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reetings from Australia. 

Welcome to this Red-Letter Day. Below you will find today's global celebrations, birthdays and events.

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Carpe diem! (Seize the day!)

Pip Wilson

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Today is

Riding upon the Goat, with snow-white hair,
I come, the last of all. This crown of mine
Is of the holly; in my hand I bear
The thyrsus, tipped with fragrant cones of pine.
I celebrate the birth of the Divine,
And the return of the Saturnian reign;--
My songs are carols sung at every shrine.
Proclaiming "Peace on earth, good will to men."
HW Longfellow (1807 - '82); The Poet's Calendar for December

Round and sound!
Twopence a pound,
Cherries! Rare ripe cherries!

And

Cherries a ha'penny a stick!
Come and pick! come and pick
Cherries! big as plums!
Who comes? who comes?
[Cherry season in Australia]: the cherry vendors' cry, old London

The first of December had arrived! the fatal day! for, if the projectile were not discharged that very night at 10h. 48m. 40s. P.M., more than eighteen years must roll by before the moon would again present herself under the same conditions of zenith and perigee.
Jules Verne; From the Earth to the Moon, Ch. 26 opening paragraph

Human beings are divided into mind and body. The mind embraces all the nobler aspirations, like poetry and philosophy, but the body has all the fun.
Woody Allen, American director and comedian, born on December 1, 1935

More Woody Allen quotes

I don't want to achieve immortality through my work, I want to achieve it by not dying.

I'm not afraid of dying ... I just don't want to be there when it happens.

This year I'm a star, but what will I be next year? A black hole?

On the plus side, death is one of the few things that can be done just as easily as lying down.

[When asked if he liked the idea of living on the silver screen ...] I´d rather live on in my apartment.

(On films) I can't imagine that the business should be run any other way than that the director has complete control of his films. My situation may be unique, but that doesn't speak well for the business -- it shouldn't be unique, because the director is the one who has the vision and he's the one who should put that vision onto film.

Basically I am a low-culture person. I prefer watching baseball with a beer and some meatballs.

There are worse things in life than death. Have you ever spent an evening with an insurance salesman?

Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons.

I do the movies just for myself like an institutionalized person who basket-weaves. Busy fingers are happy fingers. I don't care about the films. I don't care if they're flushed down the toilet after I die.

Most of the time I don't have much fun. The rest of the time I don't have any fun at all.

[At the Academy Awards in 2002, explaining why he was the one introducing a montage of New York movies] And I said, "You know, God, you can do much better than me. You know, you might want to get Martin Scorsese, or, or Mike Nichols, or Spike Lee, or Sidney Lumet ..." I kept naming names, you know, and, um, I said, "Look, I've given you 15 names of guys who are more talented than I am, and, and smarter and classier..." And they said, "Yes, but they were not available".

If my film makes one more person miserable, I'll feel I've done my job.

For some reason I'm more appreciated in France than I am back home. The subtitles must be incredibly good.

My relationship with Hollywood isn't love-hate, it's love-contempt. I've never had to suffer any of the indignities that one associates with the studio system. I've always been independent in New York by sheer good luck. But I have an affection for Hollywood because I've had so much pleasure from films that have come out of there. Not a whole lot of them, but a certain amount of them have been very meaningful to me.

Eighty per cent of success is showing up.

The two biggest myths about me are that I'm an intellectual, because I wear these glasses, and that I'm an artist because my films lose money. Those two myths have been prevalent for many years.

Join the army, see the world, meet interesting people - and kill 'em.

Not only is there no God, but try getting a plumber on weekends.

If it turns out that there is a God, I don't think that he's evil. But the worst that you can say about him is that basically he's an underachiever.

To YOU I'm an atheist; to God, I'm the Loyal Opposition.

If only God would give me some clear sign! Like making a large deposit in my name at a Swiss bank.

Time is nature's way of keeping everything from happening at once.

There are only two things that you can control in life: art and masturbation.

