Holidays Calendar for December 22, 2020
National Unity Day is a public holiday in Zimbabwe celebrated on December 22. It commemorates the unity accord between the country's two political parties, the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU) and the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU).
Volunteer Responsibility Amnesty Day is observed twice a year, on June 21 and December 22 (the days of the summer and winter solstice). It was created for volunteers to take a step back and reconsider their commitments and responsibilities.
Energy Industry Day, also known as the Day of Energy Industry Workers or Power Engineer’s Day, is a professional holiday celebrated in some post-Soviet states on December 22. The history of the holiday can be traced back to the Soviet era; it was officially established in May 1966.
December 22 is Diplomatic Service Day in Ukraine. This holiday was established in 2005 by President Viktor Yushchenko. It is the professional holiday of all Ukrainian diplomats and employees of the country's diplomatic missions, embassies, and consulates.
Every country chooses some certain historical events or birthday anniversaries of prominent educators to time celebration of Teachers' Day to. Cuba became no exception, and here this holiday is annually celebrated on December 22.
People's Army Day, also known as National Defense Day, is a Vietnamese holiday celebrated on December 22. It commemorates the foundation anniversary of the Vietnam People's Army (VPA).
National Mathematics Day in India is celebrated on December 22. It commemorates the birth anniversary of Srinivasa Ramanujan, an Indian mathematician who made significant contributions to several fields of mathematics.
Pancha Ganapati is a modern Hindu festival that lasts for five days, from December 21 to December 25. It honors Ganesha, one of the most worshiped Hindu deities. Ganesha is venerated as the patron of arts and culture.
Forefathers’ Day is an annual holiday celebrated in Plymouth, Massachusetts. It commemorates the landing of the Pilgrim Fathers and the subsequent establishment of the Plymouth Colony on December 21, 1620.
The National Date Nut Bread Day is a food day celebrated on December 22 or September 8. Date nut bread, also known as date and walnut loaf, is a traditional British cake originating in Scotland. It is a hearty bread which is usually served with no condiments.
Everyone (or at least most people) loves cookies, so it is not surprising that there are many cookie-related holidays out there. For example, National Cookie Exchange Day is celebrated every year on December 22. It is the perfect occasion to get together for an early Christmas celebration and indulge in delicious cookies.
Mother's Day is celebrated in almost every country in the world, but its date varies from country to country. For example, Indonesian Mother's Day is celebrated on December 22. It was established by President Sukarno in 1953.
Festivals on December 22, 2020
- TSB Festival of Lights in New Plymouth, New Zealand
- Dubai Shopping Festival in Dubai, UAE
- Helsinki Christmas Market in Helsinki, Finland
- Portland Christmas Ship Parade in Portland (OR), USA
- Warsaw Christmas Market in Warsaw, Poland
- GUM Christmas Fair at Red Square in Moscow, Russia
- Barcelona Christmas Market (Feria de Santa Lucia) in Barcelona, Spain
- Tallinn Christmas Market in Tallinn, Estonia
- Madrid Christmas Market in Madrid, Spain
- Brussels Christmas Market in Brussels, Belgium
- Maastricht Christmas Market in Maastricht, Netherlands
- Nuremberg Christmas Market in Nuremberg, Germany
- Striezelmarkt (Dresden Christmas Market) in Dresden, Germany
- Geneva Christmas Market in Geneva, Switzerland
- Christmas Market in Gendarmenmarkt in Berlin, Germany
This Day in History
- 2014 Died: Joe Cocker, English singer and musician. He rose to prominence during the 1960s with his covers of popular songs, particularly those of the Beatles.
- 2010 President of the USA Barack Obama signed into law the repeal of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy banning homosexuals from serving openly in the United States military.
- 2002 Died: Desmond Hoyte, Guyanese politician who served as Prime Minister from 1984 to 1985 and as the 3rd President of Guyana from 1985 to 1992.
- 1997 Hussein Farrah Aidid relinquished the disputed title of President of Somalia by signing the Cairo Declaration. It was a major step toward reconciliation in Somalia since 1991.
- 1995 Died: Butterfly McQueen, American actress and dancer. She is best known for her debut role as Prissi in Gone with the Wind.
