Every day is a celebration, but maybe it's okay to celebrate new and different purposes every day. Let us give you a few ideas for this December!
1st December: The Hornbill Festival
Image Source: The Hindu
Held annually in Kohima, Nagaland, from December 1st to 10th, it is a grand celebration of the state's rich cultural heritage and traditions. Known as the “Festival of Festivals,” it was established in 2000 by Nagaland Tourism in collaboration with the Government of Nagaland and the Central Government. It aims to showcase the cultural diversity of the Naga people and other northeastern states of India. The festival features a wide array of events, including traditional Naga tribal art, dance performances, local handicrafts and food festivals highlighting the authentic local cuisines. Renowned local and national artists perform at cultural shows and music festivals held in this festival, making
2nd December:International Day for the Abolition of Slavery
On this day in 1949, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others. The day reminds us of the dark past of racism, slavery and social oppression seen previously throughout history. This day is also an urgent call to actions for organizations, governments and individuals to come together unitedly to continue fighting against the deplorable practice of slavery and human trafficking in modern day India.
3rd December: Feast of St. Francis Xavier
Paying homage to the patron saint of Goa, St. Francis Xavier, the feast of St. Francis Xavier is one of the best celebrations in the state. St. Francis Xavier was one of the first of Jesuit leaders to have stepped in Goa to promote Christianity and the Jesuit Ethos. The annual feast held on the 3rd of December marks the day he was buried in the Basilica of Bom Jesus Church. After nine days of prayer, called the Novena, Goa hosts a variety of festivities to honor the Saint’s death almost overnight before the yearly novenas and continues for a month after the feast.
4th December: Indian Navy Day
It is celebrated on December 4 every year. The day honors the Indian Navy's role in protecting the country's maritime borders, and the dedication of its personnel. The day also commemorates the launch of Operation Trident against Pakistan during the Indo-Pakistan War in 1971 when the Indian Navy sank four Pakistani ships. This victory was considered as a key factor in aiding the Indian victory in this war.
5th December: Vivaah Panchami
Vivaah Panchami is a Hindu festival celebrated on fifth day (Panchami) of the Shukla Paksha (waxing moon) in the month of Margashirsha (November–December) and falls on 5th December this year. It commemorates the divine wedding of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita, a sacred event described in the epic Ramayana. Vivaah Panchami is celebrated with great enthusiasm even today many temples dedicated to Rama and Sita are beautifully decorated on this day, particularly in Ayodhya, India and Nepal's city of Janakpur, a historical and religious site associated with Sita. The festival takes on a massive scale, with thousands of devotees participating each year to reenact their wedding through grand processions and dramatized performances of Ramlila. The festival promotes values of love, commitment, and respect, inspiring devotees to emulate the ideals of Rama and Sita in their relationships too.
6th December: Mahaparinirvan Diwas
Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, who had practiced Buddhism in his life’s last days, passed away on December 6, 1956, less than two months after converting to Buddhism. The Mahaparinirvan Diwas, or death anniversary, of the father of the Indian Constitution, Dr. BR Ambedkar is celebrated on December 6 every year to honor Babasaheb Ambedkar's immeasurable contribution to Indian society. To this day, lakhs of People continue to flock in large numbers to pay their respects at Chaitya Bhoomi(Dadar) on this day.
7th December: Champa Sashti
Image Source: https://english.jagran.com/
Champa Sashti, which falls on December 7th is celebrated particularly by devotees of Lord Khandoba in Maharashtra. Champa Shashti is a festival dedicated to Lord Shiva who is said to have been incarnated in the form of the ferocious Warrior-god Khandoba to release people of Jejuri (present day near Pune, Maharashtra) from the chaos created by demons Mani- Malla. The day is marked as the final victory of Khandoba (Incarnation of Lord Shiva) over these two evil demons. This religious festival features a blend of devotion, rituals, processions, and spiritual discourses. Khandoba worshippers maintain fasts during the festival and worship Khandoba with turmeric wood apple as well as leaves. It is believed that worshipers who celebrate Champa Shashti with complete devotion are blessed by the deity (Khandoba) with protection from evil in all aspects of life for eternity. The festival is observed for six days, with the main celebrations happening on the sixth day in particular, which falls on December 8th in 2024.
