By Paul T. Choate
12/12/12. When you looked at your calendar today, you may have noticed that Dec. 12, 2012 (or 12/12/12) marks the final unusual numerical date on the Gregorian or Christian calendar for almost another century.
The next time the day, month and year will align in such a manner will not be for another 88 years and 20 days, when the date is Jan. 1, 2101 (or 01/01/01).
According to many national publications including USA Today, CNN, ABC News and others, the date has resulted in thousands of people flocking to wedding chapels, DMVs and elsewhere to allow the significant date to leave a mark on their lives. Additionally, the numerical alignment has sparked superstition.
CNN reports that according to David’s Bridal, more than 7,500 couples plan to wed on the significant date.
“Iconic dates have become a wedding trend in the United States, reaching new heights when over 65,000 couples tied the knot on 7-7-’07,” Brian Beitler, chief marketing officer for David’s Bridal, told USA Today.
USA Today also reports that, in Los Angeles, the county clerk’s office is expanding hours and allowing people to apply online for licenses ahead of time.
Doomsday rumors have also been associated with today’s date, according to LiveScience.com. Although most doomsday predictions have been associated with Dec. 21, 2012 in accordance with the end of the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar, nine days from now, it seems some have come to interpret today as the day that marks the end of times.
Ironically, there is not hard evidence suggesting that the end of the Long Count calendar meant the end of the world to the ancient Mayans. Additionally, ABC News indicates that, among modern-day Maya, there is no association with doomsday in accordance with the end of the calendar.
Numerologists are also big on today’s date. Underwood Dudley, a retired professor of mathematics at DePauw University and author of “Numerology,” told ABC News today’s date is, “just a cute date.” For Scott Petullo, a Las Vegas-based numerologist, there are more positives than negatives associated with the aligning numbers. He says the number falls in association with, “enjoyment, emotions, creative expression, sadness, rejuvenation and rebirth.”
For one special young man in Alabama, the number 12 is taken to the extreme. According to AL.com, Kiam Ronan Moriya will turn 12 today at exactly 12:12 p.m. Moriya told AL.com he has been well aware of all the 12s associated with his birthday for as long as he can remember and said he has looked forward to 12:12 p.m. today for a long time.
Even here at the office, odd aligning dates hold a special place in High Country Press history too, as the publication was founded on May 5, 2005 (or 05/05/05).
To our readers, what do you think about 12/12/12? Does it hold special significance to you? Are you doing anything special to celebrate this unusual date alignment? Let us know in the Facebook comments section below.
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