December 17

 Holidays and Observances
(Alphabetical Order)

2024 Daily Holidays that fall on December 17, include:

• Clean Air Day 
• International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers  December 17
• National Maple Syrup Day 
• Pan American Aviation Day
• Wright Brothers Day

2024 Weekly Holidays that include December 17, are:

• Advent - December 1 - 24, 2024
• Christmas Bird Count Week - December 14, 2024 - January 5, 2025
  
• Cookie Exchange Week - December 16-20, 2024 (Monday-Friday week before Christmas
• Gluten-Free Baking Week - December 15-21, 2024 (Week Before Christmas)
• Human Rights Week - December 10-17
  
• Posadas - December 16-24
• Saturnalia - December 17-23 
• Tie One On For Safety Campaign - Runs November 28, 2024 through January 1, 2025 (Thanksgiving to New Year's Day)

2024 Monthly Holidays that include December 17, are:

There are too many monthly holidays to include here, so please check out our December Holidays page to see all of the holidays that are celebrated the entire month of December.

NOTE:

• A page on each holiday will be coming soon and linked above.
• If a date is a movable holiday, that is different every year, I'll include the year as well as the date rule above. Otherwise, the holiday falls on the same date each year.

Astrological Sign

The Astrological Sign for December 17 is Sagittarius.

Birth Flower of the Month

The Birth Flower(s) for the Month for December are:

• Holly/Narcissus - Sweetness, Self-Esteem, Vanity, The Sweetness of whoever receives it

Birthstone

The Birthstone(s) for December is:

• Tanzanite
• Zircon
• Turquoise

Famous Birthdays

• 1913 - Burt Baskin, American businessman who co-founded Baskin-Robbins (d. 1967)
• 1935 - Cal Ripken Sr., American baseball player, coach, and manager (d. 1999)
• 1937 - Kerry Packer, Australian businessman who founded World Series Cricket (d. 2005)
• 1944 - Bernard Hill, English actor (Lord of the Rings, Titanic)
• 1946 - Eugene Levy, Canadian actor, director, and screenwriter (American Pie)
• 1975 - Milla Jovovich, Ukrainian-American actress (The Fifth Element, Resident Evil)
• 1977 - Katheryn Winnick, Canadian actress (Vikings, Wu Assassins, Big Sky)

Famous Deaths

• 2016 - Henry Heimlich, American doctor who invented the Heimlich maneuver for chocking victims (b. 1920)

Famous Weddings and Divorces

• 1600 - Henry IV of France marries Marie de' Medici
• 1978 - Actor Mark Hamill (Star Wars) marries Dental Hygienist Marilou York
• 1994 - Actress Heather Locklear (Dynasty, Melrose Place) marries Bon Jovi lead guitarist Richie Sambora

Quote of the Day

While the Christmas season is a magical time for many, it can be a difficult season to get through for some! For those without family, or those who have recently suffered a loss or a recent divorce, or for many other reasons, it is a hard time of year. Keep going and push through the difficult times! Life will get better. 

If you know someone who is single, homeless, or has suffered a loss or is ill, reach out to them during this time. You might bring them a Christmas card or gift, or invite them to your Christmas dinner, or just give them a call or a visit and check up on them.  Anything to brighten their day and let them know they are not alone! 

Healthy Diet Habit Tip of the Day 
or a Recipe of the Day

Info. to Come!

This Day in History

• 497 BC - The first Saturnalia festival was celebrated in ancient Rome, and later on expanded to run until December 23rd
• 1538 - Pope Paul III excommunicates Henry VIII of England
• 1777 - During the American Revolution, France formally recognizes the United States
• 1790 - The Aztec calendar stone is discovered at El Zocalo, Mexico City
• 1835 - 13 acres of New York City's Financial District are destroyed during the second Great Fire of New York
• 1892 - The First issue of Vogue, and American monthly fashion and lifestyle magazine is published
• 1903 - The Wright brothers make their first controlled powered, air flight in the Wright Flyer at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina
• 1935 - First flight of the Douglas DC-3
• 1943 - The repeal of the Act of 1882 and the introduction of the Magnuson Act allows all Chines to once again become citizens of the United States
• 1947 - The first flight of the Boeing B-47 Stratojet strategic bomber
• 1957 - The United States successfully launches the first Atlas intercontinental ballistic missile at Cape Canaveral, Florida
• 1961 A first breaks out during a performance by the Gran Circus Norte-Americano in the City of Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, killing more than 500 people
• 1967 - The Prime Minister of Australia, Harold Holt is presumed drowned after he disappears while swimming near Portsea, Victoria
• 1969 - The United States Air Force closes Project Blue Book, their study of UFO's
• 1981 - American Brigadier General James L. Dozier is kidnapped by the Red Brigades in Verona, Italy
• 2009 - The MV Danny F II sinks off the coast of Lebanon carrying 83 people, 10,224 sheep, and 17,932 cattle, 40 people were rescued, 11 found dead, and the other crew, passengers, and animals are presumed to have diet
• 2014 - The United States and Cuba re-establish diplomatic relations with each other after they were severed in 1961

This Day in Music

• 1970 - The Theme From Love Story is recorded by Andy Williams
• 1970 - The Beach Boys play a performance for Princess Margaret at London's Royal Albert Hall
• 1984 - The first rap album certified Gold is Run-DMC's self titled debut album
• 1986 - After reuniting for a benefit concert in Pao Alto, CA, the Doobie Brothers put on a reunion tour and record an album
• 1989 - The Simpsons debut on Fox and during Season 3, Michael Jackson, Sting, and Aerosmith guest star

Video Above: Doobie Brothers - What a Fool Believes

This Day in Sports

• 1933 - The first NFL Championship Game is played in Chicago at Wrigley Field between the New York Giants and the Chicago Bears who won 23-21
• 1983 - During his 352nd NHL game, Wayne Gretzky scores a goal & 5 assists for a 8-1 win over the Quebec Nordiques to record his 800th point and 500th assist
• 2014 - The oldest golfer to record a hole-in-one is 103 year old Gus Andreone 

Word of the Day from Wiktionary

Wishing You a Great Day Today!