On This Day — December 26

🕰️ Notable Events on December 26

• 2009 — China opens the world's longest high-speed rail route, which links Beijing and Guangzhou. Wikipedia ↗
• 2006 — An oil pipeline in Lagos, Nigeria explodes, killing at least 260 people. Wikipedia ↗
• 2004 — The 9.1-9.3 Mw Indian Ocean earthquake shakes northern Sumatra with a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent). One of the largest observed tsunamis follows, affecting the coastal areas of Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Malaysia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Indonesia; death toll is between 230,000-280,000. Wikipedia ↗
• 2004 — Orange Revolution: The final run-off election in Ukraine is held under heavy international scrutiny. Wikipedia ↗
• 2003 — The 6.6 Mw Bam earthquake shakes southeastern Iran with a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent), leaving more than 26,000 dead and 30,000 injured. Wikipedia ↗
• 1999 — The storm Lothar sweeps across Central Europe, killing 137 and causing US$1.3 billion in damage. Wikipedia ↗
• 1998 — Iraq announces its intention to fire upon U.S. and British warplanes that patrol the northern and southern no-fly zones. Wikipedia ↗
• 1994 — Four Armed Islamic Group hijackers seize control of Air France Flight 8969. When the plane lands at Marseille, a French Gendarmerie assault team boards the aircraft and kills the hijackers. Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — The Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union meets and formally dissolves the Soviet Union. Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Tu-144, the world's first commercial supersonic aircraft, surpassing Mach 2, went into service. Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Vietnam War: As part of Operation Linebacker II, 120 American B-52 Stratofortress bombers attacked Hanoi, including 78 launched from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, the largest single combat launch in Strategic Air Command history. Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — The first Kwanzaa is celebrated by Maulana Karenga, the chair of Black Studies at California State University, Long Beach. Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — The Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "I Saw Her Standing There" are released in the United States, marking the beginning of Beatlemania on an international level. Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Cardinal József Mindszenty is arrested in Hungary and accused of treason and conspiracy. Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — World War II: George S. Patton's Third Army breaks the encirclement of surrounded U.S. forces at Bastogne, Belgium. Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — World War II: German warship Scharnhorst is sunk off of Norway's North Cape after a battle against major Royal Navy forces. Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs a bill establishing the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day in the United States. Wikipedia ↗
• 1919 — Babe Ruth of the Boston Red Sox is sold to the New York Yankees by owner Harry Frazee, allegedly establishing the Curse of the Bambino superstition. Wikipedia ↗
• 1898 — Marie and Pierre Curie announce the isolation of radium. Wikipedia ↗
• 1871 — Gilbert and Sullivan collaborate for the first time, on their lost opera, Thespis. It does modestly well, but the two would not collaborate again for four years. Wikipedia ↗
• 1862 — American Civil War: The Battle of Chickasaw Bayou begins. Wikipedia ↗
• 1862 — Four nuns serving as volunteer nurses on board USS Red Rover are the first female nurses on a U.S. Navy hospital ship. Wikipedia ↗
• 1862 — The largest mass-hanging in U.S. history took place in Mankato, Minnesota, 38 Native Americans died. Wikipedia ↗
• 1861 — American Civil War: The Trent Affair: Confederate diplomatic envoys James Murray Mason and John Slidell are freed by the United States government, thus heading off a possible war between the United States and the United Kingdom. Wikipedia ↗
• 1860 — The first ever inter-club English association football match takes place between Hallam and Sheffield football clubs in Sheffield. Wikipedia ↗
• 1825 — Advocates of liberalism in Russia rise up against Czar Nicholas I but are suppressed in the Decembrist revolt in Saint Petersburg. Wikipedia ↗
• 1811 — A theater fire in Richmond, Virginia kills the Governor of Virginia George William Smith and the president of the First National Bank of Virginia Abraham B. Venable. Wikipedia ↗
• 1806 — Battles of Pultusk and Golymin: Russian forces hold French forces under Napoleon. Wikipedia ↗
• 1805 — Austria and France sign the Treaty of Pressburg. Wikipedia ↗
• 1799 — Henry Lee III's eulogy to George Washington in congress declares him as "first in war, first in peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen". (This is not to confused with Washington's funeral on December 18th. Wikipedia ↗
• 1793 — Second Battle of Wissembourg: France defeat Austria. Wikipedia ↗
• 1790 — Louis XVI of France gives his public assent to Civil Constitution of the Clergy during the French Revolution. Wikipedia ↗
• 1776 — American Revolutionary War: In the Battle of Trenton, the Continental Army attacks and successfully defeats a garrison of Hessian forces . Wikipedia ↗
• 1489 — The forces of the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, take control of Almería from the Nasrid ruler of Granada, Muhammad XIII. Wikipedia ↗
• 1481 — Battle of Westbroek: Holland defeats troops of Utrecht. Wikipedia ↗
• 887 — Berengar I is elected as king of Italy by the lords of Lombardy. He is crowned with the Iron Crown of Lombardy at Pavia.[1] Wikipedia ↗

