DECEMBER - WHERE DOES THE NAME COME FROM - AND WHAT IS LINKED TO THIS MONTH

DECEMBER 1:

Where does the name December come from? And what is linked to this month?

The name December comes from the word decem. This is the Latin name for the figure ten. The reason is that this month was the 10th month in the old Roman calendar, which originally was made by king Numa Pompilius around 500 BC. In this calendar March was the first month in the year.

This calendar was many centuries later replaced by the Gregorian calendar, where January is the first month of each year and where December consequently is month no. 12. This calendar was introduced from around 1580. It Denmark it happened in the year 1700.

In the old days this month was in Denmark ( and the other Nordic countries, I believe ) called KRISTMÅNED ( CHRIST MONTH ).  Or CHRISTMAS MONTH.

There are several old Danish weather warnings for the month of December:

·       A cold December with lots of snow will often mean that the next summer will be very good and fertile

·       If December is very cold the harvest next year will be very good

·       If the weather is good in the beginning of the month it will last until Christmas

 

If you look at the weather as it actually has been over the years you have a number of interesting weather records when Denmark is concerned:

·       1981:  Coldest December: - 4,0 degrees in average

·       2006:  Warmest December:  + 7,0 degrees in average

·       1953:  Highest temperature in December:  + 14,5 degrees

·       1981:  Coldest temperature in December:  - 25,6 degrees

·       1890:  Most dry December:  7 mm rain

·       1985:  Most wet December:  140 mm rain




 

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