December 9th: International Anti-Corruption Day
Observed annually on December 9th, was designated by the United Nations General Assembly following the adoption of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) in 2003. The day aims to highlight the negative impact of corruption on economic and social development and calls for collective efforts to combat it in all sectors of society.
December 10th: World Human Rights Day
The United Nations in 1950 declared December 10 as “World Human Rights Day” to commemorate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) that had been created two years earlier in 1948. Though some promises of UDHR are yet to be realized in actuality even to this day, UDHR still stands in human history as the first major stride forward stating loud and clear that no matter where we live, what we believe, or how we love, we are each individually deserving of the most basic fundamentals of human needs.
December 13th: St. Lucia's Day
Celebrated on December 13th, Saint Lucia’s Day is a festival in Sweden and other Scandinavian countries. This day honors Saint Lucia, a Christian martyr who symbolizes light and hope during the darkest days of winter. The highlight of the celebration is the Lucia procession, where young girls dressed in white robes and wearing candlelit crowns sing traditional songs. Families enjoy saffron-infused buns called lussekatter, paired with coffee or mulled wine. Homes and towns glow with candles, symbolizing the triumph of light over darkness, with Saint Lucia’s Day serving as a reminder of generosity, love, and faith.
December 14th or 15th: Datta Jayanti
Datta Jayanti, also known as Margashirsha Purnima, celebrates the birth of Lord Dattatreya, a combined incarnation of the Hindu trinity—Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Devotees across Maharashtra and India honor him with prayers, fasting, and Paduka Puja at temples. Lord Dattatreya is believed to have been born to Sage Atri and his wife Anusuya. Temples and families tied to the Datta Sampradaya revere his incarnations like Shripad Vallabh, Nrisimha Saraswati, Swami Samarth, and Gajanan Maharaj. Datta Jayanti is a time for devotion, spiritual reflection, and honoring the legacy of this revered deity.
December 16th: Gita Jayanti
Gita Jayanti is observed on Margashirsha Ekadashi, marking the day when Lord Krishna delivered the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. This scripture provides guidance on righteous duty (dharma), devotion, and the path to liberation. Celebrated by spiritual organizations, the day often features Gita shloka recitation competitions, group discussions, and discourses.
December 16th: Dhanu Sankranti
Celebrated primarily in Odisha, Dhanu Sankranti marks the sun’s transition into the Sagittarius zodiac sign. This day also heralds the beginning of the Dhanu Yatra, a grand festival featuring one of the world’s largest open-air theatrical performances. The festival vividly reenacts episodes from Lord Krishna’s life, with colorful costumes, folk music, and dramatic presentations. Devotees gather at temples to offer prayers and partake in rituals.
December 16th to 24th: Las Posadas
Las Posadas is a cherished Mexican tradition celebrated from December 16th to December 24th. This nine-day festival reenacts Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter before Jesus’s birth. Communities organize processions with participants carrying candles and singing carols, symbolizing the holy couple’s journey. Each evening concludes with celebrations at a designated house, featuring festive foods like tamales and hot beverages, along with piñatas for children.
December 19th: Goa Liberation Day
It is celebrated annually on 19th December to mark the historic success of ‘Operation Vijay’ undertaken by the Indian armed forces with aid of local resistance for 3 days to defeat Portuguese colonial forces and liberate the state of Goa in 1961, 15 years after India attained freedom in 1947. Torchlight parades, festivities, cultural programs and events paying tribute to patriotic martyrs takes place in Goa every year on this day.
