The Month of December
December is the twelfth month of the year and has 31 days. It was originally the tenth month of the Roman calendar until 153 BCE.
December Means Tenth
December is the twelfth and last month of the year in the modern day Gregorian calendar and its predecessor, the Julian calendar. The month kept its original name from the Latin word decem meaning “ten” which marked it as the tenth month of the year in the Roman calendar.
December was named during a time when the calendar year began with March, which is why its name no longer corresponds with its placement in the Julian and Gregorian calendars.
- Middle English - decembre
- Latin name - December - tenth month
- Old English - Geol-monaþ - month before yule
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December is the seasonal equivalent of June in the Southern Hemisphere.
The month contains the winter solstice which is the shortest day of the year and marks the beginning of the winter season in the Northern Hemisphere.
December starts on the same day of the week as September every year and ends on the same day of the week as April every year.
Birth Flower and Birthstone
Its birth flower is the holly or Euphorbia pulcherrima.
The birthstone for December is the blue turquoise or zircon.