December 12

December 12 is the twelfth day of the month of December and the 346th day of the year (347th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, leaving 19 days until the year's end in common years and 20 in leap years.^[1] The date holds international recognition through the United Nations' observance of the International Day of Neutrality, established by General Assembly resolution A/RES/71/275 on December 12, 2017, to promote neutrality's role in preventing conflicts, fostering dialogue, and supporting mediation efforts amid global tensions.^[2] Historically, December 12 marks pivotal moments such as Pennsylvania's ratification of the U.S. Constitution in 1787, the second state to do so after Delaware and enabling the document's path to implementation by advancing the required nine-state threshold.^[3][4] Other defining events include Kenya's declaration of independence from British rule in 1963, transitioning the nation to self-governance under Jomo Kenyatta as prime minister.^[4] The date also features notable births, including American singer and actor Frank Sinatra in 1915, whose career spanned jazz standards, film roles, and cultural influence through mid-20th-century entertainment.^[5]

Events

Pre-1600

In 592, Emperor Sushun of Japan, the 32nd emperor who reigned from 587 to 592, died at approximately age 72, marking the end of his tumultuous rule characterized by conflicts with the Soga clan; his assassination and subsequent deposition paved the way for Empress Suiko's ascension, the first reigning empress in Japanese history, which stabilized imperial succession amid clan rivalries. In 884, Carloman II, co-king of West Francia from 879 and sole king from 882, died on December 12 near Les Andelys from wounds sustained in a hunting accident, when his servant Bertoldus accidentally stabbed him during a wild boar pursuit; his death without heirs facilitated the brief reunification of the Carolingian Empire under his cousin Charles the Fat, delaying further fragmentation until Charles's deposition in 888. In 1112, Tancred, Prince of Galilee, regent of Antioch, and a key leader in the First Crusade who captured territories including Tarsus and Latakia, died at age 37, likely from illness; as a prominent Norman crusader without surviving legitimate sons, his passing shifted control of Antioch to his nephew Roger and eventually to Baldwin II of Jerusalem, contributing to the consolidation of Latin Christian states in the Levant amid ongoing threats from Muslim forces. In 1296, Isabella of Mar, Countess of Carrick and first wife of Robert the Bruce (later King Robert I of Scotland), died on December 12 shortly after giving birth to their daughter Marjorie at the Manor of Cardross; her death at around age 19 left Bruce widowed during the First War of Scottish Independence, prompting his remarriage to Elizabeth de Burgh and ensuring Marjorie's lineage through her descendants founded the Stuart dynasty, influencing long-term Scottish royal succession.^[6] In 1349, Joan of Burgundy, Queen consort of France as the first wife of King Philip VI and regent during his absences in the early Hundred Years' War, died at age 56 from the Black Death; her demise amid the plague's devastation weakened Capetian administrative continuity, as Philip relied on her counsel for diplomacy with England and internal governance, exacerbating France's vulnerabilities during the conflict's opening phases. In 1586, Stephen Báthory, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1576, died at age 53 in Grodno, possibly from illness or poisoning; a skilled military leader who expanded Polish influence against Muscovy and the Ottomans, his lack of direct heirs triggered a succession crisis resolved by electing Sigismund III Vasa, which intertwined Polish-Lithuanian and Swedish crowns, altering Eastern European power balances in the subsequent decades.

1601–1900

Swiss anatomist, physiologist, poet, and botanist Albrecht von Haller died on December 12, 1777, in Bern at age 69; his empirical experiments on muscle irritability and circulation laid foundational work in modern physiology, though some contemporaries criticized his vitalist interpretations as diverging from mechanistic views.^[7] English Tory statesman, diplomat, and philosopher Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke, died on December 12, 1751, in Battersea at age 73; a key figure in the Treaty of Utrecht negotiations, his opposition to the Hanoverian succession and advocacy for classical republicanism influenced later political thought, despite his exile for Jacobite sympathies.^[8] William I, King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg from 1815 to 1840, died on December 12, 1843, in Berlin at age 71; his abdication followed the Belgian Revolution's loss of southern territories, amid criticisms of his centralizing policies and favoritism toward Dutch interests over Belgian ones in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands.^[9] French-born British civil engineer Sir Marc Isambard Brunel died on December 12, 1849, in London at age 80; inventor of the tunneling shield used in the Thames Tunnel, his innovations facilitated imperial infrastructure projects, though financial overruns and technical delays highlighted risks in early industrial engineering.^[10] English poet Robert Browning died on December 12, 1889, in Venice at age 77; renowned for dramatic monologues like "My Last Duchess" that explored psychological depth and moral ambiguity, advancing Victorian poetic realism over romantic idealism, his works faced initial obscurity due to dense style but gained acclaim for intellectual rigor.^[11]

