December is the first month of meteorological winter in the Northern Hemisphere and in the Southern Hemisphere is the first month of summer. 

December is the month with the shortest daylight hours of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the longest daylight hours of the year in the Southern Hemisphere.

In the Western World the month is strongly associated with Christmas and winter.

History:

December gets its name from the Latin word decem (meaning ten) because it was originally the tenth month of the year in the Roman calendar, which began in March.  

Later, the months of January and February were created out of the monthless period and added to the beginning of the calendar, but December retained its name.

The purpose of the month of December:

The fact that the month was the tenth month, which reflected a copied idea from the hebrew (Jewish) 10th month called “Tevet”, the Romans being pagans (deriving from the lineage of Esau who hated Jacob), this negative trait turned into antisemitism and the opposition against the God of the Jews.

Through time the festival Saturnalia was transformed into Christmas, and via Christmas the focus towards godliness (goodness, generosity, mutual exchange the concept of Kislev) was changed into the tradition of selfishness, self seeking and business of merchandising the products and idols which are sold during the season of Christmas.

Article written by Ap Ngabo for Conscious lifestyle