If those timestamp literals are actually supposed to represent text values that are read from a file or something, then those calls to datetime are probably fine. But ikf you have typed that, literally, in your code, you are likely better off using
datetime(2016,12,1,0,15,0)
datetime(2016,12,31,23,45,0)
You may find the text version easier to read, but noone reading the numeric version has to wonder if it's Dec 1st or Jan 12th.
Also, the numeric version often allows you to do things like
datetime(2016,12,1,0,15:15:1425,0)
although maybe in your case Fangjun's suggestion is simpler.
