It’s December 2, and the holidays kick into high gear. You know I am a total maniac for mid-winter celebrations, and the wackier the better. If I am missing anything – and, with so many cultures and so much history in the world, how could it not be? – please add to this year’s list in the comments below.

12/2 – Advent begins; Hanukkah begins (sunset); inauguration of the Gävle Goat (Sweden)
12/5 – Krampusnacht!
12/6 – Feast Day of Saint Nicholas
12/7 – Day of the Little Christmas (Colombia)
12/8 – Sibelius’ birthday
12/12 – Arrival of the Yule Lads (Iceland); Poinsettia Day (established 1851)
12/13 – Saint Lucia’s Day
12/17 – Saturnalia
12/21 – Winter Solstice; Yule begins
12/22 – Giant Lantern Festival (Philippines)
12/23 – Festivus!
12/24 – Christmas Eve
12/25 – Christmas Day; Establishment of the Celestial Cow (Kemetic Orthodox)
12/26 – Saint Stephen’s Day; Boxing Day; Kwanzaa begins
12/31 – New Year’s Eve; Ghambar Maidyarem (Zoroastrian)
1/1 – New Year’s Day
1/5 – Twelfth Night; La Befana! (Italy)
1/6 – Epiphany; Feast of the Three Kings
1/7 – Coptic Christmas; Eastern Orthodox Christmas

Follow the Gävle Goat on Twitter! The opening celebrations take place now. Link to live streaming here:

https://twitter.com/Gavlebocken?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor