Holidays and observances
Holidays and observances on December 23
19 holidays and special days are celebrated on December 23 around the world.
- 19observances
- 48events
Holidays and observances
Birthday of the Queen Silvia, an official flag flying day (Sweden)
By an ordinance issued by the government of Sweden, a number of days of the calendar year are designated as official flag flying days when the Swedish flag is flown on all public flagpoles and buildings. Hoisting of the Swedish flag on private flagpoles on t
Children's Day (South Sudan and Sudan)Children's Day is a commemorative date celebrated annually in honour of children, whose date of observance varies by country.
In 1925, International Children's Day was first proclaimed in Geneva during the World Conference on Child Welfare. Since 1950, it is - Christian Feast Day: Abassad (Coptic Church)Abassad was a bishop and martyr of the early Christian church. After being tortured, he was beheaded by the command of Arrianus under Diocletian. His feast day is December 23.
Christian Feast Day:
Behnam, Sarah, and the Forty Martyrs (Coptic Church)Saints Behnam, Sarah, and the Forty Martyrs were 4th-century Christians who suffered martyrdom during the reign of Zoroastrian King Shapur II. They are venerated as Saints in the Oriental Orthodox Churches and their lives are described in writings known as the
Christian Feast Day:
Dagobert IIDagobert II was a Merovingian king of the Franks, ruling in Austrasia from 675 or 676 until his death. He is one of the more obscure Merovingians. He has been considered a martyr since at least the ninth century.
Christian Feast Day:
John CantiusJohn Cantius was a Polish Catholic priest, scholastic philosopher, physicist and theologian.
Christian Feast Day:
O EmmanuelThe O Antiphons are antiphons used at Vespers during the Magnificat on the last seven days of Advent in Western Christian traditions. They likely date to sixth-century Italy, when Boethius refers to the text in The Consolation of Philosophy. They subsequently 
Christian Feast Day:
Psote (Coptic Church)Psote, also known as Bisada, Besada, Psate/Psati, Abashadi, Abassadius, or Beshada, was a bishop of Ebsay in Upper Egypt. He was martyred by beheading at Antinoe. St. Apa Psote was a revered Coptic Orthodox bishop from the city of Psoi, known for his devout fa
Christian Feast Day:
Thorlac Thorhallsson, patron saint of Iceland; The last day of preparations before Christmas.Thorlak Thorhallsson is the patron saint of Iceland. He was Bishop of Skálholt from 1178 until his death. Thorlak's relics were translated to the Cathedral of Skalholt in 1198, not long after his successor, Páll Jónsson, announced at the Althing that vows coul
Christian Feast Day:
VictoriaSaints Victoria, Anatolia, and Audax are venerated as martyrs and saints by the Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church.
Christian Feast Day:
December 23 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)December 22 - Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar - December 24
Day of all level operational control structures servicemen (Ukraine)The Armed Forces of Ukraine are the military forces of Ukraine. They consist of the three branches: the Ground Forces, the Air Force and the Navy, and a number of separately organized forces and specialized support commands: the Air Assault Forces, the Marine 
Festivus, a secular holiday made popular by the sitcom SeinfeldFestivus is a secular holiday celebrated on December 23 as an alternative to the perceived pressures and commercialism of the Christmas season. Originally created by author Daniel O'Keefe, Festivus entered popular culture after it was made the focus of the 199
HumanLight (Secular humanism in United States)HumanLight is a Humanist holiday celebrated annually on December 23. HumanLight was first celebrated in 2001, and was created to provide a specifically Humanist celebration during the western world's holiday season. The New Jersey Humanist Network founded the 
Kisan Diwas (Uttar Pradesh, India)Chaudhary Charan Singh was an Indian politician, peasant leader, author and an independence activist who briefly served as the prime minister of India from July 1979 to January 1980. Singh was principally known for his land and agricultural reform initiatives,
Night of the Radishes (Oaxaca City, Mexico)The Night of the Radishes is an annual event held on December 23 in Oaxaca, Mexico, dedicated to the carving of oversized radishes to create scenes that compete for prizes in various categories.- Tibb's Eve (Newfoundland and Labrador)Tibb's Eve is a folk expression for a day which will never arrive. A celebration held on 23 December in Newfoundland and Labrador is also known as Tibb's/Tipp's Eve.
Tom Bawcock's Eve (Mousehole, Cornwall)Tom Bawcock's Eve is an annual festival, held on 23 December, in Mousehole, Cornwall.- Victory Day (Egypt) Public holidays are celebrated by the entire population of Egypt. Holidays in Egypt have many classifications. Some holidays are religious and others are secular, while some can be fixed holidays on the calendar while others are movable. There are four Islami
Frequently asked questions
What is celebrated on December 23?
19 observances are celebrated on December 23 around the world: Birthday of the Queen Silvia, an official flag flying day (Sweden), Children's Day (South Sudan and Sudan), Christian Feast Day: Abassad (Coptic Church), Christian Feast Day: Behnam, Sarah, and the Forty Martyrs (Coptic Church), Christian Feast Day: Dagobert II, Christian Feast Day: John Cantius. The list gathers national holidays, international days and religious or civil observances falling on this date in different countries, as recorded on Wikipedia. Some are fixed and recur on the same day every year; others depend on the local calendar. Each links to the article explaining its origin and meaning.
What happened on December 23?
48 documented historical events happened on December 23, from antiquity to the present day. The best known is this: Yohl Ikʼnal (signature pictured) acceded to the throne of the Maya city-state of Palenque. On the same day, in another year: American Revolutionary War: American troops, overwhelmed by British reinforcements, retreated from the Battle of Iron Works Hill. On Almanaccolo every event is listed in chronological order, grouped by century, and links to the Wikipedia article it comes from, so you can always read further or check the source. Alongside the events you find who was born and who died on this date, and which observances are celebrated around the world.
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