December

by Hla Min

Updated : June 2025

Background

• 10th month of the old Calendar. Dec means Ten.
• 12th and last month of the Gregorian Calendar
• Has 31 days
• December 31st is celebrated as New Year’s Eve

Events

Dec 1, 1920

• Rangoon University was established with Rangoon College & Judson College as affiliates.
• Golden Jubilee in 1970; Diamond Jubilee in 1995; Centennial in 2020.

Dec 5, 1920

• First RU Students’ Strike to protest the 1920 RU Act.
• The anniversaries use the Burmese Calendar.

Dec 1974

U Thant Ah Yay Ah Khinn

• Dark moment in the history of Burma

Apollo 8

• Orbited the Moon in December 1968
• Astronauts : Frank Borman, James Lovell, Bill Anders

December 25

• Christmas Eve on Dec 24
• Christmas on Dec 25

December 26

• Saya U Ba Toke was born in 1920. He passed away on Dec 2, 2020 a few days before his Centennial birthday

December 31

• New Year’s Eve

SEAP Games

• Burma hosted the 2nd SEAP Games in December, 1961
  

• Burma hosted the 5th SEAP Games in December, 1969

Birthdays

Several birthdays in December among my relatives & friends. They include

• Beloved spouse : Dec 30
• Saya U Tin Maung Nyunt : Dec 30
• Saya Allen Htay (GBNF) : Dec 31
• Elder sister
• Cousin
• Uncle (GBNF)
• Classmates : Maung Maung Kyi (Wales, GBNF) and Aung Thu Yein (Brownie, GBNF).

U Tin Maung Nyunt

• Saya usually celebrates his birthday performing meritorious deeds.
• Before his current medical condition, he observed Eight Precepts.
• Practices Vipassana Meditation
• He is a day older than Saya Allen Htay.

My Beloved Spouse

• Supported my volunteer activities for nearly five decades.
• I completed 26 years as Founder & Editor of “RIT Alumni Newsletter Updates”.

• We attended several RIT gatherings : SPZP-2000, SPZP-2012, SPZP-2016 & 69er Golden Jubilee in Yangon; RIT & UCC Gatherings in Australia & Singapore; and many gatherings in the USA.

• Attended 2015 RIT Alumni Reunion in Los Angeles held at the Knott Berry Farms, and a special gathering at iNapa Winery.

• She is a Caring Spouse, a Dutiful Mother & a Loving Grandmother. She asked me to take care of my health and minimize use of phone & computer.

• She loves to sing and dance at the gatherings. I am an amateur musician who plays instruments (piano, key board, guitar, harmonica) by ear.

Here’s my birthday wish:

May you be blessed with Good Health, Abundant Wealth, Unbounded Love, Peace, Calm, Tranquility … for many more years to come.

Events in December

• December 1, 1920 : Under the RU Act of 1920, Rangoon University was established with Rangoon College & Judson College as constituent colleges.
• RU Golden Jubilee in 1970 : I was member of the “Zay Nay Yar Cha Htar Yay” committee
• RU Diamond Jubilee in 1995 : BARB produced documentary for “Rangoon University Sports”
• RU Centennial in 2020 :
  I was Moderator of the RU Centennial Facebook group
• December 26, 1920 : Saya U Ba Toke’s birthday. His life story is published in the book by Tekkatho Maung Thin Char (Dr. Khin Maung Swe, GBNF).
  Saya passed away on December 2, 2020 a few days before his Centennial Birthday
• December 5, 1920 : First RU Students’ Strike — Caused amendments to the RU Act.
  Led to the establishment of Amyothar Kyaung (National School) & Amyothat Kawleik (College). Amyothar Aung Bwe Nay (National Day) is celebrated using the Burmese date
• December 1961 : Second SEAP Games — Hosted in Rangoon;
  Burma dominated in Track & Field, Swimming & Volleyball. About 20 athletes from RU represented Burma in the Games (See photo by Dr. Richard Yu Khin)
  

• Dec 1969 : Fifth SEAP Games in Rangoon