DayOneToday
Today, around the world
Thursday, December 20. What the world marks, and the firsts that happened on this day.
Today, somewhere · from DayOneToday
What the world marks
AI imageInternationalInternational Human Solidarity DayUnited Nations annual unity day
MacauMacau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day
On this day · from DayOneToday
Firsts, not anniversaries
2019The United States Space Force becomes the first new branch of the United States Armed Forces since 1947.10 years ago
1977With the approval of the State Council, China's two largest newspapers, the People's Daily and the Guangming Daily, publish in full for the first time the Second Chinese Character Simplification Scheme.52 years ago
1968The Zodiac Killer murders his first two officially confirmed victims, David Arthur Faraday and Betty Lou Jensen, on Lake Herman Road in Benicia, California, United States.61 years ago
1957The initial production version of the Boeing 707 makes its first flight.72 years ago
1951The EBR-1 in Arco, Idaho becomes the first nuclear power plant to generate electricity. The electricity powered four light bulbs.78 years ago
1941World War II: First battle of the American Volunteer Group, better known as the "Flying Tigers", in Kunming, China.88 years ago
1940Captain America Comics #1, containing the first appearance of the superhero Captain America, is published.89 years ago
1917Cheka, the first Soviet secret police force, is founded.112 years ago
1860South Carolina becomes the first state to attempt to secede from the United States with the South Carolina Declaration of Secession.169 years ago
1848French presidential election: Having won the popular vote in a landslide, Louis Napoleon Bonaparte is inaugurated in the chamber of the National Assembly as the first (and only) president of the French Second Republic.181 years ago
The week ahead, around the world
The same subject is marked on different dates almost everywhere.
Friday, Dec 21Dongzhi · China · East Asia — The winter solstice festival (December 21 or 22); families eat tangyuan together.
Friday, Dec 21Armed Forces Day · Philippines — National holidays honoring military forces
Friday, Dec 21Forefathers' Day · Plymouth, Massachusetts — Annual holiday in Plymouth, Massachusetts, US
Friday, Dec 21São Tomé Day · São Tomé and Príncipe
Saturday, Dec 22Mother's Day (Hari Ibu) · Indonesia
Saturday, Dec 22Dongzhi Festival — Twenty-second solar term of traditional Chinese lunisolar calendars and festival
Saturday, Dec 22Armed Forces Day · Vietnam — National holidays honoring military forces
Saturday, Dec 22Mother's Day · Indonesia — Celebration honouring mothers
Saturday, Dec 22National Mathematics Day · India — Celebration that commemorates the birthday of Srinivasa Ramanujan
Saturday, Dec 22Teachers' Day · Cuba — Day for appreciating teachers
Saturday, Dec 22Unity Day · Zimbabwe
Sunday, Dec 23Night of the Radishes · Oaxaca, Mexico — Radishes carved into figures and scenes.
Sunday, Dec 23Birthday of the Queen Silvia, an official flag flying day · Sweden
Sunday, Dec 23Children's Day · South Sudan and Sudan — Public observance in honor of children
Sunday, Dec 23Day of all level operational control structures servicemen · Ukraine — Combined military forces of Ukraine
Sunday, Dec 23Festivus, a secular holiday made popular by the sitcom Seinfeld — Secular holiday celebrated December 23
Sunday, Dec 23HumanLight · Secular humanism in United States — Humanist holiday
Sunday, Dec 23Kisan Diwas · Uttar Pradesh, India — Prime Minister of India from 1979 to 1980
Sunday, Dec 23Tibb's Eve · Newfoundland and Labrador — Regional holiday in western Newfoundland
Sunday, Dec 23Tom Bawcock's Eve · Mousehole, Cornwall — Annual festival in Mousehole, Cornwall, England
Sunday, Dec 23Victory Day · Egypt
Monday, Dec 24Christmas Eve · Many countries
Monday, Dec 24Christmas Eve (Christianity) and its related observances: Aðfangadagskvöld, the day when the 13th and the last Yule Lad arrives to towns. (Iceland)
Monday, Dec 24Christmas Eve (Christianity) and its related observances: Feast of the Seven Fishes (Italian Americans) — Italian-American Christmas Eve celebration
Monday, Dec 24Christmas Eve (Christianity) and its related observances: Juleaften (Denmark)/Julaften (Norway)/Julafton (Sweden) — Christmas celebrations and traditions in Denmark