🎂 Notable Births on December 26

• 1994 — Souleymane Coulibaly, Ivorian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1992 — Cecilia Costa Melgar, Chilean tennis player Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Eden Sher, American actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Jon Bellion, American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Andy Biersack, American singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Denis Cheryshev, Russian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Aaron Ramsey, Welsh footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Yohan Blake, Jamaican sprinter Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Hugo Lloris, French footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Kit Harington, English actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Selen Soyder, Turkish actress, beauty queen Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Beth Behrs, American actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Ahmed Barusso, Ghanaian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Leonardo Ghiraldini, Italian rugby player Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Alex Schwazer, Italian race walker Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Yu Takahashi, Japanese singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Kenneth Darby, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Noel Hunt, Irish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Aksel Lund Svindal, Norwegian skier Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Pablo Canavosio, Argentinian-Italian rugby player Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Todd Dunivant, American soccer player Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Fabián Carini, Uruguayan footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Chris Daughtry, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Dimitry Vassiliev, Russian ski jumper Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Craig Wing, Australian rugby player Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Karel Rüütli, Estonian lawyer and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Kaoru Sugayama, Japanese volleyball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Fatih Akyel, Turkish footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Adrienn Hegedűs, Hungarian tennis player Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Simon Goodwin, Australian footballer and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Chris Calaguio, Filipino basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Marcelo Ríos, Chilean tennis player Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — María Vasco, Spanish race walker Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — Joshua John Miller, American actor, director, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Paulo Frederico Benevenute, Brazilian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Gianluca Faliva, Italian rugby player Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Nobuhiko Matsunaka, Japanese baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Steve Prescott, English rugby player (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Esteban Fuertes, Argentinian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Robert Muchamore, English author Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Jared Leto, American actor and musician Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Mika Nurmela, Finnish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Tatiana Sorokko, Russian-American model and journalist Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — James Mercer, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Isaac Viciosa, Spanish runner Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Jay Farrar, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Tim Legler, American basketball player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Jay Yuenger, American guitarist and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Elizabeth Kostova, American author Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Lars Ulrich, Danish-American drummer, songwriter, and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Bill Wennington, Canadian basketball player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Mark Starr, English wrestler (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1961 — Andrew Lock, Australian mountaineer Wikipedia ↗
