations have been tended to, take time to play some fun family games with the kids.
- Sacagawea Day – This is the anniversary of the date the Louisiana Purchase was completed in 1803
- Go Caroling Day – Gather with family and/or friends for an old fashioned caroling party, and serenade your neighbors with songs of the season!
December 21
- National Regifting Day (on Thursday before Christmas) – If it’s still in great shape and you’re never going to use it yourself, why not pass it along to someone who will?
- National Look at the Bright Side Day
- National Hamburger Day
- Phileas Fogg Wins a Wager Day – A good day for reading one of my son’s favorite books, Around the World in 80 Days
- Snow White Anniversary – This would be a great day to rewatch Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which was originally released on this day in 1937.
- Forefather’s Day
- Humbug Day (also known as Don’t Be a Scrooge Day) – Read A Christmas Carol (or watch the movie) in honor of Ebeneezer Scrooge and the transformation he underwent. This is something our family does almost every year.
- Look on the Bright Side Day
- National Flashlight Day
- Crossword Puzzle Day
- The First Day of Winter (also known as Winter Solstice) – This is the shortest day of the year, when sun reaches its southernmost point
- National Kiwi Fruit Day (first day of Winter) – Do you peel your kiwis or eat them with the skin?
- National Short Story Day (first day of Winter)
- Yule (first day of Winter) – Kick it off right with a copy of our Winter Fun Bucket List
December 22
- National Date Nut Bread Day (also observed on September 8) – Bake a big enough batch to share with neighbors. (Don’t like dates? Try our banana nut bread recipe instead).
- Abilities Day
- National Cookie Exchange – Host a cookie exchange, eat some treats with your friends, and play a few of our free printable party games.
December 23
- Festivus – For the rest of us!
- National Roots Day – One of the best ways I know to explore your roots is with a 23andMe DNA & Ancestry Kit.
December 24
- Christmas Eve
- Last-Minute Shopper’s Day
- National Chocolate Day – Any excuse to eat chocolate!
- National Egg Nog Day
- Christmas Truce – Celebrate the anniversary of (and learn the history behind) the unofficial ceasefire between British and German troops along the Western Front during World War I by reading Christmas in the Trenches, a lovely picture book for littles.
December 25
- Christmas Day – We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year!
- National Pumpkin Pie Day for recipes see Pumpkin Nook ‘s Cookbook
- No “L” Day – Celebrate this December holiday by singing The First Noel around the Christmas tree.
December 26
- Boxing Day
- National Whiner’s Day
- National Thank You Note Day
- National Candy Cane Day – This December holiday is the perfect day to share candy canes with friends and neighbors. Tag each with a free printable candy cane gospel poem before handing them out
December 27
- Make Cut Out Snowflakes Day- Fold your paper into sixths and start snipping!
- National Fruitcake Day
- National Visit the Zoo Day – If you think you’ll go more than once this year, it might save money to buy a family membership. Ours lets us get Mom, Dad, our minor children, and up to 100 grandkids in for free, every visit (something we take full advantage of)!
December 28
- Card Playing Day
- National Chocolate Candy Day – Got to get all the chocolate out before New Year’s, right? Today’s the day to eat it up.
- National Download Day
- National Short Film Day – Pixar has a bunch of short films that fit the bill when it comes to celebrating this December holiday!
- Call a Friend Day – And if speed dial fails you, use our free printable directory page.
- Pledge of Allegiance Day – If you need to review the words (or teach them to your kids or grandkids), check out our free Pledge of Allegiance printable.
December 29
- No Interruptions Day (last work day of the year)
- Pepper Pot Day – A great day for eating pickled peppers — and maybe watching Iron Man. Let’s hear it for Pepper Potts!
- National Hero Day
- Tick Tock Day
- Still Need to Do Day – Use our free printable To-Do Lists to keep track of all the stuff you need to get done this week (and every week).
December 30
- National Bicarbonate of Soda Day
- Bacon Day
- Falling Needles Family Fest Day – As in, the pine needles falling off your Christmas tree… time to take it down and sweep them up!
- Festival of Enormous Changes at the Last Minute – What big goals for the past year can you still mark of your list before beginning a new one?
December 31
- Make Up Your Mind Day
- Unlucky Day
- New Year’s Eve – Do you stay up until midnight to ring in the New Year or go to bed early to greet it well-rested?
Week-long Celebrations in the Month of December
First Week of December
- National Handwashing Awareness Week (first full week of December)
- Computer Science Education Week (week of December 9)
- Tolerance Week
Second Week of December
- Take a New Year’s Resolution to Stop Smoking (observed for 51 days beginning December 17)
Fourth Week of December
- Kwanzaa (observed for 7 days beginning December 26)
Special observances that last the entire month of December
- Write a Friend Month
- Farm to Food Bank Month
- National Pear Month – Shop for some crisp but juicy ones!
- Tomato and Winter Squash Month
- Read a New Book Month – Need suggestions? Look through my past book reviews in my Recent Reads column.
- Root Vegetables and Exotic Fruits Month
- Safe Toys and Gifts Month
- National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month
- Bingo’s Birthday Month – We offer several free printable versions of BINGO on our website to help you celebrate this December holiday, including a Christmas Bingo!
And that wraps us our December Holidays post. For more posts in this series, please follow this link: Monthly Holidays & Quirky Celebrations And to keep the fun going through every season of life, check out our family fun bundle. It’s packed with practical ways to nurture family relationships and make the most of daily interactions all year long.
