December, 25th in History

[Spiritus Temporis]

Events

Saturday 25, 2004:
Cassini orbiter releases Huygens probe which will land on Saturn's moon, Titan on January 14, 2005.

Wednesday 25, 2002:
The New Delhi Metro opens.

Wednesday 25, 1991:
Mikhail Gorbachev resigns as president of the Soviet Union (the union itself is dissolved the next day).

Monday 25, 1989:
Nicolae Ceau?escu, former communist dictator of Romania, and his wife Elena are condemned to death and executed under a wide range of charges.

Sunday 25, 1977:
Prime Minister of Israel Menachem Begin meets in Egypt with President of Egypt Anwar Sadat

Wednesday 25, 1974:
Cyclone Tracy devastates Darwin, Northern Territory Australia

Tuesday 25, 1973:
The ARPANET crashes when a programming bug causes all ARPANET traffic to be routed through the server at Harvard University, causing the server to freeze.

Friday 25, 1953:
A fire breaks out in Shek Kip Mei, Hong Kong.

Thursday 25, 1947:
The Constitution of the Republic of China goes into effect.

Thursday 25, 1941:
Hong Kong surrenders to the Japanese.

Monday 25, 1939:
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is introduced by Montgomery Ward stores

Sunday 25, 1932:
A magnitude 7.6 earthquake in Gansu, China kills ~70,000 people

Saturday 25, 1926:
Hirohito becomes Emperor of Japan, succeeding the Taisho Emperor.

Tuesday 25, 1917:
Why Marry?, first dramatic play to win a Pulitzer Prize, opens at the Astor Theatre in New York City

Friday 25, 1914:
World War I: The Christmas truce: Just after midnight on Christmas morning, German and British troops on the Western Front cease firing their guns and artillery and sing Christmas carols. Crossing the No man's land, they trade gifts with the enemy forces that face them. They also played a game of soccer with a makeshift soccer ball (fashioned by the Germans) This truce lasts for several days, depending on the location.

Friday 25, 1868:
Ezo Republic founded in Hokkaido by Shogunate rebels.

Monday 25, 1837:
United States forces defeat Seminole Indians.

Friday 25, 1818:
The first performance of "Silent Night" takes place in the Church of St. Nikolaus in Oberndorf, Austria).

Wednesday 25, 1776:
George Washington and his army cross the Delaware River to attack the monarchy's Hessian mercenaries in Trenton, New Jersey.

Saturday 25, 1599:
The city of Natal, Brazil is founded.

Monday 25, 1223:
Saint Francis of Assisi assembles the first Nativity scene.

Tuesday 25, 1066:
Coronation of William the Conqueror as king of England, at Westminster Abbey, London.

Monday 25, 800:
Coronation of Charlemagne as Holy Roman Emperor, in Rome.

Source: http://www.spiritus-temporis.com/25-december/on-this-day.html


People born on December 25

1980:
Reika Hashimoto, actress and model (b: December 25, 1980) (Biography of Reika Hashimoto)

1976:
Tuomas Holopainen, keyboardist and composer (Nightwish) (b: December 25, 1976) (Biography of Tuomas Holopainen)
Armin van Buuren, keyboardist (b: December 25, 1976) (Biography of Armin van Buuren)

1975:
Marcus Trescothick, English cricketer (b: December 25, 1975) (Biography of Marcus Trescothick)

1971:
Dido, singer (b: December 25, 1971) (Biography of Dido (singer))
Noel Hogan, guitarist and main co-songwriter of The Cranberries band (b: December 25, 1971) (Biography of Noel Hogan)

1967:
Jason Thirsk, American bass player (Pennywise) (b: December 25, 1967 ; d: July 29, 1996) (Biography of Jason Thirsk)

1962:
Dean Cameron, American actor (b: December 25, 1962) (Biography of Dean Cameron)

1961:
Ingrid Betancourt, Colombian senator (b: December 25, 1961) (Biography of Ingrid Betancourt)

1959:
Michael P. Anderson, astronaut (b: December 25, 1959 ; d: February 1, 2003) (Biography of Michael P. Anderson)

1958:
Hanford Dixon, American football player (b: December 25, 1958) (Biography of Hanford Dixon)
Rickey Henderson, baseball player (b: December 25, 1958) (Biography of Rickey Henderson)

1957:
Shane MacGowan, musician (b: December 25, 1957) (Biography of Shane MacGowan)