• 1961 — John Lynch, Northern Irish actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — Keith Martin Ball, American mathematician and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — Ruud Kaiser, Dutch footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — Jim Toomey, American cartoonist Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — Cem Uzan, Turkish businessman and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Wang Lijun, Chinese police officer and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Kōji Morimoto, Japanese animator and director Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Hans Nielsen, Danish motorcycle racer Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Adrian Newey, English aerodynamicist and engineer Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — Dermot Murnaghan, English-Northern Irish journalist and game show host Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — David Sedaris, American comedian, author, and radio host Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Evan Bayh, American lawyer and politician, 46th Governor of Indiana Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — Peter Hillary, New Zealand mountaineer and philanthropist Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — Ozzie Smith, American baseball player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — Leonel Fernández, Dominican lawyer and politician, 51st President of the Dominican Republic Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — Toomas Hendrik Ilves, Swedish-Estonian journalist and politician, 4th President of Estonia Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — Makis Katsavakis, Greek footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — Henning Schmitz, German drummer Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Pakistani businessman and politician, 17th Prime Minister of Pakistan Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — Mario Mendoza, Mexican baseball player and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — José Ramos-Horta, East Timorese lawyer and politician, 2nd President of East Timor, Nobel Prize laureate Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Candy Crowley, American journalist Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — James T. Conway, American general Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Jean Echenoz, French author Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Carlton Fisk, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Josef Janíček, Czech singer-songwriter, guitarist, and keyboard player Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Richard Levis McCormick, American historian and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — Alan Frumin, American lawyer and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — Tiit Rosenberg, Estonian historian and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — John Walsh, American television host, producer, and activist, created America's Most Wanted Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — William Ayers, American academic and activist Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Vinicio Cerezo, Guatemalan politician, 28th President of Guatemala Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Catherine Coulter, American author Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Gray Davis, American captain, lawyer, and politician, 37th Governor of California Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — Daniel Schmid, Swiss actor, director, and screenwriter (d. 2006) Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Edward C. Prescott, American economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Ray Sadecki, American baseball player (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1939 — Fred Schepisi, Australian director and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1939 — Phil Spector, American singer-songwriter and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1938 — Bahram Beyzai, Iranian director, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1938 — Robert Hamerton-Kelly, South African-American pastor, scholar, and author (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1938 — Alamgir Kabir, Bangladeshi director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1989) Wikipedia ↗
• 1938 — Mirko Kovač, Yugoslav-Croatian author, playwright, and screenwriter (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1936 — Peep Jänes, Estonian architect Wikipedia ↗
• 1936 — Trevor Taylor, English race car driver (d. 2010) Wikipedia ↗
• 1935 — Rohan Kanhai, Guyanese cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1935 — Norm Ullman, Canadian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — Caroll Spinney, American puppeteer and voice actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1930 — Jean Ferrat, French singer-songwriter and poet (d. 2010) Wikipedia ↗
• 1930 — Harry Gamble, American football player, coach, and manager (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1930 — Donald Moffat, English-American actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1929 — Kathleen Crowley, American actress (d. 2017) Wikipedia ↗
• 1929 — Régine Zylberberg, Belgian-French singer and actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1927 — Denis Gifford, English journalist and historian (d. 2000) Wikipedia ↗
• 1927 — Alan King, American actor, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2004) Wikipedia ↗
• 1927 — Stu Miller, American baseball player (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
• 1927 — Denis Quilley, English actor (d. 2003) Wikipedia ↗
