This day (NP), is for special religious observance.

This day is the true Winter Solstice, though it was always celebrated a few days later. This is likely because of the difficulty the ancients had with precisely defining when the sun had begun its return to a higher azimuth, as well as the inaccuracies of pre-Julian calendars, which tended to slip back a few days a year.
This is also the fifth day of the Saturnalia. The Saturnalia is one of the most festive and uninhibited that the ancient Romans celebrated. It went on for seven days and encompassed the Winter Solstice, a time of religious observance for cultures the world over. Feasts were provided by the temples and were open to the public, the poor and the homeless. Servants and masters were met on equal terms. Unable to prevent the people's festive inclinations at this time of year, the early Christian leaders moved Christmas to December and claimed the celebration for their own. During the Saturnalia, rules were set aside, schools were closed, and slaves could meet their masters on equal terms. Human kindness was the theme and war and the punishment of criminals was halted. The exchange of gifts was universally practiced. Strenae, which were boughs to which were attached cakes or sweetmeats, were exchanged by visitors and guests. Other common gifts included wax candles (cerei) and sigillaria, which were doll-like clay figures, a particular favorite of children.
This day is sacred to Dia, the goddess venerated by the Arval brothers. This day was also sacred to Angerona, and she was worshipped at the altar of the goddess Volusia, as was Dia.
In Greece, Hercules and Ceres were honored this day (as Heracles and Demeter).

This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when committees of citizens could vote on political or criminal matters.

The Saturnalia is one of the most festive and uninhibited that the ancient Romans celebrated. It went on for seven days and encompassed the Winter Solstice, a time of religious observance for cultures the world over. Feasts were provided by the temples and were open to the public, the poor and the homeless. Servants and masters were met on equal terms. Unable to prevent the people's festive inclinations at this time of year, the early Christian leaders moved Christmas to December and claimed the celebration for their own.
During the Saturnalia, rules were set aside, schools were closed, and slaves could meet their masters on equal terms. Human kindness was the theme and war and the punishment of criminals was halted. The exchange of gifts was universally practiced. Strenae, which were boughs to which were attached cakes or sweetmeats, were exchanged by visitors and guests. Other common gifts included wax candles (cerei) and sigillaria, which were doll-like clay figures, a particular favorite of children.
The emperor Diocletian was born this day at Dalmatia (Split) in 245 AD.
The Larentalia was originally held this day but sometime after 179 BCE it was moved to the luckier (odd-numbered) day following.

This day (NP), is for special religious observance.

Acca Larentia was the goddess honored this day, who was also called Lupa on account of her loose morals. The celebrations today would have allowed mortals the same liberties. She was originally the chief deity of Larentum, which was absorbed by the Romans, culture and all.
This is also the seventh, and last, day of the Saturnalia. The Saturnalia is one of the most festive and uninhibited that the ancient Romans celebrated. It went on for seven days and encompassed the Winter Solstice, a time of religious observance for cultures the world over. Feasts were provided by the temples and was open to the public, the poor and the homeless. Servants and masters were met on equal terms. Unable to prevent the people's natural festive inclinations at this time of year, the early Christian leaders moved Christmas to December and claimed the celebration for their own. During the Saturnalia, rules were set aside, schools were closed, and slaves could meet their masters on equal terms. Human kindness was the theme and war and the punishment of criminals was halted. The exchange of gifts was universally practiced. Strenae, which were boughs to which were attached cakes or sweetmeats, were exchanged by visitors and guests. Other common gifts included wax candles (cerei) and sigillaria, which were doll-like clay figures, a particular favorite of children.
On this day in the year 363 AD the Emperor Julian died in battle with the Persians. Julian, a Greek Stoic, had tried to make the newly powerful Christians accept the traditional Roman policy of Universal Toleration. The Christians, however, remained aggressively intolerant. The result was two centuries of riots, temple desecrations and legalized confiscations of property, the destruction of priceless art, books, and sculpture, persecutions and public murders of those branded with the epithet "pagan", and the ultimate outlawing of the Religion of Nature.
In the old Roman calendar, this day was called the Brumalia, the shortest day of the year. Festivities took place at the foot of the Palatine between the Circus Maximus and the Tiber.
Marcus Aurelius and Commodus celebrated their Triumph over the Germans in 176 AD.

This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when committees of citizens could vote on political or criminal matters.

The emperor Galba was born this day near Terracina in 3 BCE.
On this day in 562 AD, the emperor Justinian dedicated the restored church of St. Sophia in Constantinople.
This was New Year's Day in the Druidic calendar, the 1st day of the 1st month of the 13 month calendar. The sequent letter was B for the tree Birch or Wild Olive.

This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when committees of citizens could vote on political or criminal matters.