It's just a job. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up.
American hitman, Muhammed Ali, who saw a UFO in New York, December 1, 1971

… (it) is the usual bleak fantasy, and we can dismiss it with the unrestrained observation that I certainly would not consider living it again.
American writer James Baldwin, who died on December 1, 1987, on his early life

Any writer, I suppose, feels that the world into which he was born is nothing less than a conspiracy against the cultivation of his talent.
James Baldwin; 'Autobiographical Notes' from Notes of a Native Son, 1955

On behalf of our producers Kathleen Glynn and Michael Donovan (who is from Canada), I'd like to thank the Academy for this award.   I have invited my fellow documentary nominees on the stage with us. They're here in solidarity with me because we like nonfiction. We like non-fiction, yet we live in fictitious times. We live in a time where we have fictitious election results that elect a fictitious president. We live in a time where we have a man sending us to war for fictitious reasons. Whether it's the fiction of duct tape, or the fiction of orange alerts. We are against this war, Mr Bush. Shame on you, Mr Bush, shame on you. And any time you got the Pope and the Dixie Chicks against you, your time is up. Thank you very much.
Michael Moore, American film maker, upon accepting the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, March 23, 2003, the Kodak Theater, Hollywood, California. It was on December 1, 2001 that librarian Ann Sparanese commenced an email campaign that helped end censorship of Moore's book, Stupid White Men.

The media, the corporations, the politicians...have all done such a good job of scaring the American public, it's come to the point where they don't need to give any reason at all.
Michael Moore, Bowling for Columbine

I like America to some extent. Take the Japanese for instance. They are complicated and tend to be reserved in expressing themselves. Sometimes, it is difficult for me to understand them. Americans are simple and clear. They are charming people. You will understand how good an individual American is. What I am not satisfied with America is that the nation cannot control the government and economy. Only a handful of people have the power to control the country.
Michael Moore

For many years the people of South Africa suffered under the yoke of oppression and apartheid. Many people continue to suffer brutal oppression, where their fundamental dignity as human beings is denied. One such people is the people of West Papua.
  The people of West Papua have been denied their basic human rights, including their right to self-determination. Their cry for justice and freedom has fallen largely on deaf ears.
  An estimated 100,000 people have died in West Papua since Indonesia took control of the territory in 1963.
It is with deep concern I have learned about the United Nations' role in the take-over of West Papua by Indonesia, and in the now-discredited "Act of 'Free' Choice" of 1969. Instead of a proper referendum, where every adult male and female had the opportunity to vote by secret ballot on whether or not they wished to be part of Indonesia, just over 1,000 people were hand-picked and coerced into declaring for Indonesia in public in a climate of fear and repression.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu; today is Independence Day, West Papua   Source

December 1 is the 335^th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (336^th in leap years), with 30 days remaining.
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December  

December birthstone: Turquoise, signifying prosperity; blue zircon; blue topaz; tanzanite.

Birth flowers: Holly, narcissus and poinsettia

The name for December comes from the Latin, 'the tenth month', and also the middle goddess of the Moirae (the Greek name for the Three Fates; the Roman equivalent is the Parcae), Decima, she who personifies the present. It was, in fact, the tenth month when the year began in March with the Spring Equinox; but, since January and February have been intercalated, the name is a bit confusing.

Vesta (Roman goddess), patroness of fire, an archetypal symbol of the eternal present, also rules this month.

To the Saxons it was winter-monat, meaning 'winter cometh'. Then after Christianity came to Britain and Ireland, it became in England heilig-monat, 'holy cometh'. It was also called midwinter-monath, and guil erra (Aerra Geola), meaning the former or first giul (or 'the month before yule').  The Frankish term was Heilagmanoth, 'holy month', because of large number of religious festivals.

The feast of Thor, which was celebrated at the winter solstice, was called giul from iol, or ol, which signifies ale, and is now corrupted into yule. The Yule festival continued into January.

The Roman writer Martial called the month fumosus or smoky, from the practice of lighting fires for warmth. He also calls it canus or hoary. Germans still call it Christmonat.

In the Asatru spiritual tradition, this is Wolfmoon. Irish: Mi na Nollag, or Mí na Nollaig, 'Christmas month'. In the Backwoods tradition, it's the Cold or Hunting Moon.

Nigel Pennick (The Pagan Book of Days, 1992) writes: "The elder month signifies the paradox of a time of timelessness, youth in old age and old age in youthfulness ..."

