Lighting Christmas trees, giving Hanukah gifts, building gingerbread houses, and gathering together on Christmas day to read the story of Jesus’ birth- these are December traditions most of us are familiar with.
But there are quite a few obscures holidays in December that are interesting, too.
Here is a list of 31 Holidays to Celebrate in December. From celebrating food days like Oatmeal Muffin Day and Noodle Ring Day to looking into your past on National Roots Day, December is full of fun for everyone in your family.
Celebrating 31 Days of December
1. Eat a Red Apple Day
There are dozens of different types of apples. Go to the market and buy a red apple variety you’ve never eaten before.
2. National Fritter’s Day
Make a fritter! Here’s an apple recipe by Rachael Ray that I’m excited to try out
3. National Roof over Your Head Day
It’s a day to celebrate having a home. What are all the things you love about your home?
4. Santa’s List Day
I think you know what you can do for this day! We don’t make out lists to Santa at our house, but it is fun to look at your Christmas wish list and ask others about theirs.
5. Bathtub Party Day
Buy some bubble bath. Play with some water beads. Spread some food colored shaving cream all over the tub walls.
6. Mitten Tree Day
I copied these great suggestions from this page at the Holiday Insights site.
-Read the story The Mitten to young children.
-Set up a Christmas tree and have people bring in mittens to donate.
-Take a poster board and cut out the shape of a Christmas trees. Color and decorate it. Hang it on a wall. Cut out a mitten from construction paper. Color and decorate it.
7. Letter Writing Day
With e-mail and other social networking sites, we hardly handwrite letters anymore. Handwrite and send a letter to a friend or family member today.
8. National Brownie Day
Bake some brownies!!!!!!!
9. Christmas Card Day
If you send out Christmas cards, this would be a great day to work on them or send them out.
10. Human Rights Day
Human Rights Day was created by the United Nations on December 10, 1948. Go to the United Nations Human Rights Day page to learn more about this holiday.
11. National Noodle Ring Day
If you’re up for an adventure and trying out a new type of food, here’s a German Noodle Ring Recipe to try out.
12 Poinsettia Day
Go to your local garden nursery and buy a poinsettia. Bring it home and read The Legend of the Poinsettia
13. Violin Day
If you have a violin or know someone who does, play or listen to a tune. If not, check out some classical violin CDs from your local library.
14. National Bouillabaisse Day
Read about the history of bouillabaisse (very interesting!) and then make a pot for dinner tonight.
15. Bill of Rights Day
Read a copy of the Bill of Rights. Discuss how your life would be different if one of these rights were taken away.
16. National Chocolate Covered Anything Day
Go a little crazy and cover something in chocolate that you’ve never covered in chocolate before. Maybe a grape or a piece of bread. Now eat it!
17. National Maple Syrup Day
Have you even tapped a maple tree to get the sap? Do you know how maple syrup is made? Here is a fun YouTube video to watch.
18. Bake Cookies Day
Try out a new cookie recipe today.
19. Oatmeal Muffin Day
Here’s a recipe for some incredible oatmeal dinner rolls. I love baking them from scratch. They’re delicious!
20. Go Caroling Day
Every year we carol at a nursing home. Carol for people who can’t leave their homes.
21. Mayan Calendar Ends
If you have Netflix (or try renting one of these documentaries from your library), watch either Breaking the Maya Code or 2012: Mayan Prophecy.
22. National Date-Nut Bread Day
Cooks.com has thousands of great nut bread recipes
23. Roots Day
I love going on Ancestry.com. You can start exploring your roots free for the first 30 days.
24. National Egg Nog Day
I love eggnog! It was hard for me not to drink eggnog the year I was pregnant with the twins. I’ll be having a glass this day J
25. National Pumpkin Pie Day
Bake a wonderful pumpkin pie today!
26. Boxing Day
Read the section about Boxing Day from the book Christmas around the World.
27. Make Cut out Snowflakes Day
I found a fun six sided snowflake activity on Pinterest.
28. Card Playing Day
Play a new-to-you card game today.
29. Pepper Pot Day
Did you know this thick, spicy soup was first created during the Revolutionary War? Read this page at Holiday Insights to learn more about the origins of this holiday.
30. National Bicarbonate of Soda Day
Alright. I have to confess that I didn’t realize at first that this day was all about baking soda. Do your kids know the technical name for baking soda? This page at Holiday Insights has a great list of the many uses of baking soda.
31. Make up Your Mind Day
How about making up your mind about what your priorities will be for this next year? What things do you want to create? What will be important for you to focus on with your family this next year?
Photo Credit: Ewan-M
What December holidays are you looking forward to?