Get ready for the final full moon of 2024: the Cold Moon. 

December’s full moon will reach peak illumination at 4:02 a.m. EST on Sunday Dec. 15, but it will appear full for several days. The Old Farmer’s Almanac details specific moonrise times for different ZIP codes across the U.S. 

Why is the December full moon called the Cold Moon?

December’s full moon is called the Cold Moon, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. The name was chosen because of how cold it usually is during December’s full moon.

The moon also has several other nicknames, including the Long Night Moon, a name with Mohican origins, according to the Farmer’s Almanac. The name is because December’s full moon happens on one of the longest nights of the year. 

Other names for December’s moon include the Drift Clearing Moon, the Frost Exploding Trees Moon, the Moon of the Popping Trees, Hoar Frost Moon, Snow Moon and Winter Maker Moon, according to the almanac.

How long will December’s moon be full?

While the moon reaches peak illumination early on Dec. 15, it will appear full for several days. Around 95% of the moon’s nearside will be illuminated by the sun on Friday, Dec. 13, according to NASA. On Dec. 14, 99% of the moon’s nearside will be illuminated, with 100% illuminated on Dec. 15. On Dec. 16, 98% of the moon will still be illuminated.

This month, NASA also suggests keeping an eye out for Jupiter, sitting between the nearly full moon and Aldebaran, the brightest star in the Taurus constellation, on Dec. 14.

NASA says you won’t need binoculars or a telescope to enjoy the view of the Cold Moon. Local forecasts have detailed information on how clear the night sky will be in different locations where people are keeping an eye out for the moon.

The first full moon of 2025 will be on Monday, Jan. 13. It’s known as the Wolf Moon.

The Geminids, considered one of the best and most reliable meteor showers of the year, is underway and is set to peak Friday night into early Saturday. 

The shower will peak under a nearly full moon, which could make spotting the cosmic show a challenge. The light from the moon will wash out the fainter meteors during the peak, according to NASA.

“Still, the Geminids are known for bright meteors, and it’s common to spot their shooting stars up to a week before the peak,” according to NASA. “If you’re up before dawn that week, it’s worth looking up, just in case you spot a speck of dust from space streaking through the morning sky.”

When and where you can see the Geminids

Light from the nearly full moon will cut the visible rates for the Geminids by 50-75% during the peak this year, said Bill Cooke, lead of NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office. The brightest meteors will still be visible, according to NASA.

With the bright moon on peak night, an observer in the U.S. may see around 15 Geminids an hour, Cooke said.

“In short, 2024 is a bad year for Geminid watching — December 2025 will be much better,” Cooke said.

The Geminid meteor shower is visible around the world and throughout the night sky. For optimal viewing conditions, head somewhere far away from city and street lights, then lie down flat on your back with your feet pointed south. Give your eyes half an hour to adjust to the dark. 

NASA advises bringing a sleeping bag or blanket to help with the cold while waiting for the Geminids. 

The shower usually starts around 9 or 10 p.m., with the meteors best viewed at night or in the pre-dawn hours. 

What is a meteor shower?

Meteors are space rocks that enter Earth’s atmosphere and heat up as they fall toward Earth, according to NASA. As they streak through the sky, glowing, hot air around the meteors gives the meteors the appearance of shooting stars. During meteor showers, many meteors travel through Earth’s atmosphere over a short period. 

Most meteors burn up in space. The few that survive the trip and reach the ground and considered meteorites. 

What makes the Geminids different from other meteor showers?

The Geminids are one of the strongest meteor showers of the year, with a rate of 120 meteors an hour under perfect conditions, according to NASA. 

While most meteor showers originate from comets, the Geminids actually come from an asteroid called 3200 Phaethon. NASA researchers say the asteroid acts like a “weird” comet.

And while NASA says most meteors appear to be colorless or white, the Geminids are usually yellow in color. 

The annual Geminids meteor shower first appeared in the mid-1800s.

Looking for the perfect holiday gift for the 20- or 30-something in your life? It might be in the toy aisle.

Many adults are unabashed from sharing their obsessions with what others would categorize as kids’ toys — from Mini Brands mystery packs that have long been sold in retailers’ toy aisles to other blind boxes like Sonny Angels, cherub figurines that have become a phenomenon as collectibles for adults. Even stuffed animals are making their way into adults’ homes from brands like Jellycats and Squishmallows. For other adults, Legos are on their wishlist encouraged by the brand’s growing number of grown-up sets, featuring more complex builds from flower bouquets to holiday table settings, “designed specifically for adults,” its website reads. 

