December 22
December 22 is the 357th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 9 days remain until the year's end. It falls in winter (northern hemisphere) and under the astrological sign of Capricorn.
External references
Curated jump-off points to the major almanacs, encyclopaedias and primary sources for this date.
Astronomy
On December 22 the Sun's declination is approximately -23.4°. At this latitude the Sun is south of the celestial equator, giving the Northern Hemisphere shorter days than nights.
For specific rise/set times at your location, see the U.S. Naval Observatory, or the NASA APOD archive for any imagery published on a December 22.
Position in the year
Holidays & observances
- Dongzhi Festival
- Armed Forces Day (Vietnam)
- Christian feast day: Anastasia of Sirmium (Orthodox Church)
- Christian feast day: Eimhin
- Christian feast day: Ernan, Son of Eogan
Events
A selection of widely-documented historical events that took place on this date. Years marked BCE follow standard astronomical convention.
2018 — A tsunami caused by an eruption of Anak Krakatau in Indonesia kills at least 430 people and injures almost a thousand more. ↗(8 years ago)more
The 2018 Sunda Strait tsunami occurred on 22 December 2018 at around 21:38 local time after large parts of the southwestern side of Anak Krakatoa collapsed onto its caldera. The landslide spawned a tsunami wave that struck multiple coastal regions in Banten and Lampung, including the tourist destination of Anyer.
- 2018 — The 2018–2019 United States federal government shutdown, the second-longest shutdown of the U.S. federal government in history, begins. ↗(8 years ago)
more
From December 22, 2018, until January 25, 2019, the United States federal government entered a shutdown. It was the second and final federal government shutdown involving furloughs during the first presidency of Donald Trump.
2017 — United Nations Security Council Resolution 2397 against North Korea is unanimously approved. ↗(9 years ago)more
United Nations Security Council Resolution 2397 is a resolution adopted unanimously on 22 December 2017 in response to North Korea's launch of a Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile on 28 November of that year.
2016 — A study finds the VSV-EBOV vaccine against the Ebola virus between 70 and 100% effective, making it the first proven vaccine against the disease. ↗(10 years ago)more
Recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus–Zaire Ebola virus (rVSV-ZEBOV), also known as Ebola Zaire vaccine live and sold under the brand name Ervebo, is an Ebola vaccine for adults that prevents Ebola caused by the Zaire ebolavirus. When used in ring vaccination, rVSV-ZEBOV has shown a high level of protection.
2012 — Bashir Ahmad Bilour of Awami National Party and eight others are killed in a Pakistan Taliban bomber suicide attack in Dhaki Nalbandi area near Qissa Khwani Bazaar. ↗(14 years ago)more
Bashir Ahmad Bilour was a Pakistani member of the provincial assembly of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Senior Minister for Local Government and Rural Development of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
2010 — The repeal of the Don't ask, don't tell policy, the 17-year-old policy banning homosexuals serving openly in the United States military, is signed into law by President Barack Obama. ↗(16 years ago)more
The Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010 is a landmark United States federal statute enacted in December 2010 that established a process for ending the "don't ask, don't tell" (DADT) policy, thus allowing gay, lesbian, and bisexual people to serve openly in the United States Armed Forces.
2008 — An ash dike ruptures at a solid waste containment area for a Tennessee Valley Authority coal-fired power plant in Roane County, Tennessee, releasing 4.2 million m3 (1.1 billion US gal) of coal fly ash slurry in the largest industrial spill in U.S. history. ↗(18 years ago)more
The Kingston Fossil Plant Spill was an environmental and industrial disaster that occurred on December 22, 2008, when a dike ruptured at a coal ash pond at the Tennessee Valley Authority's Kingston Fossil Plant in Roane County, Tennessee, releasing 1.1 billion US gallons of coal fly ash slurry.
2001 — Burhanuddin Rabbani, political leader of the Northern Alliance, hands over power in Islamic State of Afghanistan to the interim government headed by President Hamid Karzai. ↗(25 years ago)more
Burhanuddin Rabbani was an Afghan politician and teacher who served as the sixth president of Afghanistan from 1992 to 1996, and again from November to December 2001.
2001 — Richard Reid attempts to destroy a passenger airliner by igniting explosives hidden in his shoes aboard American Airlines Flight 63. ↗(25 years ago)more
Richard Colvin Reid, also known as the "Shoe Bomber", is a British terrorist who perpetrated the failed shoe bombing attempt against a transatlantic flight in 2001. Born to a career criminal father, Reid ended up in prison after years of committing petty crimes. While in prison, he was influenced by Muslim inmates he met there and converted to Islam.
1999 — Just after taking off from London Stansted Airport, Korean Air Cargo Flight 8509 crashes into Hatfield Forest near Great Hallingbury, killing all four people on board. ↗(27 years ago)more
Stansted Airport is an international airport serving the south-east of England. It is located near Stansted Mountfitchet, in the district of Uttlesford, Essex; it lies 31 miles north-east of Central London.
