The month of December is the final month of the calendar year. Its original Latin name was Mensis December , which means the tenth month. After the addition of January and February, December became the twelfth month. Despite cold temperatures and long nights, Romans were quite busy during the month, with ritualsand festivals occurring almost every day.
One of the most important festivals of the entire year was in mid-December around the time of the winter solstice, the longest night of the year. The festival was called Saturnalia, and celebrations lasted up to a week. It honored Saturn—the father of Jupiter—who was considered an ancient and powerful god. Romans believed he controlled the seasons of the Earth and allowed crops to grow.
For Saturnalia, Romans would light candles, exchange gifts, decorate their homes, and wear colorful clothing. They also held big public feaststo celebrate their blessingsat the end of the year. Later, another festival became popular at the end of December. It celebrated a god named Sol Invictus and the return of the sun after the winter solstice. After Rome accepted Christianityin the fourth century CE, traditions honoring Saturn and Sol Invictus became associated with the birth of Jesus Christ and Christmas.
