Historical Events
- 1 1st Christmas, according to calendar-maker Dionysus Exiguus
- 800 Pope Leo III crowns Charles the Great (Charlemagne), Roman Emperor
- 1066 William the Conqueror is crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey, completing the Norman conquest of England
- 1741 Astronomer Anders Celsius introduces Centigrade temperature scale
- 1868 Despite bitter opposition, US President Andrew Johnson grants unconditional pardon to all persons involved in Southern rebellion (Civil War)
- 1991 Mikhail Gorbachev formally resigns as President of USSR in a televised speech
- More Historical Events
Dec 25 in Film & TV
- 1962 "To Kill a Mockingbird", a film adaptation of the novel by Harper Lee, directed by Robert Mulligan and starring Gregory Peck, is released (Gregory Peck - Best Actor Academy Awards 1963)
Dec 25 in Music
- 1896 "Stars & Stripes Forever" written by John Philip Sousa
Dec 25 in Sport
- 1862 40,000 watch Union army men play baseball at Hilton Head, South Carolina
Did You Know?
Legendary "Christmas Truce" takes place on the battlefields of WWI between British and German troops. Instead of fighting, soldiers exchange gifts and play football
On December 25, 1914
Humphrey Bogart
Barbara Mandrell
Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán
Rickey Henderson
Justin Trudeau
Adut AkechWould You Believe?
Japanese scientist achieve -271.8°C, coldest temperature ever recorded
On December 25, 1989
Famous Weddings
- 1871 Inventor Thomas Edison (24) marries 1st wife Mary Stilwell (16)
- 1871 Writer Ambrose Bierce (29) weds Mary Ellen Day
- 1949 British actor Cary Grant (45) weds actress Betsy Drake (26)
Famous Divorces
- 1945 Actor John Wayne (38) divorces Josephine Saenz (37) after 12 years of marriage
More Weddings & Divorces
Samuel de Champlain
Charlie Chaplin
Billy Martin
Nicolae Ceausescu
Dean Martin
George MichaelArticles, Photos and Quiz
The Day Murdoch Spoilt the Queen's Christmas
Queen Elizabeth II made the first live Christmas Day broadcast of her reign on December 25, 1952. Forty years later a pre-recorded message would be leaked.
December 25, 1952
Weekly Quiz for December 23 - 29
This week in history, French artist Vincent van Gogh cut off what part of his body in 1888? Who was crowned King on Christmas Day, December 25th?
