All - Leep Calendar

The Twelve Days of Christmas, or Christmastide, is the period between Christmas Day and the Epiphany.

Christmas Day is the second most important day in the Christian calendar, second only to Easter, and it celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ sometime between 1 BC and 1 AD—there is no year zero. Christians believe Jesus Christ is the son of God, the Messiah promised to the Israelites and Hebrews, and the world's savior.

Christmas means "The mass of Christ." Christmas is observed by over two billion people worldwide. Some denominations observe it on December 25; others choose January 7, the day after the Epiphany, or March 25, the day an angel told the Virgin Mary that she would give birth to the Messiah.

Roman emperor Constantine was the first to declare December 25 as the day set aside to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ in 336 AD, and Pope Julius I confirmed the date a few years later. In reality, Jesus was born in the early spring, as the bible story of the nativity details the spring census, the reason the family traveled to Bethlehem. The actual date of His birth is not in scripture. The

Epiphany is on January 6. It is the day God revealed to the magi (the three kings who were not Hebrew. These men traveled to visit the newborn Christ) that Jesus Christ is the Messiah promised and that God manifests within Him, which is significant. Before this event, the covenant of God was with the Hebrews and, before them, the Israelites exclusively. Through a revelation to the magi, God began His covenant with all mankind, allowing every human to choose God rather than having an exclusively chosen people.

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Dec

Navidades, (PR)(C): December 15-January 6

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Navidades is the official Christmas season in Puerto Rico. It begins ten days before Christmas and extends until Epiphany (January 6). Celebrations are vast, colorful, and spiced with the unique fusion of Caribbean and Latino culture, music, food, and relatively warm tropical weather.

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Dec

Poh (S): December 14–January 12, 2021

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Poh is the tenth month in the Sikh calendar. During Poh, Sikhs celebrate Shaheedi Vada Sahibzada, the Shaheedi Chota Sahibzada, and the birth of Guru Gobind Singh.

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Dec

First Sunday of Advent (C): December 1

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The first Sunday of Advent marks the beginning of the liturgical year and the commencement of the Advent season in Christianity. Today, violet or blue colored vestitures adorn the clergy and the first blue or violet Advent candle is lit. The season of Advent occurs in the four weeks leading up to Christmas. It's about preparing the mind, body, and soul for the Messiah's joyous arrival and marking the church's birth. Advent comes from the Latin "advenio," which means "to come to." The Advent season is about preparing for the arrival of the Messiah—the birth of Jesus Christ. Orthodox Christians tend to celebrate Christmas at the end of Christmastide, January 6, and Western Christians celebrate on the 25th of December.

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Dec

AIDS Day, World: December 1

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World AIDS Day is held in December each year and is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV, and commemorate people who have died. In 1988, World AIDS Day was the first global health day ever created.

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Dec

Antarctica Day, Intl. (1959): December 1

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Today is the anniversary of the signing of the Antarctic Treaty on December 1, 1959. This treaty, signed by 12 nations to ensure the area of Antarctica (comprising 10% of the earth's surface), be set aside as an international space forever and be used only for peaceful purposes. The treaty is considered the first nuclear arms agreement and the first to govern human activity in an international space. On the 50th anniversary, the non-profit Our Spaces took up the cause. They created International Antarctica Day to help educate the world about this pristine environment and the treaties protecting it.

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Dec

Art, Day Without: December 1

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Created in 1989 as a way for artists, museums, and other cultural institutions to raise awareness about AIDS, Day Without Art (DWA) now attracts thousands of institutions worldwide. It has become part of the observance calendar for many schools, libraries, museums, galleries, and art centers.

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Dec

Bifocals at the Monitor Liberation Day: December 1

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Bifocals at the Monitor Liberation Day is an ode to the forty-plus crowd. If you’re over 40, you’ll get this. It comes out of nowhere. You’re going along daily with no need for reading glasses when suddenly, the screen gets fuzzy. At first, you fight it, increasing the screen font, contrast, and lighting to pretend it isn’t happening. As the days go by, it gets worse. Without warning, now you cannot read labels in the grocery store, see your nails to do a manicure, or anything else within 12 inches of your face. It dawns on you—you are officially in middle age, and you’ll never be able to pick up anything to read without your trusty glasses again. And, if you wear bifocals, it’s even worse. Will you use the far-sighted or reading lenses inserted into your far-sighted lenses? How do you decide? Should you decide? Whatever you do, one thing is sure. With all that up and down and side to side to see what’s on the screen, at least your neck gets a good workout!

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Dec

Independence Day, (PT)(1640): December 1

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Independence Restoration Day in Portugal marks the anniversary of December 1, 1640, when the Portuguese people revolted against Spanish rule and became a kingdom. Independence Restoration Day is a national holiday.

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Dec

Moon—New: December 1

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The New Moon occurs when the moon and the sun have the same elliptical longitude, and the moon is at its closest orbit to the sun. From earth, we usually cannot see it. The New Moon is considered the first phase.

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Dec

National Day, (RO)(1918): December 1

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National Day in Romania marks the anniversary of December 1, 1918, when the people of Romania and Transylvania were reunited after WWI. National Day is a national holiday.

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Dec

Red Apple Day: December 1

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Eat a Red Apple Day celebrates the multiple varieties of red apples, one of the world’s favorite fruits. Apples are tied to knowledge (Eve ate an apple from the tree of knowledge in the Bible. Children give apples to teachers) and to health (An apple a day keeps the doctor away.) Red Delicious, Macintosh, Empire, Ida Red, and Macoun are the most popular red varieties.

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Dec

Rosa Parks Day (1955): December 1

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On December 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa Louise Parks became known as "The Mother of Modern Day Civil Rights Movement" when she refused to surrender her seat to a white male passenger on a bus. At the time, racial segregation was strictly enforced by law in many areas of the US. This simple act was courageous and dangerous. Born in 1913, Rosa Parks was 42 years old and firmly defended her right to a seat on the bus.

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Dec

Winter Weather Safety Day, Ntl.: December 1

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Thunder and lighting, snow, ice, hypothermia, and extreme cold are some of the weather-related hazards of winter. National Winter Weather Safety Day is the annual day the National Weather Service seeks to educate the public about the dangers and how to prepare for them. National Winter Weather Safety Day is one of four seasonal Safety campaigns sponsored by the National Weather Service each year.

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Dec

Cider Monday: December 2

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Cider Monday rounds out Thanksgiving Weekend by encouraging stores to offer free cider and holiday treats to people that come out and support brick-and-mortar stores. This event first ran in 2013.

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