1901–present

• 2003 – Heydar Aliyev, Azerbaijani politician who served as president from 1993 until his death, died at age 80 from heart failure during treatment at the Cleveland Clinic; a former KGB major general, he rose to lead the Soviet republic of Azerbaijan before independence, implementing policies that attracted foreign oil investment and stabilized the post-Soviet economy amid authoritarian rule.^[12]
• 2006 – Peter Boyle, American actor best known for portraying Frank Barone on the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond and the monster in Young Frankenstein, died at age 71 from complications of multiple myeloma and heart disease; his career spanned intense dramatic roles in films like Joe and comedic turns that highlighted his versatile range.^[13]
• 2007 – Ike Turner, American musician, bandleader, and record producer pivotal in early rock and roll—credited with discovering "Rocket 88" in 1951, often cited as the genre's first hit—died at age 76 from a cocaine overdose; while his innovations influenced R&B and rock through Ike & Tina Turner Revue hits like "Proud Mary," his legacy is marred by documented domestic violence against Tina Turner, drug addiction, and multiple convictions, including for cocaine possession.^[14][15]
• 2019 – Danny Aiello, American actor nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Sal in Do the Right Thing, died at age 86 after a brief illness; known for portraying tough yet sympathetic Italian-American characters in films like Moonstruck and Once Upon a Time in America, his work often drew from his New York roots and emphasized authentic ethnic portrayals.^[16]
• 2020 – Charley Pride, pioneering Black country music singer who achieved 52 Billboard country hits including No. 1 singles like "Kiss an Angel Good Mornin'," died at age 86 from COVID-19 complications; rising in the 1960s through raw talent and professionalism rather than affirmative action narratives, he became the first African American inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2000, proving merit could transcend racial barriers in a traditionally white genre.^[17][18]
• 2020 – Ann Reinking, American dancer, actress, and choreographer renowned as a muse to Bob Fosse and for reviving Chicago on Broadway, died at age 71 of natural causes while visiting family in Seattle; her precise, sensual style preserved Fosse's technique in productions like All That Jazz and earned her a Tony Award for choreography, influencing generations of performers with her commitment to classical jazz dance amid evolving trends.^[19]
• 2021 – Vicente Fernández, Mexican ranchera singer dubbed "El Rey" (The King) for over 50 albums and films celebrating charro culture, family loyalty, and national pride, died at age 81 from complications following a fall that injured his cervical spine; his emotive baritone and traditionalist persona resisted modern dilutions of mariachi music, selling millions worldwide while embodying rural Mexican values against urban cosmopolitanism.^[20][21]