All the while, these toys are topping charts for hot holiday toys for tots, too. According to the National Retail Federation, Squishmallows and Legos are part of the top 10 for girls while Legos come in first for boys. Miniverse items, which includes Mini Brands, are popular among both groups, according to Adobe Analytics. 

So, what’s with the fascination? Seeking and sparking child-like joy may be part of the appeal, said Maddy Ellberger, behavioral therapist and founder of Downtown Behavioral Wellness in New York.

“There are things that remind us of a particular age group,” she told CBS News. “Anything that reminds somebody, or harkens them back to a positive memory or a positive experience, is going to want to engage with that thing because it arouses those memories.”

Social media plays a role too, Ellberger said. 

“If people see people doing things that they want to be doing, or they want to be like, they’re going to buy, do, say the things that that person they’re admiring is doing,” she said. 

The Jellycat Diner, an in-store experience at FAO Schwarz in New York, for example, went viral on social media, drawing in fans of all ages from around the world.

“We often see adults and ‘kidults’ finding joy in the whimsical designs of Jellycat,” David Niggli, chief merchandising officer at FAO Schwarz, told CBS News in a statement. “I think especially for adults, toys like Jellycat are like comfort food, that allow you to have a laugh and take you back to a time where the simple joy of playing with and collecting toys was a happy time in the past.” 

The craze has spurred other big brands to take part, too, such as an Ulta Beauty collaboration with Mini Brands. 

“The joy and surprise of unwrapping each capsule to discover your favorite iconic beauty product replica in mini form creates that nostalgia and fun at the heart of this partnership, a no-brainer as our first foray into this new innovative category,” Muffy Clince, Ulta Beauty’s senior director of emerging brands and initiatives, said in a statement to CBS News.

It goes beyond toys, too. Clothing brands are also cashing in on millennial nostalgia — from Crocs creating a Lizzie McGuire clog to Lululemon’s Disney collection and tween brand Limited Too making a full comeback that includes adults. Barbie isn’t just for kids clothes now either, thanks to the recent film and “Barbie-core” fashion trend. (Both the famous doll and Disney items are also part of the National Retail Federation’s list of popular kids’ toys for the holidays this year.)

In addition to trendy appeal thanks to the Y2K fashion renaissance, these revivals can also touch on a feeling of connection during a time of increased division and isolation. 

“The way that people in my age cohort understand and experience that trend highlights a connection, right? There’s a temporal connection,” Ellberger said. “And it’s a starting off point to talk about other things that you probably are connected on.”

But, whether that desire for connection is satisfied depends on if you can translate online excitement into real, in-person connection. 

“It’s a great way to form community,” she said, but having or wearing the same thing is only an indicator. “It’s not the actual steps of creating connection. And I feel like that’s some of what gets lost, but it’s not impossible.”

How to consume and connect consciously

While these items may spark joy, that feeling can be fleeting.

So while it’s OK to indulge in these “little treats” — the same idea as splurging on a overpriced pick-me-up latte when you have coffee at home — Ellberger suggests consuming these goods consciously. 

“Do that one positive thing during the day, and make sure you’re doing it intentionally,” she said. “So if you’re going to get that latte, you better not be thinking about the fact that the guy that broke up with you is texting some other girl … If you’re ordering the toy, when you open that toy, you better be excited to open that toy, otherwise you’re not getting the benefit out of it. There’s other stuff that’s killing the vibe.”

Ellberger suggests considering, “How am I using this?” and “What am I hoping to get from it?”

What you’re reaching for may not bring you as much joy as you’re hoping, she said, but leaning into real connection can be a beneficial addition. 

“Not one single thing is going to fill that hole, right? So if this is something that you enjoy, maybe find other people that are into this trend, because they might also have other things that are similar in interest to you and then you can connect — actually, really connect.”

If you’re already on the toy trend, one way to incorporate it into your holiday is through giving these toys to friends in real life, Ellberger suggested. 

“If it was part of everyone’s secret Santa (or) white elephant — that’s a really cute way of connecting over this,” she said.