December

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

December is the twelfth and last month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 31 days. From the Latin decem for 'ten' (it was originally the tenth month of the year, before January and February were inserted).

• December begins on the same day of week as September every year.
• In Ireland, December 26 is called St. Stephen's Day and is a public holiday. In the Irish Calendar the month is called Mí na Nollaig (literally 'The Month of Christmas') and is the middle month of the Winter season.

Goddess Vesta, ancient Rome's guardian of December  

Vesta also rules this month. In Roman mythology, Vesta was the Roman hearth goddess, patroness of fire, an archetypal symbol of the eternal present. She is the Roman version of Hestia. The Romans considered Vesta to be chief among the deities they called the Lares and Penates.
 

Vesta was worshipped by Roman families as a household deity with sacred fires kept burning by virgins whose lives were devoted to tending the flame, which was said to have been brought from Troy to Rome by the hero Aeneus. The flame was relit every March 1 and had to be kept alight all year. If this flame ever went out, disaster would fall on Rome. The flame was kept alive by the vestales, or Vestal Virgins, Vesta's priestesses who were chosen from as young as six years old. Their tenure as priestesses was for thirty years, were not allowed to marry and were executed if found to have had sex. In Roman homes, every day, at meal time, a small cake was thrown on the fire for Vesta. It was good luck if it burnt with a crackle. 

Vesta was introduced in Rome by King Numa Pompilius. She was a native Roman deity (some authors suggest received from the Sabin cults), presumably the daughter of Saturn and Opi (or Rea). However, the similarity with the cult of the Greek goddess Hestia is notable. Vesta too protected the familiar harmony and, extensively, the State. The Vestalia was celebrated from June 7 to 15.

Another name of this Goddess was Nemesis, from the Greek nemos, or 'grove', which in the original signifies divine vengeance. She carries a wheel in her other hand, indicating that she is the goddess of the turning year, like Egyptian Isis and Latin Fortuna, except that the wheel will one day come full circle to exact vengeance.

Her feast of August 13 was converted in the middle Ages into that of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (which was placed at August 15). To astronomers there is also the asteroid, 4 Vesta.

Vestalia festival    House of the Vestals    December poetry and folklore

Roman festivals and notable days in the Book of Days    Deities of many cultures in the Book of Days

Festival of Poseidon, ancient Greece
Greek god of the sea and rebirth.
Pennick, Nigel, The Pagan Book of Days, Destiny Books, Rochester, Vermont, USA, 1992

Festivals in ancient Greece

Kalends of December, Feast of Neptune/ Pietas, ancient Rome
To the Romans, Poseidon was Neptune. After the advent of Christianity, the office of protector of sailors was transferred from Neptune to St Nicholas.

