Holidays Calendar for December 1, 2026
Like many other former colonies, the Central African Republic celebrates the day when the state gained independence from the colonizer. In CAR Independence Day is known as Republic Day and it's celebrated on December 1.
December 1 is Restoration of Independence in Portugal. This holiday celebrates the end of the Philippine Dynasty (House of Habsburg), that ruled the country from 1580 till 1640.
Great Union Day is celebrated in Romania annually on December 1. This holiday was established to commemorate the union of Transylvania with Romania in 1918.
Freedom and Democratic Day is a public holiday in Chad, that is celebrated every year on December 1. This holiday celebrates the events of 1990, when the long-lasting Hissène Habré's dictatorship was overthrown and Idriss Déby rose to power.
Costa Rica is one of a few countries, that officially doesn't have a military. It was abolished on December 1, 1948 by President José Figueres Ferrer and this anniversary is celebrated on the national level as Military Abolition Day.
Commemoration Day, also known as Martyrs’ Day, is a public holiday in the United Arab Emirates. Observed annually on December 1, Commemoration Day honors the memory of Emirati martyrs who have given their life in their home country and abroad in the field of military, humanitarian and civil service.
Day With(out) Art is an annual campaign that aims to raise awareness of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, as well as to remember people who have died of AIDS and inspire positive action. It is held on December 1 to coincide with World AIDS Day.
International Maratheftiko Day is observed annually on December 1. It is celebrated by wine lovers around the world in honor of a rare red wine grape variety from Cyprus.
Antarctica Day is an international holiday that was established in honor of the Earth’s southernmost and least-populated continent. It is celebrated annually on December 1 to commemorate the signing anniversary of the Antarctic Treaty.
Prisoners for Peace Day is observed internationally on December 1. This annual campaign was launched by War Resisters’ International (WRI), a global anti-militarist and pacifist network founded in 1921 and consisting of more than 90 affiliated organizations in 40 countries.
For most people, the first Tuesday in December is just another day, but for many basketball players and fans around the globe, it is World Trick Shot Day. This inspiring holiday was created by the Harlem Globetrotters in 2016 to encourage people to show off their basketball skills.
Prosecutors' Day is celebrated in Ukraine annually on December 1. This professional day was instituted by Presidential Decree in 2000 in order to acknowledge the important role that the Ukrainian prosecutors play in the protection of human rights and their contributions to the formation of the legislative state.
Annually teachers of Panama celebrate their professional day on December 1. As Christmas approaches, celebration of Teachers' Day gains a specific significance for the teachers and their students.
Ice Hockey Day is a Russian holiday observed annually on December 1. It is dedicated to one of the most popular winter sports in Russia. The holiday was initiated by Vladislav Tretiak, a renowned ice hockey player and coach who was the goaltender for the Soviet Union national ice hockey team from 1964 to 1984.
Neurologist Day is an unofficial professional holiday celebrated in some countries on December 1. It is dedicated to physicians who specialize in dealing with disorders of the central and peripheral nervous systems and their subdivisions.
Indigenous Faith Day is an official holiday in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh celebrated on December 1. It was established to raise awareness of the importance of preserving the religion, culture and languages of the indigenous tribes of Arunachal Pradesh.
The inhabitants of Karakalpakstan, as well as Karakalpaks across the world, celebrate Karakalpak Language Day on December 1 to commemorate the day when Karakalpak was declared the official language of the Republic of Karakalpakstan.
Motion Pictures Day, also translated as Movies Day or Japanese Cinema Day, is observed in Japan on December 1. It was created to celebrate the country’s film industry and commemorate the introduction of cinema to Japan in 1896.
Battle of Sinop Day is one of the Russian days of military honors. This day is observed on December 1 to commemorate the events of 1853, when Russian and Turkish troops started military actions at the seaport of Sinop in northern Anatolia.
In many countries their first president is considered to be the father of the nation. Regarding this, Day of the First President was established in Kazakhstan to celebrate the day, when Nursultan Nazarbaev became the first President of independent Kazakhstan in 1991.
Self-governance Day is one of the important holidays celebrated in Iceland on December 1. This holiday was established to commemorate the anniversary of signing the Danish-Icelandic Act of Union, that officially recognized Iceland as a sovereign country.
Since 2001 people of Thailand celebrate Damrong Rajanubhab Day. This national observance commemorates the passing of Prince Damrong Rajanubhab in 1943.
Rosa Parks Day is a U.S. observance dedicated to the civil rights activist Rosa Parks. It is celebrated on February 4 or December 1, depending on the state.
State Inauguration Day, also known as Statehood Day, is an official regional holiday celebrated in the Indian state of Nagaland on December 1. On this day in 1963, Nagaland became the 16th state of India.
Eat a Red Apple Day is observed on December 1. It is a perfect occasion to remind yourself that there are healthy snacks that are also tasty.
December 1 is a great day to begin preparations for Christmas if you haven’t done it yet. Why don’t you start with perfecting your Christmas cookie recipes? Break out your cookie cutters and bake some delicious cookies to celebrate National Cookie Cutter Day.
If you haven’t put up your Christmas tree right after Thanksgiving, December 1 is the perfect day to do it because it is National Christmas Lights Day. This holiday was created to celebrate one of the most beloved Christmas traditions.
AIDS is one of the most dangerous diseases. Since the time of its discovery people were not able to find a vaccine, only the ways to prevent infecting. Observation of World AIDS Day raises public awareness of this disease.
