Fun Fact Fiesta Logo

Discover the Magic: Top 9 Amazing Fun Facts About December You Never Knew!

illustration of december
Get ready to deck the halls with fascinating tidbits, as we dive into a flurry of delightful and intriguing fun facts about December!

1. December's Triple Birthstones

When the blue-hued birthstone bunch got together for a "stone's throw" party, a trio of fancy gems rocked up fashionably late, claiming their rightful December membership: turquoise, zircon, and tanzanite are December's birthstones! With a palette pleasing to wintry eyes, these cool-toned stones come in gold, white gold, silver, and occasionally platinum settings, ensuring a sparkling gift perfect for the December-born in your life.
Source => fiercelynxdesigns.com

2. December Proposals

Move over Cupid, Santa's stealing your thunder: December takes the cake as the most popular month for marriage proposals, with yuletide joy pushing 38% of couples to pop the question on Christmas Day, New Year's Day, and Thanksgiving.
Source => weddingpro.com

3. Running of the Santas

Every December, a horde of Saint Nicks unite in a jolly, tipsy, globe-trotting sleigh ride, making spirits bright and making spirits… disappear: The Running of the Santas, originating in Philadelphia in 1998, now spans over 20 cities globally, with 10,000 costumed participants reveling in a 15-hour festival and pub crawl, dressed as over-the-top Christmas characters and festive dreidels, spreading cheer, beer, and even love as some Santa-suited couples find their match made in North Pole heaven.
Source => inquirer.com

4. Mysterious Paper Clip Inventor

Whoever said "behind every great invention, there's a great inventor" clearly never met the mysterious maestro of office supplies: the enigmatic creator of the paper clip: This undercover innovator of essential organization patented their clever curls of wire in 1887, overshadowing the oft-credited Johan Vaaler whose 1901 Norwegian patent turned out to be a carbon copy of the earlier Konaclip.
Source => uh.edu

Wassail – The Medieval Trend

5. Wassail – The Medieval Trend

Before there were smoothie bowls and Instagrammable lattes, the Anglo-Saxons had their own frothy craze for the 'gram: the wassail! A decadent Christmas cocktail made of mulled ale, curdled cream, and roasted apples – basically, a medieval party in a pewter bowl. The serious reveal: This fancy potation led to an entire tradition of wassailing, where revelers sang carols, carried the bowl with pomp, and even thanked trees with toast soaked in ale. To this day, the wassail endures in parts of England with people visiting orchards to make noise, dance, and scare off evil spirits for great apple harvests.
Source => whychristmas.com

6. World Record Christmas Lights

When Santa's elves went on strike at the North Pole, the Gay family from Dutchess County, New York, stepped up to spread Christmas cheer: This shining family broke their own Guinness World Record in 2021 with 687,000 lights choreographed to 250 songs on their residential property, becoming a massive drive-thru attraction and raising nearly $500,000 for local charities via the Union Vale Fire Department's community fund. Their festive legacy began back in 1995 and has grown into a twinkling, charitable spectacle, open nightly through December 28th.
Source => fox5ny.com

7. Geminids Meteor Shower

Who needs rocket-fueled reindeer when you can witness nature's own annual fireworks display, lighting up the night sky faster than you can say "Santa's sleigh on steroids"?: The Geminids meteor shower, peaking on December 13-14, is a celestial spectacle caused by Earth passing through the path of comet-like asteroid 3200 Phaethon. With up to 150 meteors per hour zooming across the sky at 40 times the speed of a bullet, this dazzling show seemingly originates from the Gemini constellation. Best viewed with a side of nightfall and a dash of predawn at a cloudless location, remember to spare 30 minutes star-gazing to let your eyes adjust and fully enjoy this out-of-this-world experience.
Source => foxweather.com

8. Dentist Co-Invents Cotton Candy

Ever wondered why dentists might secretly dread cotton candy? Well, the legend has it that they have a hand in inventing the sugary matrix: In 1897, Dentist William Morrison and confectioner John C. Wharton launched cotton candy at the 1904 World's Fair, placing a sweeter spin on the spun sugar that dates back to the 1400s. These complementary confectionary conspirators are celebrated with National Cotton Candy Day every December 7th, spinning endless celebrations into new realms of flavor at carnivals, fairs, and circus snack bars.
Source => nationaldaycalendar.com

9. December's Origin as 10th Month

Feeling 'deca-dent' this festive season? Well, you're in for a Roman rollercoaster of linguistic gymnastics: December was originally the tenth month in the ancient Roman calendar, with the Latin name "December" actually meaning ten, until interlopers January and February gatecrashed the party and bumped it to the twelfth and final month of the year.
Source => almanac.com

Related Fun Facts