Births

Pre-1600

In 592, Emperor Sushun of Japan, the 32nd emperor who reigned from 587 to 592, died at approximately age 72, marking the end of his tumultuous rule characterized by conflicts with the Soga clan; his assassination and subsequent deposition paved the way for Empress Suiko's ascension, the first reigning empress in Japanese history, which stabilized imperial succession amid clan rivalries. In 884, Carloman II, co-king of West Francia from 879 and sole king from 882, died on December 12 near Les Andelys from wounds sustained in a hunting accident, when his servant Bertoldus accidentally stabbed him during a wild boar pursuit; his death without heirs facilitated the brief reunification of the Carolingian Empire under his cousin Charles the Fat, delaying further fragmentation until Charles's deposition in 888. In 1112, Tancred, Prince of Galilee, regent of Antioch, and a key leader in the First Crusade who captured territories including Tarsus and Latakia, died at age 37, likely from illness; as a prominent Norman crusader without surviving legitimate sons, his passing shifted control of Antioch to his nephew Roger and eventually to Baldwin II of Jerusalem, contributing to the consolidation of Latin Christian states in the Levant amid ongoing threats from Muslim forces. In 1296, Isabella of Mar, Countess of Carrick and first wife of Robert the Bruce (later King Robert I of Scotland), died on December 12 shortly after giving birth to their daughter Marjorie at the Manor of Cardross; her death at around age 19 left Bruce widowed during the First War of Scottish Independence, prompting his remarriage to Elizabeth de Burgh and ensuring Marjorie's lineage through her descendants founded the Stuart dynasty, influencing long-term Scottish royal succession.^[6] In 1349, Joan of Burgundy, Queen consort of France as the first wife of King Philip VI and regent during his absences in the early Hundred Years' War, died at age 56 from the Black Death; her demise amid the plague's devastation weakened Capetian administrative continuity, as Philip relied on her counsel for diplomacy with England and internal governance, exacerbating France's vulnerabilities during the conflict's opening phases. In 1586, Stephen Báthory, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1576, died at age 53 in Grodno, possibly from illness or poisoning; a skilled military leader who expanded Polish influence against Muscovy and the Ottomans, his lack of direct heirs triggered a succession crisis resolved by electing Sigismund III Vasa, which intertwined Polish-Lithuanian and Swedish crowns, altering Eastern European power balances in the subsequent decades.

1601–1900

Swiss anatomist, physiologist, poet, and botanist Albrecht von Haller died on December 12, 1777, in Bern at age 69; his empirical experiments on muscle irritability and circulation laid foundational work in modern physiology, though some contemporaries criticized his vitalist interpretations as diverging from mechanistic views.^[7] English Tory statesman, diplomat, and philosopher Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke, died on December 12, 1751, in Battersea at age 73; a key figure in the Treaty of Utrecht negotiations, his opposition to the Hanoverian succession and advocacy for classical republicanism influenced later political thought, despite his exile for Jacobite sympathies.^[8] William I, King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg from 1815 to 1840, died on December 12, 1843, in Berlin at age 71; his abdication followed the Belgian Revolution's loss of southern territories, amid criticisms of his centralizing policies and favoritism toward Dutch interests over Belgian ones in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands.^[9] French-born British civil engineer Sir Marc Isambard Brunel died on December 12, 1849, in London at age 80; inventor of the tunneling shield used in the Thames Tunnel, his innovations facilitated imperial infrastructure projects, though financial overruns and technical delays highlighted risks in early industrial engineering.^[10] English poet Robert Browning died on December 12, 1889, in Venice at age 77; renowned for dramatic monologues like "My Last Duchess" that explored psychological depth and moral ambiguity, advancing Victorian poetic realism over romantic idealism, his works faced initial obscurity due to dense style but gained acclaim for intellectual rigor.^[11]

