Margaret Minnicks has been an online writer for many years. She writes about interesting things.

December: The 12th Month

December is the twelfth and the last final of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It is the last of the seven months that comprise 31 days. The other six are January, March, May, July, August, and October.

December's Flower and Birthstones

December's flower is the narcissus. Unlike most months, December has three birthstones. They are tanzanite, turquoise, and zircon, and they are all beautiful. A person born in December could not go wrong no matter which they choose as their favorite.

December's Zodiac Signs

• Sagittarius (November 22–December 21)
• Capricorn (December 22–January 20)

What's Special About December?

December is a festive time for many people. Schools are often closed between Christmas and New Year. Some parents take time off from work to be with their children. They might even take them on vacation since they have such a long break.

Many people prepare so much for Christmas Day and New Year's Eve that they don't pay too much attention to other days worthy of being observed in December. While Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Eve are all special times, there are other days in the month to observe.

The Season of Advent

For disciples of Christ, the month of December is more than just shopping and gift-giving. It is also the season of Advent. This is the four-week period before Christmas Day and is a time that Christians reflect on Jesus' first coming and the anticipation of His second coming. An Advent candle is lighted in churches and in some homes each week of Advent.

A theme is ascribed to each of the four weeks. Preachers often preach a sermon based on the Advent theme for that particular week.

The Themes of Each Week of Advent

• Week 1: Hope
• Week 2: Peace
• Week 3: Joy
• Week 4: Love

Observances in December

Presidents Born in December

Presidents Who Died in December

December Celebrity Birthdays

• December 1. Sarah Silverman, Woody Allen, Treat Williams, Bette Midler
• December 2. Lucy Liu, Nelly Furtado, Britney Spears
• December 3. Amanda Seyfried, Julianne Moore, Ozzy Osbourne
• December 4. Marisa Tomei, Jeff Bridges, Tyra Banks
• December 5. Paula Patton, Little Richard, Frankie Muniz, Margaret Cho
• December 6. Judd Apatow, Steven Wright
• December 7. Nicholas Hoult, Ellen Burstyn, Aaron Carter
• December 8. Ian Somerhalder, John Waters, Teri Hatcher, Kim Basinger
• December 9. Kirk Douglas, Beau Bridges, Felicity Huffman
• December 10. Raven-Symone, Bobby Flay, Nia Peeples
• December 11. Mo'Nique, Rita Moreno, Teri Garr
• December 12. Regina Hall, Bob Barker
• December 13. Jamie Foxx, Dick Van Dyke, Christopher Plummer, Taylor Swift
• December 14. Vanessa Hudgens, Dee Wallace
• December 15. Tim Conway, Don Johnson
• December 16. Shane Black, Theo James
• December 17. Eugene Levy, Bill Pullman
• December 18. Brad Pitt, Katie Holmes, Steve Spielberg, Christine Aguilera
• December 19. Jake Gyllenhaal, Cicely Tyson, Alyssa Milano
• December 20. Jonas Hill, Todd Phillips

• December 21. Samuel L. Jackson, Kiefer Sutherland, Jane Fonda, Andy Dick
• December 22. Diane Sawyer, Jordin Sparks, Hector Elizando
• December 23. Susan Lucci, Holly Madison
• December 24. Lee Daniels, Ryan Seacrest, Ricky Martin
• December 25. Sissy Spacek, Jimmy Buffett
• December 26. Jared Leto, Chris Daughtry
• December 27. John Amos, Wilson Cruz
• December 28. Denzel Washington, Seth Meyers, Maggie Smith, Joe Manganiello
• December 29. Jude Law, Mary Tyler Moore, Ted Danson
• December 30. Matt Lauer, Meredith Vieira, LeBron James, Tyrese Gibson
• December 31. Anthony Hopkins, Ben Kingsley, Tim Matheson, Nicholas Sparks

December Births

As you can see from the chart above, many celebrities were born in December. Many other people also celebrate birthdays in December. People born in December are often cheated out of presents since they will probably get gifts from friends and family members on Christmas Day. Those with a birthday closer to Christmas and on Christmas Day are forgotten the most.

If elementary school children have birthdays in the summer months or while they are on Christmas break, some schools let them celebrate their birthdays with their classmates before the break starts. That is a creative way for them not to feel left out. Let's remember people who were born in December. They deserve to be celebrated just like those who were born in the other eleven months.

Things That Are Often on Sale in December

• Gift Cards
• TVs
• iPhones
• Video Games
• Jewelry
• Wedding Gowns
• Golf Clubs
• Champagne
• Cookies
• Christmas Decorations (after Christmas)