While December has always been the last month of the year, it hasn’t always been the twelfth month. It got its name from the Latin word “decem” meaning “ten” because the year, at that time, was divided into just ten months and December had only 30 days.

When it became obvious that the seasons weren’t quite lined up with the calendar, around 700 BCE, January and February were added and December was shortened to 29 days. Eventually, it was evident that the seasons were determined by the relative positions of the sun and the earth and the Julian calendar was adopted with two days added to December. Over time, it became clear that this was off by about eleven minutes each year, so Leap Year was added. That adjustment was better, but still not perfect, and it was altered further by eliminating Leap Year on those years that were divisible by 100 but not by 400. Most of the world now uses the Gregorian calendar, which is still not perfect. You don’t need to worry about it, though; somebody will let you know when you have to reset your clocks or adjust the calendar.

I find it difficult to reconcile today’s instant communication and technical accuracy with the fact that much of the world is out of sync and rather sloppy about precise time. I was reminded of this discrepancy when switching from one TV station to another on the half-hour. The first program was scheduled to be over at that time; the second supposedly began at that time. Not so – the first was apparently running overtime and the second was already underway. Checking the time to see which station was off schedule was futile. My cell phone and my computer didn’t agree either.

Getting back to the month of December; besides Pearl Harbor Day and Christmas, most of us don’t think of observing any other special days even though there are many to choose from. Take Flake Appreciation Day; I found this idea confusing at first. What flakes, I wondered. Snowflakes? Corn flakes? Dandruff? It turned out to be snowflakes and I again began to doubt the supposed fact that no two snowflakes have ever been the same. How many billions, trillions, gazillions of snowflakes have fallen since the world began? I don’t think that even God could come up with that many different designs, and even if He could, why bother? And how could you ever prove it one way or the other?

If someone in the family has a birthday in late December they have my sympathy. A couple of kids I know have to settle for “combination gifts” intended to cover both occasions and have never had the pleasure of a real birthday party. My loving and generous motherin-law “traded” birthdays with a granddaughter who was born on December 24 and made a little girl very happy. Someone might do the same for a child born on February 29, as well, and, as a bonus, they could celebrate an extra birthday together every Leap Year.

All month long you might take a little time to observe National Human Rights, Winter Safety, Persons With Disabilities and National Pear Month, to name a few. I wondered about pears in December, but discovered it has some relationship to motherhood and the Virgin Mary. Does that explain the partridge in a pear tree? The December Virtue of the Month is Hospitality.

The month is also dedicated to Seasonal Affective Disorder Awareness. The condition, also known as SAD, is apparently brought about by a combination of holiday stress and a shortage of daylight which affects the pituitary glands and causes depression. Severe cases can be alleviated by therapy involving time spent staring at special lights each day, cutting back on holiday parties, shopping, entertaining and other “traditional” activities and making time for more rest.

There seems to be some warning in the fact that the two most memorable events of December are in nearperfect opposition. Christmas, offering peace, love and the promise of salvation, as opposed to Pearl Harbor Day, marked by war, hate, and the threat of death.