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 –
December Hydrids (December 4–15), and the Ursids (December 17-to December 25/26, peaking around December 22). "This list does not necessarily imply either official status or general observance." Last Week of November: November 25 – December 1 First Sunday: December 2 Fourth Sunday before Christmas Day: December 2 First Monday in December and following 7 days: December 3-9 First Friday: December 7 Sunday two weeks before Christmas: December 9 Second Monday: December 10 December 15, unless the date falls on a Sunday, then December 16: December 15 Second-final Sunday before Christmas Day: December 16 Thursday before Christmas: December 20 Winter Solstice: December