1901–present

• 2003 – Heydar Aliyev, Azerbaijani politician who served as president from 1993 until his death, died at age 80 from heart failure during treatment at the Cleveland Clinic; a former KGB major general, he rose to lead the Soviet republic of Azerbaijan before independence, implementing policies that attracted foreign oil investment and stabilized the post-Soviet economy amid authoritarian rule.^[12]
• 2006 – Peter Boyle, American actor best known for portraying Frank Barone on the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond and the monster in Young Frankenstein, died at age 71 from complications of multiple myeloma and heart disease; his career spanned intense dramatic roles in films like Joe and comedic turns that highlighted his versatile range.^[13]
• 2007 – Ike Turner, American musician, bandleader, and record producer pivotal in early rock and roll—credited with discovering "Rocket 88" in 1951, often cited as the genre's first hit—died at age 76 from a cocaine overdose; while his innovations influenced R&B and rock through Ike & Tina Turner Revue hits like "Proud Mary," his legacy is marred by documented domestic violence against Tina Turner, drug addiction, and multiple convictions, including for cocaine possession.^[14][15]
• 2019 – Danny Aiello, American actor nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Sal in Do the Right Thing, died at age 86 after a brief illness; known for portraying tough yet sympathetic Italian-American characters in films like Moonstruck and Once Upon a Time in America, his work often drew from his New York roots and emphasized authentic ethnic portrayals.^[16]
• 2020 – Charley Pride, pioneering Black country music singer who achieved 52 Billboard country hits including No. 1 singles like "Kiss an Angel Good Mornin'," died at age 86 from COVID-19 complications; rising in the 1960s through raw talent and professionalism rather than affirmative action narratives, he became the first African American inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2000, proving merit could transcend racial barriers in a traditionally white genre.^[17][18]
• 2020 – Ann Reinking, American dancer, actress, and choreographer renowned as a muse to Bob Fosse and for reviving Chicago on Broadway, died at age 71 of natural causes while visiting family in Seattle; her precise, sensual style preserved Fosse's technique in productions like All That Jazz and earned her a Tony Award for choreography, influencing generations of performers with her commitment to classical jazz dance amid evolving trends.^[19]
• 2021 – Vicente Fernández, Mexican ranchera singer dubbed "El Rey" (The King) for over 50 albums and films celebrating charro culture, family loyalty, and national pride, died at age 81 from complications following a fall that injured his cervical spine; his emotive baritone and traditionalist persona resisted modern dilutions of mariachi music, selling millions worldwide while embodying rural Mexican values against urban cosmopolitanism.^[20][21]

Deaths

Pre-1600

In 592, Emperor Sushun of Japan, the 32nd emperor who reigned from 587 to 592, died at approximately age 72, marking the end of his tumultuous rule characterized by conflicts with the Soga clan; his assassination and subsequent deposition paved the way for Empress Suiko's ascension, the first reigning empress in Japanese history, which stabilized imperial succession amid clan rivalries. In 884, Carloman II, co-king of West Francia from 879 and sole king from 882, died on December 12 near Les Andelys from wounds sustained in a hunting accident, when his servant Bertoldus accidentally stabbed him during a wild boar pursuit; his death without heirs facilitated the brief reunification of the Carolingian Empire under his cousin Charles the Fat, delaying further fragmentation until Charles's deposition in 888. In 1112, Tancred, Prince of Galilee, regent of Antioch, and a key leader in the First Crusade who captured territories including Tarsus and Latakia, died at age 37, likely from illness; as a prominent Norman crusader without surviving legitimate sons, his passing shifted control of Antioch to his nephew Roger and eventually to Baldwin II of Jerusalem, contributing to the consolidation of Latin Christian states in the Levant amid ongoing threats from Muslim forces. In 1296, Isabella of Mar, Countess of Carrick and first wife of Robert the Bruce (later King Robert I of Scotland), died on December 12 shortly after giving birth to their daughter Marjorie at the Manor of Cardross; her death at around age 19 left Bruce widowed during the First War of Scottish Independence, prompting his remarriage to Elizabeth de Burgh and ensuring Marjorie's lineage through her descendants founded the Stuart dynasty, influencing long-term Scottish royal succession.^[6] In 1349, Joan of Burgundy, Queen consort of France as the first wife of King Philip VI and regent during his absences in the early Hundred Years' War, died at age 56 from the Black Death; her demise amid the plague's devastation weakened Capetian administrative continuity, as Philip relied on her counsel for diplomacy with England and internal governance, exacerbating France's vulnerabilities during the conflict's opening phases. In 1586, Stephen Báthory, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1576, died at age 53 in Grodno, possibly from illness or poisoning; a skilled military leader who expanded Polish influence against Muscovy and the Ottomans, his lack of direct heirs triggered a succession crisis resolved by electing Sigismund III Vasa, which intertwined Polish-Lithuanian and Swedish crowns, altering Eastern European power balances in the subsequent decades.