December 21st: World Saree Day
World Saree Day is celebrated in December on this day every year to recognize the elegance of traditional Indian clothing. Sarees are considered to be some of the most beautiful and graceful gifts made by Indian artisans, honoring the art of sarees, the weaving communities, and the saree's cultural significance. From North, South, East and West, bring our country together by wearing sarees of all kinds and sharing the beauty of simplicity.
December 22nd: National Mathematics Day
Image Source: spiritoframanujan.com
National Mathematics Day is celebrated in India to commemorate the birth anniversary of the legendary Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan who made substantial contributions to the analytical theory of numbers and worked on elliptic functions, continued fractions, and infinite series. Mathematics is that subject that you can't live with, and you can't live without it - do celebrate those memories where you found help in addition, subtraction, and those long-winded tables we were made to learn.
December 23rd: National Farmer's Day
Kisan Divas, or National Framer’s Day coincides with the birth anniversary of Chaudhary Charan Singh, a former Prime Minister of India. Events, seminars, competitions, and functions are held on this day to educate people about agriculture and its importance. We all know how deeply rooted India’s past and present has been in agriculture; please take this day out your busy schedules to cherish all that the farmers of India have done for you and the world.
December 24th: Christmas Eve and National Consumer Day
Image Source: firstcry.com
If you were looking for an excuse to shop, this day is perfect for you! Christmas Eve is celebrated on this day. It is a day of anticipation and tradition for many people. For Christians, it's a religious observance that marks the beginning of the Christmas season. Some traditions include attending church services, singing carols, baking, and decorating.
Another important celebration on the 24th of December for India is that India also celebrates National Consumer Day; this day commemorates the approval of the Consumer Rights Act by the President of India on December 24, 1986.
December 25th: Christmas
Who doesn't know Christmas? So, here's something that might surprise us all. Christmas seems to be inspired by the Roman festival of Saturnalia. It was a festival that honoured Saturn, the Roman god of farming and the harvest. It began as a one-day event, but over time it was extended to a week-long celebration. People celebrated with singing, dancing, games, and gift-giving. During Saturnalia, Romans would set aside societal rules and reverse roles. For example, masters would invite slaves to eat with them and even serve them. Some say that the use of candles during Saturnalia influenced Christmas rituals of the Latin Church. So, this time we celebrate Christmas, we can perhaps think about how age-old and embedded its existence has been.
December 26th: Veer Bal Diwas
Veer Bal Diwas is celebrated in India on December 26th to honor the martyrdom of the two sons of Sikh Guru Gobind Singh, Baba Fateh Singh Ji and Sahibzade Baba Zorawar Singh Ji. The day was first celebrated in 2022. The day is celebrated to honor the sacrifice of the Sahibzadas and to inspire the younger generation with their courage and strength. Never forget that each and every one of us share courage, compassion and love - in carrying degrees, no matter the age or generation.
December 28th: Holy Innocents Day
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Holy Innocents Day is celebrated on December 28th. It commemorates the execution of the innocent male children in Bethlehem. The Feast of the Holy Innocents honors the memory of the infants who were slaughtered by King Herod following the birth of Jesus. Though the Holy Family escaped Herod's wrath by fleeing into Egypt, the innocent baby boys of Bethlehem fell victim to his manic fear of losing power. This day stands as another witness to the imbalance between the corrupt powerful and the innocent powerless.
December 31st: New Year's Eve
Image Source: rhythmofplay.com
Welcome to the end of another year. In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve, also known as Old Year's Day, is the evening or the entire day of the last day of the year, 31 December. In many countries, New Year's Eve is celebrated with dancing, eating, drinking, and watching or lighting fireworks. We have come to an end of this month’s calendar, we all hope you had an awesome year, and we hope you have several more to come! Let’s bring it on, 2025!!!
-Gauri Gawde, Rashee Shetty and Hia Vishal Panjabi.
Volunteers, Editorial Committee 2024-25
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