1954:
Robin Campbell, guitarist and singer (UB40) (b: December 25, 1954) (Biography of Robin Campbell)
Annie Lennox, singer (Eurythmics) (b: December 25, 1954) (Biography of Annie Lennox)

1950:
Manny Trillo, baseball player (b: December 25, 1950) (Biography of Manny Trillo)
Karl Rove, political advisor to President George W. Bush (b: December 25, 1950) (Biography of Karl Rove)

1949:
Sissy Spacek, actress (b: December 25, 1949) (Biography of Sissy Spacek)
Joe Louis Walker, blues musician (b: December 25, 1949) (Biography of Joe Louis Walker)

1948:
Barbara Mandrell, singer, actress (b: December 25, 1948) (Biography of Barbara Mandrell)

1946:
Jimmy Buffett, singer, songwriter (b: December 25, 1946) (Biography of Jimmy Buffett)
Larry Csonka, American football player (b: December 25, 1946) (Biography of Larry Csonka)

1945:
Noel Redding, bassist (b: December 25, 1945 ; d: May 11, 2003) (Biography of Noel Redding)
Gary Sandy, actor (b: December 25, 1945) (Biography of Gary Sandy)
Kenny Stabler, American football player (b: December 25, 1945) (Biography of Kenny Stabler)

1944:
Jairzinho, footballer (b: December 25, 1944) (Biography of Jairzinho)

1943:
Hanna Schygulla, actress (b: December 25, 1943) (Biography of Hanna Schygulla)

1936:
Princess Alexandra of Kent (b: December 25, 1936) (Biography of Princess Alexandra of Kent)
Ismail Merchant, film producer (b: December 25, 1936) (Biography of Ismail Merchant)

1928:
Dick Miller, actor (b: December 25, 1928) (Biography of Dick Miller)

1927:
Nellie Fox, baseball player (b: December 25, 1927 ; d: December 1, 1975) (Biography of Nellie Fox)

1925:
Carlos Castaneda, author (b: December 25, 1925 ; d: April 27, 1998) (Biography of Carlos Castaneda)

1924:
Rod Serling, American television scriptwriter (b: December 25, 1924 ; d: June 28, 1975) (Biography of Rod Serling)
Atal Behari Vajpayee, Prime Minister of India (b: December 25, 1924) (Biography of Atal Behari Vajpayee)

1918:
Anwar Sadat, President of Egypt (b: December 25, 1918 ; d: October 6, 1981) (Biography of Anwar Sadat)

1915:
Pete Rugolo, bandleader (b: December 25, 1915) (Biography of Pete Rugolo)

1913:
Henri Nannen, journalist and publisher (b: December 25, 1913) (Biography of Henri Nannen)

1912:
Natalino Otto, Italian singer (b: December 25, 1912 ; d: October 4, 1969) (Biography of Natalino Otto)
Tony Martin, singer (b: December 25, 1912) (Biography of Tony Martin (singer))

1908:
Quentin Crisp, author, activist for homosexuals (b: December 25, 1908 ; d: November 21, 1999) (Biography of Quentin Crisp)
Helen Twelvetrees, actress (b: December 25, 1908) (Biography of Helen Twelvetrees)

1907:
Cab Calloway, bandleader (b: December 25, 1907 ; d: November 18, 1994) (Biography of Cab Calloway)

1906:
Ernst Ruska, German physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (b: December 25, 1906 ; d: May 25, 1988) (Biography of Ernst Ruska)
Sir Lew Grade, film producer (b: December 25, 1906) (Biography of Lew Grade)

1904:
Gerhard Herzberg, German-Canadian physicist (b: December 25, 1904 ; d: March 3, 1998) (Biography of Gerhard Herzberg)

1901:
Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester (b: December 25, 1901) (Biography of Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester)

1899:
Humphrey Bogart, American actor (b: December 25, 1899 ; d: January 14, 1957) (Biography of Humphrey Bogart)

1887:
Conrad Nicholson Hilton, hotelier (b: December 25, 1887) (Biography of Conrad Nicholson Hilton)

1886:
Kid Ory, jazz musician (b: December 25, 1886 ; d: January 23, 1973) (Biography of Kid Ory)

1884:
Evelyn Nesbit, actress (b: December 25, 1884 ; d: January 17, 1967) (Biography of Evelyn Nesbit)

1878:
Louis Chevrolet, Swiss-born race car driver and automotive pioneer (b: December 25, 1878 ; d: June 6, 1941) (Biography of Louis Chevrolet)