Monday, Dec 24Christmas Eve (Christianity) and its related observances: Nittel Nacht (certain Orthodox Jewish denominations) — Yiddish name for Christmas Eve
Monday, Dec 24Christmas Eve (Christianity) and its related observances: Nochebuena (Spain and Spanish-speaking countries) — Evening or day before Christmas Day
Monday, Dec 24Christmas Eve (Christianity) and its related observances: The Declaration of Christmas Peace (Old Great Square of Turku, Finland's official Christmas City) — Finnish tradition
Monday, Dec 24Christmas Eve (Christianity) and its related observances: Wigilia (Poland) — Polish Christmas Eve vigil supper
Monday, Dec 24Christmas Eve (Christianity) and its related observances: Quviasukvik, the Inuit new year (Alaska, Canada, Greenland and Russia) — Inuit New Year
Monday, Dec 24Christmas Eve (Christianity) and its related observances: Kūčios (Lithuania) — Traditional Lithuanian Christmas Eve meal
Monday, Dec 24Independence Day · Libya
Monday, Dec 24Day of Military Honour – Siege of Ismail · Russia — Memorable dates in the Russian Armed Forces
Tuesday, Dec 25Christmas Day · Many countries
Tuesday, Dec 25Christmas Day, Christian festival commemorating the birth of Jesus. · Internationally observed — Christian holiday usually on December 25
Tuesday, Dec 25Children's Day · Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Republic of Congo — Public observance in honor of children
Tuesday, Dec 25Tulsi Pujan Diwas · India — Indian spiritual leader and convicted rapist (born 1941)
Tuesday, Dec 25Constitution Day · Taiwan
Tuesday, Dec 25Good Governance Day · India — Indian holiday
Tuesday, Dec 25Quaid-e-Azam's Day · Pakistan — Public holiday in Pakistan
Tuesday, Dec 25Takanakuy · Chumbivilcas Province, Peru — Annual practice in Chumbivilcas Province, Peru, on 25 December
Wednesday, Dec 26Boxing Day · United Kingdom · the Commonwealth — Once the day boxes of thanks were given to those who served all year.
Wednesday, Dec 26Kwanzaa begins · United States — December 26 to January 1: seven principles, one each day.
Wednesday, Dec 26Boxing Day, except when December 26 is a Sunday. If it is a Sunday, Boxing Day is transferred to December 27 by Royal Proclamation. (Commonwealth of Nations), and its related observances: Day of Good Will (South Africa and Namibia) — Commonwealth nations holiday on 26 December
Wednesday, Dec 26Boxing Day, except when December 26 is a Sunday. If it is a Sunday, Boxing Day is transferred to December 27 by Royal Proclamation. (Commonwealth of Nations), and its related observances: Family Day (Vanuatu) — Public holiday
Wednesday, Dec 26Boxing Day, except when December 26 is a Sunday. If it is a Sunday, Boxing Day is transferred to December 27 by Royal Proclamation. (Commonwealth of Nations), and its related observances: Thanksgiving (Solomon Islands)
Wednesday, Dec 26Independence and Unity Day · Slovenia — Slovenian national holiday
Wednesday, Dec 26Mauro Hamza Day · Houston, Texas — Egyptian fencer
Wednesday, Dec 26Mummer's Day · Padstow, Cornwall — Midwinter celebration in Cornwall, England
Wednesday, Dec 26Saint Stephen's Day (public holiday in Alsace, Austria, Catalonia, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Ireland, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovakia and Switzerland), and its related observances: Father's Day (Bulgaria) — Celebration honoring fathers
Wednesday, Dec 26The first day of Kwanzaa, celebrated until January 1 · United States — Annual African-American celebration
Wednesday, Dec 26The first day of Junkanoo street parade, the second day is on the New Year's Day · The Bahamas — Festive season that occurs on Boxing Day and New Year's Day
Wednesday, Dec 26The second day of the Twelve Days of Christmas (Western Christianity) Second day of Christmas (Public holiday in the Netherlands, Poland and Slovakia)
Wednesday, Dec 26Wren Day · Ireland and the Isle of Man — Irish and Manx tradition on 26 December
Thursday, Dec 27Constitution Day · North Korea
Thursday, Dec 27Emergency Rescuer's Day · Russia — Professional holiday in Russia
Thursday, Dec 27Saint Stephen's Day · Eastern Orthodox Church; a public holiday in Romania — 26 December in the Western church
Thursday, Dec 27The third of the Twelve Days of Christmas · Western Christianity — Period between 26 December and 6 January