All the printable worksheets below, just scroll down to see, are all themed around celebrations, events, or memorable dates for the month of December. We tried to avoid the obvious celebrations as they have their own pages. Now we have come full circle, as New Year's Eve is the last celebration of the calendar, leading into New Year's Day, which is the first.
Print December Worksheets
Click the buttons to print each worksheet and associated answer key.
Who Was Walt Disney? Passage
Walt loved to draw, even as a young boy. He sold his first sketches to people in his neighborhood when he was just seven years old.
Walt Disney Multiple Choice Questions
During World War I, Walt wanted to join the army, but he was rejected because he was only 16 years old. Instead, he joined the Red Cross and spent a year driving an ambulance overseas.
Walt Disney Short Answer Questions
Walt Disney loved to create cartoons and entertain children, but that’s not all he did. He was also an important member of society who wanted to improve the quality of life in America.
What is a Hovercraft?
A hovercraft is an air-cushioned vehicle (ACV) that is capable of hovering just over land or water. A cushion of air, which is ejected below the vehicle and contained in a “skirt”, supports a hovercraft.
December Hovercrafts Questions
An Austrian man named Dagobert Müller built the first aircushioned vehicle in 1915, and the concept for today’s hovercrafts was introduced in 1955, when a man named Sir Christopher Cockerell created a contraption using a cat food can, a coffee can, and a set of kitchen scales.
Hovercrafts Short Answer Questions
Hovercrafts are particularly useful for military options and rescue missions.
What’s the Coldest Place on Earth? What is there? Reading Passage
There are some very hot places on earth, and there are some extremely cold places too. The confirmed coldest temperature ever recorded on earth was in Vostok, Antarctica at −89.2 °C (−128.6 °F).
Coldest Place on Earth - Multiple Choice Questions
In this region, there are very high velocity winds. This very cold temperature was recorded in the Antarctic winter, which takes place during June and July. During these months, the sun never rises.
Coldest Short Answer Questions
Vostok is one of the most difficult places on the entire planet for humans to live, and it’s not just because of the cold. There is almost zero moisture in the air.
What’s Boxing Day? Reading Passage
Boxing Day is a public holiday that occurs on December 26. It is observed in many different countries, including Canada, Germany, Sweden, Greenland, Jamaica, Australia and Hong Kong. Primarily, countries celebrate it with a predominantly Christian population, as well as the Commonwealth of Nations.
Boxing Day - Multiple Choice Questions
Boxing Day is usually celebrated on St Stephen’s Day, the day after Christmas Day. In the event that 26 December is a Sunday, Boxing Day is moved to the 27th.
Boxing Day - Short Answer Questions
It is unknown exactly why Boxing Day is called such, but it usually regarded as a day when people gave money and gifts to the needy, as well as those who worked in Service.
AIDS: A Worldwide Epidemic Passage
A person is diagnosed with AIDS when their immune system is too weak to fight off infections. AIDS was first diagnosed in the 1980s.
AIDS Multiple Choice Questions
HIV is considered the first truly international epidemic, affecting people, communities, and countries all over the world. The affect of AIDS has been the most severe in the continent of Africa.
AIDS Short Answer Questions
In order to decrease the number of people contracting HIV and AIDS, people need to be educated.
Why Do People Have Trouble Quitting Smoking?
Many people find that it is difficult to quit smoking. However, it is not impossible.
Quitting Smoking Multiple Choice Questions
When a person takes a puff of a cigarette, nicotine particles enter the lungs through inhalation. From there, the nicotine is absorbed into the bloodstream like oxygen.
Quitting Smoking Short Answer Questions
The addiction to nicotine isn’t the only reason it is hard to quit smoking. It is also hard to quit smoking because smoking is a part of a smoker's routine.
What was the Attack on Pearl Harbor?
It occurred on December 7, 1941. The Japanese Navy carried out a surprise attack on an American Navy Base and Air Field in Hawaii.
Pearl Harbor - Multiple Choice Questions
Japan at the time was wanting to take over parts of China because of oil, and the US wanted to stop them but the people did not want to go to war over it - until this attack.
Pearl Harbor - Short Answer Questions
Most sailors were still sleeping when the attack took place. It was Sunday morning. At 7:02 a.m., at the Opana Radar Station, two officers named Joseph Lockhard and George Elliott saw what looked like a fleet of planes coming toward them.
How Many Different Holidays Are There in December? Reading Passage
Christians celebrate Christmas. Jewish people celebrate Hanukah. In Africa, they celebrate Kwanzaa.
Different Holidays - Multiple Choice Questions
There is also Eid al-Adha, which is a Muslim holiday meaning The Festival of Sacrifice. It is one of the most important holidays in Islam, and it honors Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son to God.
Different Holidays - Short Answer Questions
What is a holiday, exactly? It is a day that has special cultural, religious, or national significance, and is deemed an official observance by a nation or religious group.
Where Do Christmas Trees Come From? Reading Worksheet
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the last time a census was done in 2002, there were 21,904 farms producing Christmas trees, representing 447,006 acres of Christmas trees.