- 1995 Died: James Meade, British economist. In 1977 he won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for his contribution to the theory of intentional trade and international capital movements.
- 1993 Born: Meghan Trainor, American singer and songwriter. Trainor's work has been recognized with several awards and nominations, including a Grammy Award, Music Business Association's Breakthrough Artist of the Year, and two Billboard Music Awards.
- 1992 Human rights activist Dr. Martín Almada and judge José Agustín Fernández accidentally discovered the Archives of Terror in a police station in a suburb of Asunción, the capital of Paraguay.
- 1989 Died: Samuel Beckett, Irish author and poet, regarded as one of the most influential writers of the 20th century. In 1969 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.
- 1989 Born: Jordin Sparks, American singer, songwriter and actress. Sparks rose to fame as winner of the 6th season of American Idol at the age of 17. Her debut album was certified platinum.
- 1989 The Brandenburg Gate was officially reopened in Berlin after nearly 30 years. This ended the division of East and West Germany.
- 1972 Born: Vanessa Paradis, French singer, model and actress. She gained worldwide success at the age of 14 with her single "Joe le taxi"; since 1991 she has been a spokesmodel for Chanel.
- 1965 A 70 mph speed limit was applied to all rural roads including motorways in the United Kingdom. Prior to that there had been no speed limit.
- 1963 The cruise ship Lakonia burnt 180 mi (290 km) north of Madeira, Portugal. 128 on board died.
- 1962 Born: Ralph Fiennes, English actor, best known for his roles in Schindler's List, The English Patient, Strange Days, Red Dragon, the Harry Potter film series, and many other films.
- 1959 Died: Gilda Gray, American actress and dancer. She is credited with the popularization of a dance called the shimmy that was very fashionable in 1920s films and theater productions.
- 1956 Gorilla Colo was born at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio. Colo became the first gorilla to be bred in captivity.
- 1949 Born: Maurice and Robin Gibb, British musicians, singers and songwriters. The brothers became internationally famous with the pop group Bee Gees.
- 1943 Died: Beatrix Potter, English author best known for her children's books featuring animals. Her best known novel is The Tale of Peter Rabbit.
- 1940 Died: Nathanael West, American author and screenwriter. He didn't gain recognition during lifetime, and his works received public acclaim only in 1957 after the publication of his collected novels. Day of the Locust is his best known novel.
- 1936 Born: Héctor Elizondo, American actor. He rose to fame for his supporting roles in Pretty Woman, American Gigolo, Runaway Bride, The Princess Diaries, and other films.
- 1936 Born: James Burke, British author, historian and producer, best known for his documentary TV series Connections and companion series The Day the Universe Changed. He was called by The Washington Post "one of the most intriguing minds in the Western world".
- 1912 Lady Bird Johnson, American wife of Lyndon B. Johnson. She was First Lady of the United States from 1963 to 1969.
- 1903 Born: Haldan Keffer Hartline, American physiologist remembered for his work in analyzing the neurophysiological mechanism of vision. This work brought him a Nobel Prize in 1967.
- 1891 Asteroid 323 Brucia was discovered. It became the first asteroid discovered using photography.
- 1867 Died: Théodore Rousseau, French painter. He was the founder of the Barbizon school.
- 1858 Born: Giacomo Puccini, Italian composer famous for his operas that are now among the important operas regarded as opera standards.
- 1856 Born: Frank B. Kellogg, American lawyer and politician. During his service in the U.S. Senate he co-authored the Kellogg-Briand Pact that eventually brought him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1929.
- 1808 Ludwig van Beethoven conducted and performed in concert at the Theater ad der Wien, Vienna, with the premier of his Fifth Symphony, Sixth Symphony, Fourth Piano Concerto, and Choral Fantasy.
- 1807 The U.S. Congress passed the Embargo Act, forbidding trade with all foreign countries. The act was passed to force Britain and France to respect American rights during the Napoleonic Wars.
- 1767 Died: John Newbery, English publisher regarded to be the Father of Children's Literature. He was the first to make children's literature a sustainable and profitable part of the literary market.