- Dec 1 Wings release "Hi, Hi, Hi" in UK
- Dec 1 2 people killed and 127 injured when 2 car bombs explode in the centre of Dublin, Republic of Ireland
- Dec 2 "December Giant" largest sinkhole in US collapses (Alabama)
- Dec 2 "Via Galactica" closes at Uris Theater NYC after 7 performances
- Dec 2 In 1 of their worst trades Yanks get Rich McKinney for Stan Bahnsen
- Dec 2 37th Iron Bowl: Auburn beats Alabama 17-16 in Birmingham
Event of Interest
Dec 2 Romanian tennis star Ilie Năstase successfully defends his ATP Masters Grand Prix title with a 6–3, 6–2, 3–6, 2–6, 6–3 win over American Stan Smith in Barcelona, Spain
Ilie Năstase
- Dec 2 USC tailback Anthony Davis becomes first to score 6 touchdowns against Notre Dame; in a 45-23 victory over the Fighting Irish Davis at the LA Coliseum he scores on runs of 1, 4, 5 & 8 yards and 2 kickoff returns
- Dec 3 CFL Grey Cup, Ivor Wynne Stadium, Hamilton: Hamilton Tiger-Cats defeat Saskatchewan Roughriders, 13-10; Tiger-Cats first team in CFL's modern era to win Grey Cup at home
- Dec 3 Convair 990A charter crashes in Tenerife Canary Island, 155 die
- Dec 5 38th Heisman Trophy Award: Johnny Rodgers, Nebraska (FL)
- Dec 5 Australia Labour party wins parliamentary election
- Dec 5 Joseph A Walker's "River Niger" premieres in NYC
- Dec 7 Apollo 17 (US), final manned lunar landing mission, launched, crew takes famous "blue marble" photo of the entire Earth
Event of Interest
Dec 7 Philippine's first lady Imelda Marcos stabbed & wounded by an assailant
Imelda Marcos
- Dec 8 United Airlines crashes at Chicago's Midway Airport killing 45
- Dec 10 USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh/Semipalitinsk USSR
- Dec 11 Astronauts Cernan & Harrison become 11th & 12th people on the Moon
- Dec 11 Jets' Don Maynard becomes all time pro reception leader (632)
- Dec 14 Eugene Cernan & Harrison Schmitt leave the Moon
- Dec 16 Bangladesh Constitution goes into effect
- Dec 16 Miami Dolphins become 1st undefeated NFL team (14-0-0)
- Dec 17 New line of control agreed to in Kashmir between India & Pakistan
- Dec 17 WGVC (now WUCX) TV channel 35 in Grand Rapids, MI (PBS) 1st broadcast
- Dec 18 US launches Operation Linebacker II, its heaviest bombing of North Vietnam, as negotiations to end the Vietnam War collapse
- Dec 19 Apollo 17 (last of Apollo Moon landing series) returns to Earth
Event of Interest
Dec 20 Neil Simons "Sunshine Boys" premieres in NYC
Neil Simon
- Dec 20 Five civilians (four Catholics, one Protestant) killed in gun attack on the Top of the Hill Bar in Derry, North Ireland
- Dec 21 Soviet Union signs a separate peace with East Germany
- Dec 22 6.25 earthquake strikes Managua Nicaragua, 12,000+ killed
- Dec 23 16 plane crash survivors rescued after 70d, survived by cannabalism
- Dec 23 6.25 Earthquake destroys central Managua Nicaragua, 10,000 die
- Dec 23 Chandrasekhar takes 8-79 India v England at Delhi
- Dec 23 New York Islanders end 15 games winless streak
- Dec 23 "Immaculate Reception" Steelers turns around a 7-6 defeat with a last second touchdown reception against Raiders to win 13-7
- Dec 23 2nd Fiesta Bowl: #15 Arizona State beats Missouri, 49-35
- Dec 25 England beat India by six wickets in the 1st Cricket Test in Delhi
- Dec 26 Ballon d'Or: Bayern Munich defender Franz Beckenbauer wins award for best European football player ahead of tied fellow German duo of Gerd Müller and Günter Netzer
- Dec 27 "Purlie" opens at Billy Rose Theater NYC for 14 performances
- Dec 27 Belgium recognizes German DR
- Dec 27 LA Kings start Islanders on 12 game losing streak
- Dec 27 New North Korean constitution comes into effect
- Dec 28 Kim Il-song becomes president of North Korea
Event of Interest
Dec 28 Martin Bormann's skeleton is found in Berlin (Hitlers deputy)
Martin Bormann
- Dec 28 USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh/Semipalitinsk USSR
- Dec 28 2 people are killed in a Loyalist bomb attack on the village of Belturbet, County Cavan, Republic of Ireland
- Dec 29 Eastern Tristar Jumbo Jet crashes near Everglades killing 101
- Dec 29 Life magazine ceases publication
- Dec 29 Test Cricket debut of Jeff Thomson and Max Walker v Pakistan at MCG
- Dec 29 President of Sinn Féin Ruairi O Bradaigh is arrested and held under new legislation in Republic of Ireland
- Dec 29 "Aguirre, the Wrath of God" film written and directed by Werner Herzog, starring Klaus Kinski premieres in West Germany
Event of Interest
Dec 30 US President Richard Nixon halts bombing of North Vietnam & announces peace talks
Richard Nixon
- Dec 31 Leap second day; also in 1973-79, 1987
- Dec 31 AFC Championship, Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh: Miami Dolphins beat Pittsburgh Steelers, 21-7
- Dec 31 Martin McGuinness is arrested and held under the new Republic of Ireland legislation
- Dec 31 Australian Open Women's Tennis: Margaret Court beats Evonne Goolagong Cawley 6-4, 7-5 for her record 11th and final Australian singles crown
- Dec 31 NFC Championship, RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C.: Washington Redskins beat Dallas Cowboys 26-3
- Dec 31 39th Sugar Bowl: #2 Oklahoma beats #5 Penn State, 14-0