1997 — Acteal massacre: Attendees at a prayer meeting of Roman Catholic activists for indigenous causes in the small village of Acteal in the Mexican state of Chiapas are massacred by paramilitary forces. ↗(29 years ago)more
The Acteal massacre was a massacre of 45 people attending a prayer meeting of Catholic Indigenous townspeople, including a number of children and pregnant women, who were members of the pacifist group Las Abejas, in the small village of Acteal in the municipality of Chenalhó, in the Mexican state of Chiapas.
1997 — Somali Civil War: Hussein Farrah Aidid relinquishes the disputed title of President of Somalia by signing the Cairo Declaration, in Cairo, Egypt. It is the first major step towards reconciliation in Somalia since 1991. ↗(29 years ago)more
The Somali Civil War is an ongoing civil war that is taking place in Somalia. It grew out of resistance to the military junta which was led by Siad Barre during the 1980s. From 1988 to 1990, the Somali Armed Forces began engaging in combat against various armed rebel groups, including the Somali Salvation Democratic Front in the northeast, the Somali Nati...
Notable births
2006 — Callan McKenna, Scottish footballer ↗(20 years ago)more
Callan Thomas McKenna is a Scottish footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Premier League club Bournemouth. He is a Scotland youth international.
- 2003 — Joe Anders, American-British actor ↗(23 years ago)
more
Joe Alfie Winslet Mendes, known professionally as Joe Anders, is an American-British actor, screenwriter and composer. He is the son of actress Kate Winslet and film director Sam Mendes, and the younger half-brother of actress Mia Threapleton.
- 2002 — David Datro Fofana, Ivorian footballer ↗(24 years ago)
more
David Datro Fofana is an Ivorian professional footballer who plays as a forward for French Ligue 1 club Strasbourg on loan from Premier League club Chelsea.
2001 — Camila Osorio, Colombian tennis player ↗(25 years ago)more
María Camila Osorio Serrano is a Colombian professional tennis player. She has a career-high singles ranking of world No. 33 by the WTA, achieved on 4 April 2022 and a doubles ranking of No. 162, achieved on 8 September 2025. She is currently the No. 1 singles player from Colombia.
2001 — Jack Draper, British tennis player ↗(25 years ago)more
Jack Alexander Draper is a British professional tennis player. He has a career-high ATP singles ranking of world No. 4, achieved on 9 June 2025. He is currently the No. 2 singles player from Great Britain.
2000 — Joshua Bassett, American actor and singer ↗(26 years ago)more
Joshua Taylor Bassett is an American actor and singer. He began his career as a teen actor, appearing on the third season of Disney Channel family sitcom Stuck in the Middle (2018) as Aidan Peters. Bassett rose to prominence for his leading role as high school student Ricky Bowen in the Disney+ streaming series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series...
Notable deaths
2025 — Chris Rea, English singer-songwriter (born 1951) ↗(1 years ago)more
Christopher Anton Rea was an English rock and blues singer-songwriter, guitarist and record producer. He was known for his distinctive gravelly voice, slide guitar playing and music style blending soft rock with blues.
- 2023 — Leon Coates, English composer (born 1937) ↗(3 years ago)
more
Leon Coates (1937–2023) was an English composer, pianist and conductor who worked mostly in Scotland.
2019 — Ram Dass, American spiritual teacher and author (born 1931) ↗(7 years ago)more
Ram Dass, also known as Baba Ram Dass, was an American spiritual teacher, guru of modern yoga, psychologist, and writer. His best-selling 1971 book Be Here Now, which has been described by multiple reviewers as "seminal", helped popularize Eastern spirituality and yoga in the West.
2018 — Paddy Ashdown, British politician (born 1941) ↗(8 years ago)more
Jeremy John Durham Ashdown, Baron Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon, better known as Paddy Ashdown, was a British politician and diplomat who served as Leader of the Liberal Democrats from 1988 to 1999. Internationally, he is recognised for his role as High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2002 to 2006, following his vigorous lobbying for militar...
2018 — Simcha Rotem, last survivor of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising (born 1924) ↗(8 years ago)more
Simcha Rotem was a Polish-Israeli veteran who was a member of the Jewish underground in Warsaw and served as the head courier of the Jewish Fighting Organization (ŻOB), which planned and executed the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising against the Nazis. He was one of the last two surviving Jewish fighters in the Warsaw uprising.
Numerical & calendrical curiosities
| Day-of-year (357) | 3 × 7 × 17 · composite (no) |
|---|---|
| Days remaining (9) | 3^2 |
| Date code DDMMYYYY | 22122026 · next palindrome year: 2122 |
| Sun declination | -23.42° (Cooper approximation) |
| Distance from solstice | 2 days |