December 17 National Days

December 17, 2025, is the 352nd day of the year, with 14 days remaining until the end of the year. Falling on a Wednesday in the 50th week, the date features four observances centered on early aviation, expressing gratitude, appreciating everyday devices, and celebrating maple syrup.

Below is a list of all 4national and international days celebrated on December 17, each with a brief explanation.

National & International Days on December 17

National Device Appreciation Day encourages people to recognize how much we rely on everyday tech—phones, laptops, tablets, and other devices that keep us connected and organized. The observance also reminds users to take care of these tools and consider protection options. It was started by Traverse, a mobile insurance platform, to highlight more flexible ways to insure personal items.

National Maple Syrup Day celebrates the natural sweetener made from the sap of maple trees. The practice of collecting and boiling sap began with Indigenous peoples in North America and was later adopted by European settlers. Maple syrup remains an important regional product today, with Canada as the world’s leading producer and Vermont as the largest producer in the United States.

National Maple Syrup Day

National Say It Now Day, established in 2024, encourages people to express gratitude to those who have shaped their lives while they are still here to hear it. The observance grew from founder Walter Green’s decision to hold a “living tribute” for a friend and from his journey of thanking 44 influential people in his own life. His experience led to the creation of this day, which reminds us not to postpone meaningful words of appreciation.

Wright Brothers Day* (By Presidential Proclamation) commemorates the first controlled, sustained flight of a powered airplane, achieved by Orville and Wilbur Wright on December 17, 1903, near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Their initial flight covered 120 feet in 12 seconds, and later that day Wilbur completed a longer flight of 852 feet in 59 seconds. The United States formally recognized this achievement in 1963, when Congress designated December 17 as Wright Brothers Day and requested an annual presidential proclamation inviting the public to observe the occasion.