Google: we usually try not to launch updates at the end of the year
Also Google: oh, also here is a new quality concept, a HCU, a spam update and new rater guidelines
@Kevin_Indig
I had a look back at historic official updates in Dec:
1st Dec 2021: Product Review
3rd Dec 2020: Core Update
17th Dec 2015: HTTPS
15th Dec 2015: RankBrain
22th Dec 2014: Google Local Update
11th Dec 2014: Penguin
18th Dec 2013: Authorship Update
21st Dec 2012: Panda Update