- Number of holidays
- 5
- Day of the year
- 351
- Days left in the year
- 14
Wright Brothers Day marks December 17, 1903, when Orville Wright made the first successful powered airplane flight in history at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina — a 12-second, 120-foot flight that Wilbur witnessed from the ground, followed by three more flights that day, the longest covering 852 feet. National Maple Syrup Day celebrates the sweetener that Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee, and other Indigenous peoples of northeastern North America extracted from the sugar maple for thousands of years before European contact — now a $2 billion Canadian export industry. Bhutan National Day marks December 17, 1907, when Ugyen Wangchuck was elected the first hereditary king of Bhutan, establishing the Wangchuck dynasty that still rules the Himalayan kingdom, which is renowned for its policy of measuring Gross National Happiness rather than GDP. National Device Appreciation Day was established to encourage people to appreciate the electronic devices that have transformed their daily lives.
All Holidays On December 17
National Maple Syrup Day
Bhutan National Day
National Device Appreciation Day
National Maple Syrup Day Canada
Wright Brother's Day
About December 17
December 17 Q&As
What is the most popular holiday on December 17?
On December 17, Wright Brothers Day is the most historically significant U.S. observance, marking the December 17, 1903 first flight. Bhutan National Day is the most significant national holiday, marking December 17, 1907, and National Maple Syrup Day is the most popular food observance.
What countries celebrate holidays on December 17?
December 17 observances span Bhutan (National Day), Canada (National Maple Syrup Day Canada), and the U.S., which hosts Wright Brothers Day, National Maple Syrup Day, National Device Appreciation Day, and Saturnalia. Saturnalia is observed globally by Roman history enthusiasts.
What are some fun or unusual holidays on December 17?
December 17 includes Wright Brothers Day, National Maple Syrup Day, National Device Appreciation Day, Saturnalia, and Bhutan National Day — a date pairing a 12-second first flight, ancestral Indigenous sweetener, electronic devices, ancient Roman social chaos, and Gross National Happiness.
