December is the twelfth and last month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian Calendars. It is one of seven months with the length of 31 days. December is the first month of meteorological winter in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, December is the seasonal equivalent to June in the Northern hemisphere, which is the first month of summer. December is the month with the shortest daylight hours of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the longest daylight hours of the year in the Southern Hemisphere.
December symbols: Its birth flower is the narcissus. The birthstones of December are the turquoise, zircon, and tanzanite. The zodiac signs for the month of December are Sagittarius (until December 21) and Capricorn (December 22 onwards).
Historical Events for December, 1893
Day of Week 4th » First Matabele War: A patrol of 34 British South Africa Company soldiers is Shangani Patrol e.g ambushed and annihilated by more than 3,000 Northern Ndebele people named Matabele warriors on the Shangani River in Matabeleland.
Day of Week 20th » The end of one of the most dramatic Test Matches of all time. In the first to involve six days of play, England became the first team to win one after following on at Sydney.
Day of Week 23rd » The opera 'Hansel and Gretel (opera) or Hansel and Gretel' by Engelbert Humperdinck is first performed.
Famous Birthdays on December in 1893
1st » Henry J. Cadbury, American biblical scholar and Quaker (d. 1974)
2nd » Leo Ornstein, Russian-American pianist and composer (d. 2002)
3rd » Edmond Decottignies, French weightlifter (d. 1963)
4th » Herbert Read, English poet and critic (d. 1968)