December Days

December signals the beginning of many different celebrations, holidays and observances in the United States and around the world. Starting with World AIDS Day on December 1st and culminating with New Years Eve the month offers a diverse journey through awareness, cultures, belief systems, history and many opportunities to give of oneself to others.

Below are some links to resources and information on some December events with an emphasis on Kansas:

The Winter Holidays
http://www.skyways.org/KSL/Ref/misc/web/winterholidays.html
(Information on December holidays and events provided by the State Library of Kansas)

Diversity Calendar
http://www3.kumc.edu/diversity/
(The University of Kansas Medical Center offers up a calendar with information on special days around the world)

"World AIDS Day is December 1st"
The Kansas Dept. of Health and Environment urges people at risk to be tested
http://www.kdheks.gov/news/web_archives/2008/11252008a.htm

Kansas Travel & Tourism
http://www.travelks.com/
(For Kansas events around the state click on EVENTS and put in a search term: winter, christmas, snow, etc. Site is part of the Kansas Department of Commerce. They also provide a short list of Featured Events.)

Candlelight Tour at Fort Scott, Kansas (December 5th and 6th)
http://www.nps.gov/fosc/planyourvisit/clt.htm
(U.S. National Park Service)

December books for children provided by the Kansas City Kansas Public Library
---Celebrate With Reading: December Books
http://www.kckpl.lib.ks.us/YS/books/decbooks.htm
---The World of Holiday Books
http://www.kckpl.lib.ks.us/YS/books/Winterbk.htm
---December Holiday Fiction
http://www.kckpl.lib.ks.us/YS/books/ficb1299.htm
---December Holiday Picture Books
http://www.kckpl.lib.ks.us/YS/books/picb1299.htm
---New Winter Holiday Books
http://www.kckpl.lib.ks.us/YS/books/Winhol2.htm
---Hanukkah Booklist
http://www.kckpl.lib.ks.us/YS/books/HANUKKAH.HTM
---Old Fashioned Christmas Picture Books
http://www.kckpl.lib.ks.us/YS/books/OLDLIST.HTM
---Kwanzaa Favorites: Picture Books
http://www.kckpl.lib.ks.us/YS/books/KWANZAA.HTM
---Reading About Kwanzaa
http://www.kckpl.lib.ks.us/YS/books/KWANZBKL.HTM
---Christmas Books From Europe
http://www.kckpl.lib.ks.us/ys/books/CHEUROPE.HTM

and also from KCKPL, how to say Merry Christmas in different languages:
http://www.kckpl.lib.ks.us/YS/misc/EVRYWHRE.HTM

Christmas Cookie Recipes
http://www.girard248.org/holidays/christmas/cookies.html
(Brought to you by the Girard Public Schools)

Decorate with care!
http://www.kdheks.gov/news/web_archives/2003/11202003.htm
(Advice on the use of candles, lights, trees, food, decorations from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment)

Inspect Christmas Trees Often
http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/news/sty/2005/Christmas_trees120905.htm
(Kansas State University Research and Extension)