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Independence Day, West Papua  "An estimated 100,000 people have died in West Papua since Indonesia took control ..." Archbishop Desmond Tutu   Source From Wikipedia: Papua is a province of Indonesia located in the western half of the island of New Guinea and nearby islands. The name West Papua is also in common use, as Papua may also refer to either the entire island of New Guinea or to the southern half of the neighbouring country of Papua New Guinea. West Papua is the preferred name among nationalists who hope to separate from Indonesia and form their own country. "West Papuan Independence Day, was commemorated by solidarity activists across the world. Indonesia has banned the display of West Papua's "Morning Star" flag in West Papua, and the province's governor, Jaap Salossa, banned all celebration of the day. A protest was held despite the ban, at which protesters successfully fought off police to allow the flag to fly for nearly an hour, before police reinforcements arrived. In the ensuing fight, police shot seven West Papuans with rubber bullets, and removed the flag. Activists in Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands held flag raisings to support the West Papuan struggle for independence from Indonesia." Source: Green Left Weekly, December 8, 2004 "The Indonesian authority keeps the Papuan peoples under control through shocking human rights violations while foreign companies exploit their sacred lands causing massive environmental destruction."   Free West Papua Australia West Papua Association Site    West Papua Net : Online News International Action for West Papua    West Papua Information Kit    Action in Solidarity Asia Pacific    West Papua Action West Papua Topica E-List    Australia West Papua Association - Brisbane    Friends of People Close to Nature Human Rights Abuse in West Papua - links     Papua Web    Gallery of beautiful Birds of Paradise "On December 1, 1961, the New Guinea Council (Niew Guinea Raad / the first elected Papuan Parliament) together with the Dutch colonial administration, officially inaugurated the national Papuan symbols which emphasised their sovereignty as a people." The Morning Star flag "Indigenous peoples have the collective and individual right not to be subjected to ethnocide and cultural genocide ..." How Indonesia uses transmigration to colonize West Papua     Day of Pallas Athena or Minerva, ancient Greece/Rome Maiden Goddess of Knowledge and Truth.  (Source: The Phoenix and Arabeth 1992 Calendar) The city of Pallas Athena The goddess Pallas Athena was fond of building towns. One day she said to the people of a fishing village, "Raise me a temple on the hill and I will be your protector forever". This they did, until the god of the sea, Poseidon, called out that as he was the only one who had watched the town being built, he should have the honour of naming rights (Poseidon had a savvy public relations consultant), or else he would unleash such tempests that the whole Earth would be swallowed up (PR was even more evil and destructive in those days, if that can be possible).  But Pallas Athena answered him: "If this place is destroyed, it will not belong to either of us. Let each of us give a gift to the citizens, and let them decide on the naming honour."  Poseidon struck the sea with his trident (the pitchfork, not the missile), and a fine horse galloped out from the waves, at which sight the people marvelled. In response, Pallas touched a blade of grass, whereupon an olive tree grew up suddenly. The people cried out blessings on the olive tree, because it would provide food and oil for their lamps. "More precious than the horse is the olive!" they cried. Thus the new town was named Athens, in honour of the wise goddess. And to this day, Athens produces far better oil from the olive than the horse. "Festival of Challynteria 'sweeping out.' The temple of Athena was swept out by women, who then used a fennel stalk to hold embers from the eternal flame. It was then put out and its sconce cleaned and refilled. Finally, it was relit from the embers in the fennel stalk."   Source   Barbes Diena, ancient Latvia   Celebrating the fertility of lambs and ewes. Working with needles or other sharp objects was forbidden. Dumplings were eaten and various rituals were performed to guarantee the health and fertility of the sheep. Iyomante Matsuri, Kutcharo, Japan (Dec 1- Dec 15)   At Kutcharo, Hokkaido Prefecture A bear cub is trapped and cared for and well fed; this remembers when the mountain god, Kimunkamui, was captured by the devil and put on earth as a bear. Only the bear's death could set his spirit free. When the bear is two-three years old, a festival is held. People dance around the cage, and the bear is elaborately dressed on Day One.  He is led through the village and killed, and offerings are made to its body. After several days the bear meat is distributed to the villagers; the spirit of the bear is freed. (The date of this festival is variable and, thankfully, it is not always observed.)  Bauer, Helen, and Carlquist, Sherwin, Japanese Festivals, Doubleday and Co, Garden City, New York, 1965   Second day of Advent (Lat. adventus, arrival). The four weeks before Christmas, beginning on St Andrew's Day (November 30), or the Sunday nearest to it, commemorating the first and second coming of Christ; the first to redeem, and the second to judge the world. Advent Sunday: The first Sunday in Advent, the beginning of the Church Year, except in the Greek Church where it begins on St Martin's Day (November 11). The Christian ecclesiastical year begins on Advent Sunday. It is always the nearest Sunday to St Andrew's day, whether before or after. Advent (Nov 30 - Dec 25), season of the coming of Jesus Christ Celebrating Advent: School of the Seasons     Wishing You Peace And Joy ! Reach out with this warm e-wish. [ Flash Ecard ] Click for more Advent e-cards   Feast day of St Agericus Feast day of St Agnofleta Feast day of St Alexander Briant Feast day of St Ananias of Arbela Feast day of St Ansanus the Baptizer Feast day of St Antony Bonfadini Feast day of St Botulph Feast day of St Candida Feast day of St Candres of Maestricht Feast day of St Cassian Feast day of St Castritian of Milan Feast day of St Christian of Perugia Feast day of St Constantine Feast day of St Declan Feast day of St Didorus Feast day of St Edmund Campion   Feast day of