After Caesar's reform, this day became the traditional Dies Natalis Solis Invictus, The Day of the Birth of the Invincible Sun, instead of the more precise solstice of 21-22.
The early Christian leaders moved Christmas here from January 6th, the date of Jesus' birth. Although the name of this holiday has been altered, it continues to be a festival of joy, peace, feasting, and goodwill to men. Helios was the god honored this day.
The illiterate barbarian king Charlemagne was crowned Emperor of the Romans this day in 800 by the Pope, who had the right to do so by default. He was, in name, the first emperor of the Western Roman empire since 460 AD. His lands split three ways, amongst his sons, when he died but the title passed to the kingship of what are now Germany and Austria. The title actually passed in direct succession right up to Kaiser (Caesar) Wilhelm in WWI, who was the last man on earth who could claim the title Emperor of the Romans.
In ancient Persia, this day was celebrated as Atargatis, while Mesopotamians celebrated it as the Day of Astarte, the mother goddess.

In Egypt, this day was celebrated as the Borthday of Horus. Horus was the falcon god and was considered to be incarnated in brids of prey. The main Temple of Horus was at Edfu and he was originally considered the god of Upper Egypt. Horus was associated withthe planet Mars ('Horus the Red'). The eye of Horus, the wedjat-eye, is comonly seen throughout Egyptian (and modern) art -- it symbolises health.

This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when committees of citizens could vote on political or criminal matters.

This day continues the Halcyon days, or the period of celebration and goodwill associated with the beginning of winter and the new solar year.

This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when committees of citizens could vote on political or criminal matters.

In Greece this was known as Arachne's Day. Arachne was a princess of Lydian Colophon, famous for its purple dyes. She was so skilled in the art of weaving that Athena herself could not compete with her. In a vengeful rage, Athena turned her into a spider.
The Christians claim that on this day King Herod, old, ill, and dying, slaughtered all the first-born male children in Bethlehem in an attempt to prevent the "newborn king" from growing up and taking away his throne 18 years or so later, long after he would be dead. Herod died in 4 BCE. Josephus wrote a detailed biography of Herod that included all of his achievements, family intrigues, and his embittered death. Josephus describes Herod's "monstrous" plan to slaughter the innocent leading men from all the major towns of Judea so as to ensure mourning upon his death. The order was prevented from being carried out by his wife. Josephus conspicuously makes no mention of what would have been a greater crime, the slaughter of innocent male children. The similarity of these incidents suggests the latter myth was an embellishment of the former incident by Christian raconteurs.

This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when committees of citizens could vote on political or criminal matters.

In Egypt, this was celebrated as the Birthday of Ra, the Sun God, whom the Romans knew as Helios. Ra (Helios) had a temple at Heliopolis that covered 441 square kilometers, with 64 orchards, 103 villages, and 12,693 personnel.
This day continues the Halcyon days, or the period of celebration and goodwill associated with the beginning of winter and the new solar year.

This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when committees of citizens could vote on political or criminal matters.

In Egypt, this was celebrated as the Birthday of Isis, the Mother Goddess. Isis was widely worshipped in the Roman empire. Although a foreign deity, Isis was honored with a temple at Rome. Professional singers, musicians, and dancers, mostly female, would perform at the temple during this festival. The performance involved actors playing the parts of Isis and Nephthys in the mystery plays celebrating the death and resurrection of Osiris. These were perhaps the oldest mystery plays on earth, predating even those of Mesopotamia.
The ancient mesopotamians celebrated this day as the Birthday of Inanna, the queen of heaven and earth.
This day continues the Halcyon days, or the period of celebration and goodwill associated with the beginning of winter and the new solar year.
The emperor Titus was born Titus Flavianus Vespasianus this day in 39 AD at Rome, in comparatively menial conditions.

This is one of the dies comitiales (C), when committees of citizens could vote on political or criminal matters.

In Egypt, this was known as the Lucky Day of Sekhmet. Sekhmet was a goddess of the Memphis triad, sometimes shown as a lion-headed woman. Sekhmet was prayed to by mothers who wished to nurse their children, as in the following incantation: O thou who lives on the water, hasten to the Judge in his divine abode, to Sekhmet who walks behind him, and to Isis, ruler of Dep, saying, "bring her this milk."
The emperor Commodus was poisoned and strangled this day at Rome in 192 AD, the day before he was to fight in a gladiatorial game. He was 31.
Although the Roman year began on March 1st, this day commenced the solar year and Roman calendars all indicate it as such.
This day continues the Halcyon days, or the period of celebration and goodwill associated with the beginning of winter and the new solar year.
On this day in 406 AD, hordes of barbarians crossed the frozen Rhine unopposed, and the frontier collapsed once and for all.