1601–1900

Swiss anatomist, physiologist, poet, and botanist Albrecht von Haller died on December 12, 1777, in Bern at age 69; his empirical experiments on muscle irritability and circulation laid foundational work in modern physiology, though some contemporaries criticized his vitalist interpretations as diverging from mechanistic views.^[7] English Tory statesman, diplomat, and philosopher Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke, died on December 12, 1751, in Battersea at age 73; a key figure in the Treaty of Utrecht negotiations, his opposition to the Hanoverian succession and advocacy for classical republicanism influenced later political thought, despite his exile for Jacobite sympathies.^[8] William I, King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg from 1815 to 1840, died on December 12, 1843, in Berlin at age 71; his abdication followed the Belgian Revolution's loss of southern territories, amid criticisms of his centralizing policies and favoritism toward Dutch interests over Belgian ones in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands.^[9] French-born British civil engineer Sir Marc Isambard Brunel died on December 12, 1849, in London at age 80; inventor of the tunneling shield used in the Thames Tunnel, his innovations facilitated imperial infrastructure projects, though financial overruns and technical delays highlighted risks in early industrial engineering.^[10] English poet Robert Browning died on December 12, 1889, in Venice at age 77; renowned for dramatic monologues like "My Last Duchess" that explored psychological depth and moral ambiguity, advancing Victorian poetic realism over romantic idealism, his works faced initial obscurity due to dense style but gained acclaim for intellectual rigor.^[11]

1901–present

• 2003 – Heydar Aliyev, Azerbaijani politician who served as president from 1993 until his death, died at age 80 from heart failure during treatment at the Cleveland Clinic; a former KGB major general, he rose to lead the Soviet republic of Azerbaijan before independence, implementing policies that attracted foreign oil investment and stabilized the post-Soviet economy amid authoritarian rule.^[12]
• 2006 – Peter Boyle, American actor best known for portraying Frank Barone on the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond and the monster in Young Frankenstein, died at age 71 from complications of multiple myeloma and heart disease; his career spanned intense dramatic roles in films like Joe and comedic turns that highlighted his versatile range.^[13]
• 2007 – Ike Turner, American musician, bandleader, and record producer pivotal in early rock and roll—credited with discovering "Rocket 88" in 1951, often cited as the genre's first hit—died at age 76 from a cocaine overdose; while his innovations influenced R&B and rock through Ike & Tina Turner Revue hits like "Proud Mary," his legacy is marred by documented domestic violence against Tina Turner, drug addiction, and multiple convictions, including for cocaine possession.^[14][15]
• 2019 – Danny Aiello, American actor nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Sal in Do the Right Thing, died at age 86 after a brief illness; known for portraying tough yet sympathetic Italian-American characters in films like Moonstruck and Once Upon a Time in America, his work often drew from his New York roots and emphasized authentic ethnic portrayals.^[16]
• 2020 – Charley Pride, pioneering Black country music singer who achieved 52 Billboard country hits including No. 1 singles like "Kiss an Angel Good Mornin'," died at age 86 from COVID-19 complications; rising in the 1960s through raw talent and professionalism rather than affirmative action narratives, he became the first African American inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2000, proving merit could transcend racial barriers in a traditionally white genre.^[17][18]
• 2020 – Ann Reinking, American dancer, actress, and choreographer renowned as a muse to Bob Fosse and for reviving Chicago on Broadway, died at age 71 of natural causes while visiting family in Seattle; her precise, sensual style preserved Fosse's technique in productions like All That Jazz and earned her a Tony Award for choreography, influencing generations of performers with her commitment to classical jazz dance amid evolving trends.^[19]
• 2021 – Vicente Fernández, Mexican ranchera singer dubbed "El Rey" (The King) for over 50 albums and films celebrating charro culture, family loyalty, and national pride, died at age 81 from complications following a fall that injured his cervical spine; his emotive baritone and traditionalist persona resisted modern dilutions of mariachi music, selling millions worldwide while embodying rural Mexican values against urban cosmopolitanism.^[20][21]

