попробуйте что-то вроде этого
datetime = DateTime.civil(2007, 12, 4, 0, 0, 0, 0) # => Tue, 04 Dec 2007 00:00:00 +0000
datetime.to_formatted_s(:db) # => "2007-12-04 00:00:00"
datetime.to_s(:db) # => "2007-12-04 00:00:00"
datetime.to_s(:number) # => "20071204000000"
datetime.to_formatted_s(:short) # => "04 Dec 00:00"
datetime.to_formatted_s(:long) # => "December 04, 2007 00:00"
datetime.to_formatted_s(:long_ordinal) # => "December 4th, 2007 00:00"
datetime.to_formatted_s(:rfc822) # => "Tue, 04 Dec 2007 00:00:00 +0000"
Также вы можете добавить свой собственный формат, как это:
# config/initializers/time_formats.rb
Time::DATE_FORMATS[:month_and_year] = "%B %Y"
Time::DATE_FORMATS[:short_ordinal] = lambda { |time| time.strftime("%B #{time.day.ordinalize}") }