• 1926 — Earle Brown, American composer (d. 2002) Wikipedia ↗
• 1924 — Frank Broyles, American football player, coach, and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1923 — Richard Artschwager, American painter, illustrator, and sculptor (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1922 — Richard Mayes, English actor (d. 2006) Wikipedia ↗
• 1921 — John Severin, American illustrator (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
• 1921 — Steve Allen, American actor, singer, talk show host, and screenwriter (d. 2000) Wikipedia ↗
• 1918 — Olga Lopes-Seale, Guyanese-Barbadian singer and radio host (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
• 1918 — Georgios Rallis, Greek lieutenant and politician, 173rd Prime Minister of Greece (d. 2006) Wikipedia ↗
• 1915 — Rolf Botvid, Swedish actor and screenwriter (d. 1998) Wikipedia ↗
• 1914 — Richard Widmark, American actor (d. 2008) Wikipedia ↗
• 1913 — Frank Swift, English footballer and journalist (d. 1958) Wikipedia ↗
• 1912 — Arsenio Lacson, Filipino journalist and politician, Mayor of Manila (d. 1962) Wikipedia ↗
• 1910 — Imperio Argentina, Argentine-Spanish actress and singer (d. 2003) Wikipedia ↗
• 1910 — Marguerite Churchill, American actress (d. 2000) Wikipedia ↗
• 1909 — Matt Gordy, American pole vaulter (d. 1989) Wikipedia ↗
• 1908 — Ralph Hill, American runner (d. 1994) Wikipedia ↗
• 1907 — Albert Gore, Sr., American lawyer and politician (d. 1998) Wikipedia ↗
• 1905 — William Loeb III, American publisher (d. 1981) Wikipedia ↗
• 1904 — Alejo Carpentier, Swiss-Cuban musicologist and author (d. 1980) Wikipedia ↗
• 1903 — Elisha Cook, Jr., American actor (d. 1995) Wikipedia ↗
• 1902 — Anatoli Lvovich Kaplan, Russian painter and sculptor (d. 1980) Wikipedia ↗
• 1901 — Elmar Muuk, Estonian linguist and author (d. 1941) Wikipedia ↗
• 1900 — Evelyn Bark, leading member of the British Red Cross, first female recipient of the CMG (d. 1993) [2] Wikipedia ↗
• 1894 — Jean Toomer, American author and poet (d. 1967) Wikipedia ↗
• 1893 — Mao Zedong, Chinese politician, Chairman of the Communist Party of China (d. 1976) Wikipedia ↗
• 1892 — Don Barclay, American actor and illustrator (d. 1975) Wikipedia ↗
• 1891 — Henry Miller, American author and painter (d. 1980) Wikipedia ↗
• 1890 — Percy Hodge, English runner (d. 1967) Wikipedia ↗
• 1890 — Konstantinos Georgakopoulos, Greek lawyer and politician, Prime Minister of Greece (d. 1973) Wikipedia ↗
• 1888 — Marius Canard, French orientalist and historian (d. 1982) Wikipedia ↗
• 1887 — Arthur Percival, English general (d. 1966) Wikipedia ↗
• 1883 — Maurice Utrillo, French painter (d. 1955) Wikipedia ↗
• 1874 — Khan Bahadur Ahsanullah, Bangladeshi theologian and academic (d. 1965) Wikipedia ↗
• 1873 — Thomas Wass, English cricketer (d. 1953) Wikipedia ↗
• 1872 — Norman Angell, English journalist, academic, and politician, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1967) Wikipedia ↗
• 1869 — Mathieu Cordang, Dutch cyclist (d. 1942) Wikipedia ↗
• 1867 — Phan Bội Châu, Vietnamese activist (d. 1940) Wikipedia ↗
• 1864 — Yun Chi-ho, Korean activist and politician (d. 1945) Wikipedia ↗
• 1863 — Charles Pathé, French record producer, co-founded Pathé Records (d. 1957) Wikipedia ↗
• 1859 — William Stephens, American lawyer and politician, 24th Governor of California (d. 1944) Wikipedia ↗
• 1854 — José Yves Limantour, Mexican financier and politician, Mexican Secretary of Finance (d. 1935) Wikipedia ↗
• 1853 — René Bazin, French author and academic (d. 1932) Wikipedia ↗
• 1852 — Johannes François Snelleman, Dutch zoologist, orientalist, and ethnographer (d. 1938) Wikipedia ↗
• 1837 — Morgan Bulkeley, American soldier and politician, 54th Governor of Connecticut (d. 1922) Wikipedia ↗
• 1837 — George Dewey, American admiral (d. 1917) Wikipedia ↗
• 1820 — Dion Boucicault, Irish actor and playwright (d. 1890) Wikipedia ↗
• 1819 — E. D. E. N. Southworth, American author and educator (d. 1899) Wikipedia ↗
• 1803 — Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald, Estonian physician and author (d. 1882) Wikipedia ↗
• 1791 — Charles Babbage, English mathematician and engineer, invented the Difference engine (d. 1871) Wikipedia ↗
• 1785 — Étienne Constantin de Gerlache, Belgian lawyer and politician, 1st Prime Minister of Belgium (d. 1871) Wikipedia ↗
• 1782 — Philaret Drozdov, Russian metropolitan and saint (d. 1867) Wikipedia ↗
• 1780 — Mary Somerville, Scottish mathematician, astronomer, and author (d. 1872) Wikipedia ↗
• 1769 — Ernst Moritz Arndt, German writer and poet (d. 1860) Wikipedia ↗
• 1751 — Lord George Gordon, English lieutenant and politician (d. 1793) Wikipedia ↗

📅 National Days on December 26 (Calendar.cx)

Also observed on December 26

🏛️ Public Holidays

Also in: St. Stephen's Day (AT,BE,CA,CH,CZ,DE,DK,ES,FI,GR,HU,IE,IT,NL,NO,PL,PT,SE) · Boxing Day (AU,GB,HK,KE,NG,NZ) · 2. svátek vánoční (CZ) · Anden juledag (DK) · Andre juledag (NO) · Annandag jul (SE) · Boże Narodzenie (drugi dzień) (PL) · Day of Goodwill (ZA) · Karácsony másnapja (HU) · Saint Stephen's Day (IE)

✡️ Religious Observances

• Christian: St Stephen's Day