Quantcast
Daily Calendar for Wednesday, December 14, 2022 | Almanac.com

Daily Calendar for Wednesday, December 14, 2022

Halcyon Days, which have come to mean any time of happiness and contentment, are actually the 14 days around the winter solstice. According to Greek legend, the halcyon, or kingfisher, built its floating nest around the 14th of December, during which time the gods calmed the seas for the nesting and hatching time.

Where did β€œHalcyon Days” come from? The bird’s name derives from a myth recorded by Ovid. According to the story, Aeolus, the ruler of the winds, had a daughter named Alcyone, who was married to Ceyx, the king of Thessaly. It’s a longer story but let’s just say that it ends tragically with Ceyx drowning at sea. Grieving Alcyone was about to throw herself into the sea to join her beloved husband. But the gods took pity on the pair, transforming them into halcyons, with the power to still the stormy seas for 14 days near the time of the winter solstice while they hatched their young. (For this reason, mariners credit the kingfisher, or β€œalcyon bird,” with the power to calm storms and raging seas.)

The β€œHalcyon Days” usually end by early January. Today, the phrase β€œHalcyon Days” has come to mean a sense of peace or tranquility. People often use the phrase halcyon days to refer idyllically to a calmer, more peaceful time in their past. It’s also a fitting phrase for the peaceful, joyful spirit of the Christmas holidays today.

Died

  • George Washington (1st U.S. president) –
  • Prince Albert (husband and Prince Consort of Queen Victoria) –
  • Roger Maris (baseball player) –
  • Peter O'Toole (actor) –
  • Alan Thicke (actor) –

Born

  • Frances Bavier (actress) –
  • Spike Jones (comedian & musician) –
  • Mel Bartholomew (construction engineer and gardener known for his Square Foot Gardening method) –
  • Charlie Rich (musician) –
  • Patty Duke (actress) –
  • KaDee Strickland (actress) –
  • Vanessa Hudgens (actress) –

Events

  • First recorded meteorite in the New World fell in Weston, Connecticut–
  • Alabama is admitted to the Union as the 22nd state–
  • First expedition reached the South Pole, led by Roald Amundsen–
  • Tilt-a-Whirl trademark registered–
  • Diplogen suggested for isotope name–
  • National Velvet, a film featuring a young Elizabeth Taylor, premiered in New York–
  • Captain Sue Dauser, Navy Nurse Corps, received the Distinguished Service Medal–
  • Scotchguard carpet treatment patented–
  • Charles Schulz, creator of the comic strip Peanuts, announced he would retire–
  • The Millau Viaduct, the highest bridge in the world, was formally opened in France–
  • 5.6-lb. avocado grown in Kahului, Hawaii, set world record for heaviest–

Weather

  • A major cold wave across the country marked the beginning of one of the most severe winters in U.S. history–
  • The temperature at Helena, Montana, fell 79 degrees in 24 hours–

Explore Other Dates on the Calendar