Historical Events
- Dec 12 1st Canadian coins circulated (1 cent, 5 cent, 10 cent & 20 cent)
- Dec 16 Dutch government decides to vacate Schokland Island
- Dec 18 Passy, at Paris: 1st "Samedi soir" i/d villa of lovers Rossini
Famous Birthdays
- Dec 4 William Gunn, English cricket batsman (11 Tests) and soccer winger (2 caps), born in St Ann's, Nottingham (d. 1921)
Chester Greenwood
Dec 4 Chester Greenwood, American inventor (invented earmuffs at 15), born in Farmington, Maine (d. 1937)
Chester Greenwood
- Dec 11 Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko, Russian theatre director, born in Ozurgeti, Georgia (d. 1943)
- Dec 13 Jakab Gyula Major, Hungarian pianist and composer, born in Kosice, Czech Republic (d. 1925)
- Dec 20 Jan Toorop, Dutch-Indonesian painter (3 Brides), born in Purworejo Regency, Indonesia (d. 1928)
Giacomo Puccini
Dec 22 Giacomo Puccini, Italian opera composer (La bohème, Tosca, Madame Butterfly), born in Lucca, Italy (d. 1924)
Giacomo Puccini
- Dec 23 Vladimir Nemirovitch-Dantshenko, playwright (Life in Russian Theater)
Famous Deaths
- Dec 9 Robert Baldwin, Canadian politician (b. 1804)
- Dec 12 Jacques Viger, French Canadian politician, 1st mayor of Montreal (1833-36), dies at 71
- Dec 16 Richard Bright, English physician (Bright's disease/nephritis), dies at 69
- Dec 18 Joseph-Henri-Ignace Mees, Flemish composer, dies at 81
- Dec 27 Alexandre Pierre François Boëly, French composer, dies at 73