Where Do Christmas Trees Come From? - Multiple Choice Questions
To grow a Christmas tree, the farmer must extract a seed from the cones harvested from older trees. These seeds are then grown in nurseries, and then sold to Christmas tree farms when they are about 3-4 years old.
Christmas Trees - Short Answer Questions
There is a debate as to which is more environmentally friendly: an artificial tree or a natural tree.
What was the Louisiana Purchase? Passage
Before the USA was the way it is today, France owned a good part of the current land. In fact, The Louisiana Purchase included not only Louisiana, but all or part of 14 different states and two Canadian provinces.
Louisiana Purchase - Multiple Choice Questions
The purchased doubles the size of the USA, and today accounts for about 23% of current American land.
Louisiana Purchase - Short Answer Questions
During this time, America was expanded, and people were beginning to explore parts of the country that had not been known before.
Why is there Christmas & Who Celebrates It?
Due to the closeness of December to the Roman Winter Solstice it is believed that Catholic leaders used December as the date of celebration in order to compete with other ancient Pagan holidays that were routinely celebrated during that time of the year.
Why is there Christmas? - Multiple Choice Questions
Christmas is celebrated by Christians. A Christian is someone who believes that Jesus Christ is God's son.
Why is there Christmas - Short Answer Questions
It is estimated that over 400 million people world-wide celebrate Christmas today.
What Symbols Represent Christmas and Why?
Traditionally, you begin to see decorations in the form of wreaths, mistletoe, poinsettias, red and green tinsel, angels, Christmas trees, lights and of course Santa Claus right after the Thanksgiving holidays.
Symbols Represent Christmas - Multiple Choice Questions
It is very common to see angels used for decorations and ornaments during Christmas. The angels are significant because they represent the angels that told of the birth in the historical story of the nativity.
Symbols Represent Christmas - Short Answer Questions
The reason that the Christmas tree has become a main stream Christmas symbol is because the Pagans believed that decorating the Evergreen or Fir tree ensured that winter would end.
Why is there Hanukkah & Who Celebrates It?
Hanukkah is a commemoration of an event that happened over 2,000 years ago and is a very special time for Jewish people.
Hanukkah - Multiple Choice Questions
Hanukkah is celebrated on the 25th of Kislev, which is a calendar used by Jewish people. Most of the time this falls in December either before, during or after the Christmas holiday season.
Hanukkah - Short Answer Questions
The dreidel has letters or symbols on them that when translated mean "a great miracle happened there." Many children play games and sing songs during Hanukkah and it is a happy and triumphant celebration.
What Symbols Represent Hanukkah & Why
If you have ever driven around during the holidays you might notice that Jewish people traditionally use blue lights in the form of the Star of David to decorate their houses with.
What Symbols Represent Hanukkah & Why - Multiple Choice Questions
While green and red normally depict Christmas, Hanukah also has colors associated with the holiday. Traditionally, Jewish people decorate in blue and silver.
Symbols Represent Hanukkah - Short Answer Questions
One of the traditions of Hanukkah is to eat sufganoit or latkes during the Hanukkah holiday.
What is Kwanza & Who Celebrates It?
Kwanza has been celebrated in the United States since 1966. This festival is traditionally for Afro-Americans and is essentially a celebration of life festival that lasts from December 26th to January 1st.
Kwanza - Multiple Choice Questions
Kwanza uses a candle holder to signify the 7 principles of the holiday. Each day, a new candle is lit and a unity cup is used for celebrators to drink from that symbolizes the long standing tradition of African American heritage in agriculture and beyond.
Kwanza - Short Answer Questions
Kwanzaa can be celebrated by anyone, however primarily African American or black people take part in this festival.
Why is there Diwali & Who Celebrates It?
Diwali is a holiday that is celebrated by Hindus in India and abroad. It is often called the festival of lights.
Diwali - Multiple Choice Questions
The festival of lights can last 3-5 days depending on the locale where the people live.
Diwali - Short Answer Questions
Diwali is a time to celebrate all the blessings that people have and it is common for adults and children to adorn new clothes or jewelry during this festival.
What is Rohatsu & Who Celebrates It?
Rohatsu is a celebration that usually takes place from December 1st to December 8th of each year and it is celebrated by Zen Buddhists.
Rohatsu - Multiple Choice Questions
The entire month of December is special for Zen Buddhists. They see this month as a time to reflect upon their year before and the new year that is approaching.
Rohatsu - Short Answer Questions
For people who practice Zen Buddhism it is important that they spend time becoming the best person that they can be.
What is Ramadan & Who Celebrates It?
Ramadan is a religious holiday that is celebrated for one month by around 1 billion Muslims around the world.
Ramadan - Multiple Choice Questions
One of the most interesting things about Ramadan is that a large part of the celebration is based on fasting. During this month, no food or drinks (not even water) can be consumed during day light hours.
Ramadan - Short Answer Questions
All people, even children are expected to fast. Once a child reaches the age of 12 it is a mandatory part of the Muslim religion that they fast the entire day.