Holidays and observances

Religious observances

In the Roman Catholic Church, December 12 marks the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, commemorating the apparitions of the Virgin Mary to the Aztec convert Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin on Tepeyac Hill near Mexico City from December 9 to 12, 1531.^[22] During the final apparition on December 12, Mary directed Juan Diego to gather Castilian roses from the hilltop in winter and present them to Bishop Juan de Zumárraga; upon unfolding his tilma before the bishop, the roses spilled out and the Virgin's image appeared imprinted on the fabric, an event credited with catalyzing mass conversions among indigenous Mexicans, numbering over nine million in the following decade.^[23] The feast, elevated to a mandatory observance for the Americas by Pope Benedict XIV in 1754, centers on the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, where the tilma is enshrined and draws millions of pilgrims each year for Masses, processions, and veneration of the icon, which has undergone scientific scrutiny revealing unexplained properties such as the image's formation without brushstrokes or known pigments.^[22][24] December 12 also observes the memorials of several saints in the Catholic tradition, including Finnian of Clonard (c. 470–549), an Irish abbot and monastic founder who established Clonard Abbey as a major center of learning, educating figures such as Columba of Iona and Brendan the Navigator before his death from plague.^[25] In the Eastern Orthodox Church, the day honors Spyridon of Trimithous (c. 270–348), a shepherd-turned-bishop of Cyprus known for miracles at the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea in 325, where he defended Trinitarian orthodoxy against Arianism by reportedly reducing a heretical treatise to ash through prayer; his incorrupt relics, including sandals worn during earthly life, are venerated on Cyprus and in Orthodox liturgies emphasizing his role as a wonderworker.^[26] These commemorations underscore hagiographical accounts of ecclesiastical leadership and divine intervention, ratified through canonical processes rather than solely empirical verification.^[27]

National and international holidays

In Kenya, Jamhuri Day is observed annually on December 12 as a national public holiday, commemorating the attainment of independence from British colonial rule on December 12, 1963, and the formal transition to a republic within the Commonwealth of Nations on December 12, 1964.^[28] The date signifies the end of over six decades of British administration, initiated by the 1895 establishment of the East Africa Protectorate and solidified through land expropriations and suppressive policies against indigenous populations, including the Mau Mau uprising suppressed in the 1950s.^[29] Post-independence, Kenya under Jomo Kenyatta pursued land redistribution favoring loyalists, contributing to ethnic favoritism and economic disparities that persisted into subsequent regimes marked by one-party dominance until multiparty elections in 1992.^[28] The International Day of Neutrality, proclaimed by United Nations General Assembly resolution 71/275 on February 2, 2017, is observed globally on December 12 to underscore the contribution of neutrality policies to international peace, security, and conflict prevention.^[2] Proposed by Turkmenistan, the observance promotes non-alignment in interstate relations, drawing on historical precedents like Switzerland's armed neutrality since 1515 and Turkmenistan's own UN-recognized permanent neutrality status adopted in 1995, which mandates abstention from military alliances and foreign base hosting.^[2] Empirical assessments of neutrality's efficacy vary, with studies indicating it facilitates mediation in some conflicts—such as Switzerland's role in U.S.-Iran talks—but offers limited deterrence against aggression by non-neutral powers, as evidenced by violations during World War II despite declarations.^[2]

Unofficial and cultural observances

Gingerbread House Day promotes the seasonal tradition of baking and assembling edible houses from gingerbread dough, typically flavored with ginger, cinnamon, and molasses according to standardized recipes that yield structurally sound constructions.^[30] This practice traces to early 19th-century Germany, where it drew from the Brothers Grimm fairy tale "Hansel and Gretel," depicting a house of confectionery that inspired physical replicas as festive decorations.^[31] Participants engage voluntarily in family-oriented building and decorating, emphasizing creativity over competition, though contests exist in some communities.^[32] National Poinsettia Day in the United States marks the death of Joel Roberts Poinsett, the botanist and diplomat who imported the Euphorbia pulcherrima plant from Mexico in 1828, naming it after himself despite its Aztec origins and prior cultivation.^[33] Congress designated December 12 for this observance to honor his contributions, coinciding with his 1851 passing, and it celebrates the plant's role in holiday commercialization through selective breeding for vibrant bracts rather than true flowers.^[34] The event highlights voluntary appreciation of the species' economic impact, with U.S. sales exceeding 30 million plants annually during winter.^[35] National Ding-a-Ling Day urges individuals to initiate phone calls to distant contacts, mimicking the "ding-a-ling" ring of traditional telephones to revive personal connections amid modern digital isolation.^[36] As a casual, non-binding custom, it focuses on spontaneous outreach without institutional backing, serving as a reminder of interpersonal causality in maintaining social ties through direct verbal exchange.^[37]