Mother's Day in Iran is celebrated on the 20th day of the Islamic month of Jumada al-Thani. This is the birth anniversary of Fatimah, the only daughter of prophet Muhammad (according to Shia scholars).
This Day in History
- 2020 The Arecibo Telescope in Puerto Rico collapsed due a critical failure in the cables supporting its suspended structure. In 2022, it was announced that it would not be rebuilt.
- 2013 Yutu or Jade Rabbit, the first Chinese lunar rover, was launched as part of the Chang'e 3 lunar exploration mission.
- 2007 Died: Ken McGregor, Australian tennis player, winner of Australian Open in 1952. He and his doubles partner Frank Sedgman are generally considered to be on of the greatest men's doubles teams of all times.
- 2006 Died: Claude Jade, French actress, known for starring as Christine in three French films Stolen Kisses, Ben and Board and Love on the Run. She also worked internationally, including in the Soviet Union, the United States, Italy and Japan.
- 2002 Died: Edward L. Beach Jr., American officer and author. He is best known for his best-selling novel Run Silent, Run Deep that was also made into the movie by the same name.
- 1991 Died: George Stigler, American economist, winner of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 1982.
- 1989 The right-wing military rebel Reform the Armed Forces Movement made an attempt to oust Philippine President Corazon Aquino in a failed bloody coup d'état.
- 1988 Born: Zoë Kravitz, American actress, singer and model, the daughter of musician Lenny Kravitz and actress Lisa Bonet. She appeared in the films X-Men: Days of Future Past, X-Men: First Class, It's Kind of a Funny Story.
- 1987 Died: James Baldwin, American author, poet and critic, his best known novel is Go Tell It on the Mountain.
- 1985 Born: Janelle Monáe, American singer, songwriter, rapper, and actress. Her acting credits include the films Moonlight, Hidden Figures, Harriet, and Glass Onion.
- 1984 Australia's most profound mystery: the body of an unidentified man was found in Adelaide. The death was caused by unknown poison, the case also involved a secret code in a very rare book. The case remains unsolved.
- 1982 Born: Riz Ahmed, British actor and rapper. He won an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film for The Long Goodbye, a short film accompanying his second studio album.
- 1977 Born: Brad Delson, American musician. The audience knows him as the guitarist and one of the founding members of the Grammy Award winning rock band Linkin Park.
- 1974 Two Boeing 727 aircraft crashed in the USA. Domestic TWA Flight 514 crashed northwest of Dulles International Airport, killing all 92 people on board, and domestic Northwest Airlines Flight 6231 crashed northwest of John F. Kennedy International Airport, killing 3 members of the crew.
- 1970 Born: Sarah Silverman, American stand-up comedian, actress, and writer. She first rose to prominence as a writer and cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live.
- 1969 The US draft lottery was resumed after its cancellation during World War II.
- 1964 Malawi, Malta and Zambia joined the United Nations. Angola also joined the UN on the same day, but 12 years later.
- 1960 Paul McCartney and Pete Best, the original drummer of the Beatles, were arrested in Hamburg, Germany, after accusations of attempted arson. The musicians were later deported.
- 1958 Fire broke out at the Our Lady of the Angels School in Chicago, 92 children and 3 nuns died.
- 1949 Born: Pablo Escobar, Colombian drug lord, narcoterrorist, and politician, who was the founder and sole leader of the Medellín Cartel. Dubbed "the king of cocaine", Escobar was the wealthiest criminal in history.
- 1947 Died: Aleister Crowley, English occultist, magician, novelist, known as the founder of the religion and philosophy of Thelema in the early 20th century.
- 1947 Died: G. H. Hardy, English mathematician. He is known for his essay on the aesthetics of mathematics A Mathematician's Apology, which is considered to be one of the best insights into the mind of a working mathematician written for the layman.
- 1945 Born: Bette Midler, American singer, actress and comedian, the winner three Grammy Awards, four Golden Globes, three Emmy Awards and a Tony Award. As an actress she is best known for her roles in The First Wives Club, Gypsy, For the Boys etc.
- 1937 Born: Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, Latvian psychologist and politician, the 6th President of Latvia from July 8, 1999 to July 8, 2007.
- 1935 Died: Bernhard Schmidt, German optician. He invented the Schmidt telescope that corrected optical errors of the earlier telescopes. His invention made possible the construction of very large, wide-angled reflective cameras of short exposure time for astronomical research.
- 1925 Born: Martin Rodbell, American biochemist, remembered for this discovery of G-proteins. This work won him the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1994.
- 1913 The first moving assembly line was introduced at the Ford Motor Company.
- 1912 Born: Minoru Yamasaki, American architect. His most recognizable work was the original World Trade Center in New York City.
- 1885 The soft drink Dr Pepper was served for the first time at a drug store in Waco, Texas.
- 1866 Died: George Everest, Welsh geographer and surveyor. Mount Everest was named in his honor.
- 1761 Born: Marie Tussaud, French artist, best known for her wax sculptures. She founded the wax museum Madam Tussauds in London.
- 1755 Died: Maurice Greene, English composer and organist, known for a good deal of sacred and secular vocal music, including "Hearken Unto Me, Ye Holy Children".
- 1716 Born: Étienne Maurice Falconet, French sculptor regarded as one the first rank Rococo sculptors. His most famous work is a colossal statue of Peter the Great, erected in bronze in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
- 1709 Born: Franz Xaver Richter, Czech singer-songwriter, violinist, and conductor. He was highly regarded at his time by contemporaries, but his music has been largely forgotten until recently.