December sees a 'slight uptick' in UFO sightings, according to experts, who attribute the phenomenon to festive activities and increased public awareness. Christian Stepien, technical director at the UFO Reporting Centre, notes that fireworks and light shows are often mistaken for otherworldly phenomena. The centre typically observes a 'slight uptick' in such reports twice annually, with the holiday season being a peak time for these supposed cosmic encounters.
Ron James from the Mutual UFO Network told The Daily Beast: 'We do have a slight uptick twice a year in the summer and around the holidays. There are a few reasons why people might be paying more attention: they might be off work, they're doing family activities and things they don't normally do, so there are more possibilities for people to encounter things. Then, of course, there's always Santa Claus and the reindeer.'
Ufology research has pointed towards a 'significant' surge in UFO sightings on Christmas Day, with 75 reported cases in 2021 alone. Chris Rutkowski from Ufology revealed: 'Most were simply lights in the sky, and yes, some were of a single red light flying overhead followed by a string of others.'
Historical reports of unidentified flying objects during the festive season date back to Christmas 1965, when pioneering astronaut Wally Schirra Jr. aboard Gemini 6 observed an unusual 'object.' He described it as 'a satellite going from north to south, probably in polar orbit.' Fellow astronaut Thomas Stafford added: 'I see a command module and eight smaller modules in front. The pilot of the command module is wearing a red suit.' The incident turned out to be a festive prank, with Schirra playing 'Jingle Bells' on a harmonica.
Discussing whether Christmas brings more UFO sightings, James concluded: 'My feeling is that there's not an actual increase in phenomenon occurring. It's more that there's more people in a position to see and experience things that might already be there pretty much consistently.'
