December
Overview
December is the last and twelfth month of the Gregorian calendar, and has 31 days. In the Northern Hemisphere it is the period when winter deepens, while in the Southern Hemisphere it corresponds to early summer. As the turning point at which the year is concluded and the new year is welcomed, it is the month in which Christmas and year-end culture converge worldwide.
Main Content
Name and Etymology
The English word December derives from the Latin decem (ten). In the early Roman calendar, December was the tenth month, and when January and February were added to the front around 700 BCE, it became the twelfth month, but its name remained unchanged. In Korean, the Sino-Korean term 十二月 (sibi-wol) was used alongside the native Korean word '섣달' (seotdal), and '섣달그믐' (seotdalgeumeum) means the last day of the twelfth lunar month. The Japanese name for December, Shiwasu (師走), means that even teachers run about busily, reflecting the bustle of the year's end.
Astronomical and Climatic Characteristics
In the Northern Hemisphere, the winter solstice (冬至) falls around December 21–22, when nights are longest and heating demand reaches its peak. In the Southern Hemisphere, the summer solstice occurs at the same time. In mid-December, the Geminid meteor shower is observed, and in the latter part of the month, winter constellations such as Orion and Sirius adorn the night sky. The twelve signs of the zodiac span Sagittarius (November 22–December 21) and Capricorn (December 22–January 19).
Major Anniversaries and Events
- December 1: World AIDS Day
- December 3: International Day of Persons with Disabilities
- December 10: Human Rights Day, Nobel Prize award ceremony
- December 25: Christmas
- December 31: New Year's Eve (除夜), Seotdalgeumeum
In Korea, a New Year's Eve bell-ringing ceremony is held at Bosingak in Seoul on the night of December 31, and broadcasters' year-end award ceremonies and year-end parties are concentrated at this time. In the West, Christmas Eve on December 24 and Boxing Day on December 26 have become major occasions for consumption and family gatherings.
Korean Seasonal Customs
In Seotdal, the twelfth lunar month, households cleaned the house, prepared new clothes, and got ready for Seollal. On the last day, New Year's Eve, there were customs to drive away the year's bad fortune, and preparations were made to hold ancestral rites. Since modern times, as the perception spread that December 31 of the solar calendar is 'the last day of the year,' a dual structure emerged in which the solar year-end and the lunar year-end either overlap or are separated.
Economic and Social Significance
December is the peak season for consumption and distribution. Sales in the retail industry rise sharply due to demand for Christmas and year-end gifts, and companies wrap up their fiscal-year settlement and budget drafting. The aviation and lodging industries enter peak season with year-end travel demand. On the other hand, the risk of safety accidents such as drinking-related and traffic accidents and fires also increases, and countries implement special year-end safety measures.
Latest Trends
As of 2024–2025, changes surrounding December are clear. First, as average winter temperatures rise due to climate change, variability has grown with repeated early-winter cold snaps and abnormal warm spells, and Decembers with rain instead of snow have become frequent. Second, in year-end consumption, the share of online and mobile channels is rising further, and AI-based product recommendations and year-end settlement report services are spreading. Third, major year-end events such as the Bosingak bell-ringing ceremony have become established as events held simultaneously through online livestreams and metaverse content. Fourth, with the spread of K-content, year-end award ceremonies and music broadcasts held in December are expanding to target global fandoms. Fifth, along with criticism of the commercialization of the Christmas season, movements to reflect on communal meanings such as care and sharing are also growing. In addition, as each country's year-end settlement and tax schedules and the finalization of new-year budgets are concentrated in December, its institutional importance is also maintained.
Related Topics
- [[Christmas]]
- [[Winter solstice]]
- [[Gregorian calendar]]
- [[Bosingak]]
- [[Year-end party]]
- [[Seotdalgeumeum]]