What is Boxing Day and Who Celebrates It?
Boxing Day became an official holiday in England under Queen Victoria in the 19th century.
Boxing Day - Multiple Choice Questions
There are two theories that involve the origin of Boxing Day traditions. The first has to do with trades-people who were given boxes of gifts by their employers the day after Christmas.
Boxing Day - Short Answer Questions
Today, Boxing Day is to be enjoyed with friends and family. Many people go shopping where the stores offer extensive sales, while others volunteer their time into the community and try to help those in need
What is the Winter Solstice & Who Celebrates It?
The solstice happens twice a year. One solstice happens in the winter while the other occurs in the summer. You may have heard them referred to as equinoxes.
Winter Solstice - Multiple Choice Questions
The Pagans celebrated this day as one of their special days in Yule, which was a 12 day celebration of the end of winter.
Winter Solstice - Short Answer Questions
Today, there are few people who celebrate the Solstice, however there are many religious and ceremonial celebrations that exist in almost every culture during this time of the year that have many similarities to the old Solstice celebrations.
What Do We Know About This Month?
December is the twelfth month, and the last month of the modern-day Gregorian calendar, coming after January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, and November. There are 31 days in the month of December.
December got its name from the Latin word Dec, meaning ten. Originally, December was the tenth month in the earlier versions of the calendar dating back to more than 2000 years ago. Originally, the month had 30 days. After 153 BCE, December was pushed to the twelfth place when January and February were added as the first two months and had 29 days. When Julius Caesar reformed the calendar, two more days were added to the month, making it 31 days long.
December is the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, and in the Southern Hemisphere, it marks the summer solstice.
The full moon for December is known as Cold Moon. Its birth flowers are poinsettia and holly, both symbolizing hope. The birthstone for December is blue turquoise or zircon.
While many of the world's biggest celebrations-Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa-are held in December, there are also many smaller observations and commemorations. World AIDS Day is December the first, and International Volunteer Day is on December the fifth. The United States remembers the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December the seventh, and the United Nations promotes its international Human Rights Day on December the tenth.<br>
What Important Events Happened in December?
Every month of the year holds history, but some months are more historically relevant than others. December is thought of as a month of celebration with the arrival of Christmas and New Year's. However, in addition to the holiday festivities, December has been home to some historically significant events as well, such as Thomas Edison's first patent or when Florida became the 27th state in the United States. These events shaped history and continue to influence our culture today.
We explore some of the most notable events that happened in December throughout history. As you read through this list, you'll see that each day of December has its own significance in terms of historical context.
Attack on Wake Island
Wake Island is a small coral atoll located roughly 2,300 miles west of Hawaii. On December 8, 1941, Japanese forces launched an attack on U.S. military facilities on Wake Island as part of their Operation K, a plan to establish control over Pacific Island territories. The Battle of Wake Island lasted three days and resulted in 1,104 American casualties, while more than 900 Japanese troops were killed or wounded. The remaining Japanese ships withdrew from the area without landing any additional troops.
The battle marks one of only two occasions that enemy ground forces landed on American soil prior to September 11, 2001 (the other being when British troops briefly occupied New Orleans after capturing it during the War of 1812). Today, Wake Island remains under the U.S.
The Surrender of Germany
On December 16, 1918, Germany officially announced its surrender. This followed a series of lost battles, revolts, and economic disasters that shook World War I-era Germany to its core. The war had already ended for most countries, with only Russia and Japan still fighting by December. On November 11th, German politicians signed an armistice with France and Great Britain at Compiegne Forest in northern France; they then transferred their government to the neutral Netherlands while they worked out terms for peace.
First Nuclear Chain Reaction
On December 2, 1942, an experimental nuclear reactor at the University of Chicago went into a self-sustaining chain reaction for the first time. It was achieved by Enrico Fermi, one of physics' most distinguished minds of all time.
The results were published on December 19 and quickly led to a secret Manhattan Project to develop atomic weapons. The project eventually produced two bombs that were to be dropped on Japan in 1945, bringing about an end to World War II and ushering in an era of nuclear proliferation that we live with today.
The Titanic Sank on Its Maiden Voyage
On December 15, at 11:40 p.m., when RMS Titanic-the world's biggest ocean liner-sailed from Southampton, England, to New York City in cold waters, it hit an iceberg. The ship was designed to carry 2,435 passengers and crew.
At least 1,517 perished after it sank; 705 were rescued and survived.
The Beginning of the Operation Watch on the Rhine
In December 1944, Hitler launched a massive counteroffensive to retake territory he lost earlier in Operation Overlord. Code-named Operation Watch on The Rhine or The Battle of the Bulge, German forces were successful at first but were eventually repelled by Allied troops after two months of bloody combat.
It was one of Germany's last major offensives and proved once and for all that, their military was unable to effectively fight without Hitler.
Wrapping Up
December is a month full of important events that shaped history, from the births and deaths of historical figures to wars that launched the world into its next chapter. Celebrate December by exploring five events that changed everything.