Holidays and observances
December
Holidays and observances on December 8
25 holidays and special days are celebrated on December 8 around the world.
- 25observances
- 44events
Holidays and observances
Battle Day (Falkland Islands)The Battle of the Falkland Islands was a First World War naval action between the British Royal Navy and Imperial German Navy on 8 December 1914 in the South Atlantic. The British, after their defeat at the Battle of Coronel on 1 November, sent a large force t
Bodhi Day (Japan)Bodhi Day is the Buddhist holiday that commemorates the day that Gautama Buddha (Shakyamuni) is said to have attained enlightenment, also known as bodhi in Sanskrit and Pali. According to tradition, Siddhartha had recently forsaken years of extreme ascetic pra
CARICOM–Cuba Day (Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Cuba)Cuba's foreign policy has been highly dynamic depending on world events throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Cuban foreign policy is impacted by the various spheres of influence and economic development of neighboring countries. During the 1980s, its ge
Christian feast day:
Budoc (Beuzec) of DolBudoc of Dol was a 5th-century Breton monk and Bishop of Dol, who has been venerated since his death as a saint in both Brittany and Devon. Budoc is the patron saint of Plourin in Finistère where his relics are preserved. His feast day was originally celebrate- Christian feast day: Clement of Ohrid (Julian Calendar), and its related observances: Student's Day (Bulgaria) The official public holidays in Bulgaria are listed in the table below.
Christian feast day:
EuchariusSaint Eucharius is venerated as the first bishop of Trier. He lived in the second half of the 3rd century.- Christian feast day: Feast of the Immaculate Conception (public holiday in several countries, a holy day of obligation in others), and its related observances: Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Anglican Communion), lesser commemoration The Church of England commemorates many of the same saints as those in the General Roman Calendar, mostly on the same days, but also commemorates various notable Christians who have not been canonised by Rome, with a particular though not exclusive emphasis o
Christian feast day:
Feast of the Immaculate Conception (public holiday in several countries, a holy day of obligation in others), and its related observances:
Festa da Conceição da Praia, celebrating Yemanjá, Queen of the Ocean in Umbanda (Salvador, Bahia)In the Catholic Church, several locations around the world invoke the patronage of the Immaculate Conception. Catholic diocesan authorities with the expressed and written approval of the Pope in countries including Brazil, Korea, the Philippines, Spain, and th
Christian feast day:
Feast of the Immaculate Conception (public holiday in several countries, a holy day of obligation in others), and its related observances:
Festival of Lights (Lyon)The Festival of Lights in Lyon, France, is a popular event that originally aimed at expressing gratitude toward Mary, mother of Jesus, around December 8 of each year. This Lyonnaise tradition dictates that every house place candles along the outsides of all th
Christian feast day:
Feast of the Immaculate Conception (public holiday in several countries, a holy day of obligation in others), and its related observances:
Mother's Day (Panama)Mother's Day is a celebration honoring the mother of the family or individual, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on different days in many parts of the world, most commonly in March or May. It comp
Christian feast day:
Feast of the Immaculate Conception (public holiday in several countries, a holy day of obligation in others), and its related observances:
Lady of Camarin Day (Guam)In the United States there are a number of observed holidays where employees receive paid time off. The labor force in the United States comprises about 62% of the general population. In the United States, 97% of the private sector businesses determine what da
Christian feast day:
Patapios of ThebesPatapios of Thebes is the patron saint of dropsy. Saint Patapios’ memory is celebrated on 8 December and also at the Tuesday 2 days after the Sunday of Easter. His relic is kept at the female monastery of Saint Patapios at Loutraki, a spa town near Athens, Gre
Christian feast day:
Pope EutychianPope Eutychian, also called Eutychianus, was the bishop of Rome from 4 January 275 to his death on 7 December 283.
Christian feast day:
Richard Baxter (US Episcopal Church)Richard Baxter was an English Nonconformist church leader and theologian from Rowton, Shropshire, who has been described as "the chief of English Protestant Schoolmen". He made his reputation in the late 1630s by his ministry at Kidderminster in Worcestershire
Christian feast day:
RomaricSaint Romaric was a Frankish nobleman who lived in Austrasia from the late 6th century until the middle of the 7th century. He and Amatus of Grenoble founded Remiremont Abbey.
Christian feast day:
Theobald of MarlyTheobald of Marly was a French abbot and saint. He was born at the castle of Marly, Montmorency, and was trained as a knight. He served as a knight at the court of Philip Augustus, though he later entered the Cistercian monastery of Vaux-de-Cernay in 1220. He 
Christian feast day:
December 8 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)December 7 - Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar - December 9
Constitution Day (Romania)The following is a list of public holidays in Romania. According to Romanian law, Romania had 51 public holidays as of 2011, which cover 14% of the days of the year in the country from which 15 days are non-working. In 2025, Romania had 17 public non-working h- Constitution Day (Uzbekistan)Public holidays in Uzbekistan:
Liberation Day (Syria)Liberation Day is a public holiday in Syria, celebrated on 8 December to mark the fall of the Assad regime, which began in 1971 when Hafez al-Assad seized power and was later succeeded by his son Bashar al-Assad in 2000. The holiday was established in October 
Day of Finnish Music (Finland)Jean Sibelius was a Finnish composer of the late Romantic and early modern periods. He is widely regarded as his country's greatest composer, and his music is often credited with having helped Finland develop a stronger national identity when the country was s
Earliest day on which National Tree Planting Day can fall, while December 14 is the latest; celebrated on the second Monday in December. (Malawi)Arbor Day is a secular day of observance in which individuals and groups are encouraged to plant trees. Today, many countries observe such a holiday. Though usually observed in the spring, the date varies, depending on climate and suitable planting season.- Hari-Kuyō (Kansai region, Japan)Hari-Kuyō is the Japanese Buddhist and Shinto Festival of broken sewing needles, celebrated on February 8 in the Kantō region, but on December 8 in the Kyoto Prefecture and Kansai region. It is celebrated by women in Japan as a memorial to all the sewing needl
- National Youth Day (Albania) There are 15 official public holidays observed in Albania. If a non-working public holiday falls on the weekend, then the first working day afterwards is a non-working day.
Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Day (Ethiopia)The Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Day is a national holiday in Ethiopia that observes the FDRE Constitution Article 39 recognition of Nations, Nationalities and Peoples. Officially observed since 2006, the day affirms harmony, tolerance, and equal right
Frequently asked questions
What is celebrated on December 8?
25 observances are celebrated on December 8 around the world: Battle Day (Falkland Islands), Bodhi Day (Japan), CARICOM–Cuba Day (Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Cuba), Christian feast day: Budoc (Beuzec) of Dol, Christian feast day: Clement of Ohrid (Julian Calendar), and its related observances: Student's Day (Bulgaria), Christian feast day: Eucharius. 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 8?
44 documented historical events happened on December 8, from antiquity to the present day. The best known is this: Ahmad ibn Abi Jum'ah wrote his Oran fatwa, arguing for the relaxation of Islamic law for forcibly converted Muslims in Spain. On the same day, in another year: Margaret Hughes (pictured) appeared professionally on the English stage; she is thought to have been the first woman to do so. 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.
Keep exploring
Free app
Every day’s history, in your pocket
Almanaccolo greets you each morning with the almanac of the day, sunrise and sunset times and your saved events.
- Today’s almanac, every morning
- Save the events that strike you
- Sunrise, sunset and weather for your city
- Free, no account required
