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When to See December’s Full Moon

The full Moon for December is 100% illuminated on December 15, 4:02 A.M. (EST). To find the exact time it will appear in your area, consult our Moon Rise Calculator.

The Full Cold Moon

The moon names we use in The Old Farmer’s �������� come from Native Americans, Colonial Americans, or other traditional sources passed down through generations. Different Native American peoples traditionally used the monthly Moons and nature’s corresponding signs as a calendar to track the seasons.

December’s full Moon is most commonly known as the Cold Moon—a Mohawk name that conveys the frigid conditions of this time of year when cold weather truly begins to grip us.

The Long Night Moon

This full Moon has also been called the Long Night Moon (Mohican), as it rises during the “longest” nights of the year, near the December winter solstice. 

This name is doubly fitting because December’s full Moon shines above the horizon for a more extended period than most full Moons. 

Alternative December Moon Names

Other names that allude to the cold and snow include Drift Clearing Moon (Cree), Frost Exploding Trees Moon (Cree), Moon of the Popping Trees (Oglala), Hoar Frost Moon (Cree), Snow Moon (Haida, Cherokee), and Winter Maker Moon (Western Abenaki).

Other names include Moon When the Deer Shed Their Antlers (Dakota) and Little Spirit Moon (Anishinaabe).

In Europe, ancient pagans called the December full Moon the “Moon Before Yule” in honor of the Yuletide festival celebrating the return of the sun heralded by the winter solstice.

→ See a full calendar year of full Moon names and their meanings.

Moon Phases for December 2024

Below are the dates and times (in Eastern Time) of the Moon’s phases in December. Click here to see the Moon phase dates and times for your location.

This December is unique because we have TWO new Moons. We call this a black Moon.

December Moon Phase Dates and Times

	New Moon: December 1, 1:21 A.M.
	First Quarter: December 8, 10:27 A.M.
	Full Moon: December 15, 4:02 A.M.
	First Quarter: December 22, 5:18 P.M.
	New Moon: December 30, 5:27 P.M.

When is the next Full Moon? Consult our Full Moon Dates chart.

Best Days in December 2024

Below are the best days for activities, based on the Moon’s sign and phase in December.

For Harvesting

• Aboveground crops: 7, 8
• Belowground crops: 25-27

For Setting Eggs

• 13-15, 22, 23

For Fishing

• 1-15, 30, 31

See Best Days for more activities.

Moon Folklore

• If a snowstorm begins when the Moon is young, it will cease at moonrise.

Share your thoughts about this month’s Moon below!