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, 1981
Day of Week 1st » Inex-Adria Aviopromet Flight 1308, a McDonnell Douglas MD-80, crashes in Corsica, killing all 180 people on board.
Day of Week 4th » South Africa grants independence to the Ciskei "homeland" (not recognized by any government outside South Africa).
Day of Week 11th » El Mozote massacre: Armed forces in El Salvador kill an estimated 900 civilians in an anti-guerrilla campaign during the Salvadoran Civil War.
Day of Week 13th » General Wojciech Jaruzelski declares martial law in Poland to prevent dismantling of the communist system by 'Solidarity (Polish trade union) named Solidarity'.
Day of Week 17th » American Brigadier General James L. Dozier is abducted by the Red Brigades in Verona, Italy.
Day of Week 19th » Sixteen lives are lost when the Penlee lifeboat disaster e.g Penlee lifeboat goes to the aid of the stricken coaster Union Star in heavy seas.
Day of Week 30th » In the 39th game of his third National Hockey League e.g NHL season, Wayne Gretzky scores five goals, giving him 50 on the year and setting a new NHL record previously held by Maurice Richard and Mike Bossy, who earlier had each scored 50 goals in 50 game
Famous Birthdays on December in 1981
1st » Park Hyo-shin, South Korean singer-songwriter