December month"). The French Republican Calendar contained December within the months of Frimaire and Nivôse. December contains the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, the day with the fewest daylight hours, and the summer solstice in the Southern Hemisphere, the day with the most daylight hours (excluding polar regions in both cases). December in the Northern Hemisphere is the seasonal equivalent to June in the Southern Hemisphere and vice versa. In the Northern hemisphere, the beginning of the astronomical winter is traditionally 21 December or the date of the solstice. Meteor showers occurring in December are the Andromedids (September 25 –
Once Upon a December "Journey to the Past" and "Once Upon a December," both of which rival any mezzo-soprano solo by Menken/Ashman." FilmTracks argues both these songs' "appeal as the 'leading lady's songs' are equally attractive. The site compared "December" favorably to "Past", writing ""Once Upon a December" that better tells the film's story. Appearing in short vocal reprises throughout the score, this song is the connecting element between Anya and her lost grandmother, and the Russian sensibilities of the waltz are far more interesting than the rather straightforward ballad". DVDTa;l described the song as intimate DarkRealmFox said it was "a fabulous musical number".