1876:
Adolf Otto Reinhold Windaus, German chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (b: December 25, 1876 ; d: June 9, 1959) (Biography of Adolf Otto Reinhold Windaus)
Muhammad Ali Jinnah, founder of Pakistan (b: December 25, 1876 ; d: September 11, 1948) (Biography of Muhammad Ali Jinnah)

1875:
Theodor Cardinal Innitzer, Archbishop of Vienna (b: December 25, 1875 ; d: October 9, 1955) (Biography of Theodor Cardinal Innitzer)

1861:
Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, founder of Banaras_Hindu_University (b: December 25, 1861) (Biography of Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya)

1856:
Hans von Bartels, German painter (b: December 25, 1856 ; d: October 5, 1913) (Biography of Hans von Bartels)

1821:
Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross (b: December 25, 1821 ; d: April 12, 1912) (Biography of Clara Barton)

1771:
Dorothy Wordsworth, English diarist and sister of William Wordsworth (b: December 25, 1771) (Biography of Dorothy Wordsworth)

1763:
Claude Chappe, telecommunications pioneer (b: December 25, 1763 ; d: January 23, 1805) (Biography of Claude Chappe)

1757:
Benjamin Pierce, U.S. politician (d 1839) (b: December 25, 1757 ; d: April 1, 1839) (Biography of Benjamin Pierce (governor))

1742:
Charlotte von Stein, friend of Goethe (b: December 25, 1742) (Biography of Charlotte von Stein)

1700:
Leopold II of Anhalt-Dessau, Prussian general (b: December 25, 1700 ; d: December 16, 1751) (Biography of Leopold II of Anhalt-Dessau)

1674:
Thomas Halyburton, Scottish theologian (b: December 25, 1674) (Biography of Thomas Halyburton)

1667:
Ehrengard Melusine von der Schulenburg, Duchess of Kendal and Munster (b: December 25, 1667) (Biography of Ehrengard Melusine von der Schulenburg, Duchess of Kendal and Munster)

1665:
Lady Grizel Baillie, Scottish songwriter (b: December 25, 1665 ; d: December 6, 1746) (Biography of Lady Grizel Baillie)

1652:
Archibald Pitcairne, Scottish physician (b: December 25, 1652 ; d: October 20, 1713) (Biography of Archibald Pitcairne)

1642:
Sir Isaac Newton, English physicist and mathematician (b: December 25, 1642) (Biography of Julian calendar)

1628:
Noël Coypel, French painter (b: December 25, 1628 ; d: December 24, 1707) (Biography of Noël Coypel)

1583:
Orlando Gibbons, English composer (b: December 25, 1583 ; d: June 5, 1625) (Biography of Orlando Gibbons)

-4:
Jesus, Christian icon (It is a matter of dispute as to what calendar year or exact date Jesus was born) (b: December 25, -4) (Biography of AD 1)

Source: http://www.spiritus-temporis.com/25-december/births.html

[Urban Legend]

Merry Christmas !!!

[Spiritus Temporis]

They left us on December 25

2000:
Willard Van Orman Quine (d: December 25, 2000) (Biography of Willard Van Orman Quine)

1998:
John Pulman (d: December 25, 1998) (Biography of John Pulman)

1996:
JonBenét Ramsey, American beauty queen and murder victim (b: August 6, 1990 ; d: December 25, 1996) (Biography of JonBenét Ramsey)

1995:
Dean Martin, American singer (b: June 17, 1917 ; d: December 25, 1995) (Biography of Dean Martin)

1994:
Zail Singh (d: December 25, 1994) (Biography of Zail Singh)

1989:
Billy Martin, baseball player and coach (b: May 16, 1928 ; d: December 25, 1989) (Biography of Billy Martin)
Nicolae Ceau?escu (d: December 25, 1989) (Biography of Nicolae Ceau?escu)

1983:
Joan Miró, Catalan painter (b: April 20, 1893 ; d: December 25, 1983) (Biography of Joan Miró)

1977:
Charlie Chaplin, English actor, writer, and film producer (b: April 16, 1889 ; d: December 25, 1977) (Biography of Charlie Chaplin)

1973:
Gabriel Voisin, French aviation pioneer (b: February 5, 1880 ; d: December 25, 1973) (Biography of Gabriel Voisin)
Ismet Inonu (d: December 25, 1973) (Biography of Ismet Inonu)

1963:
Tristan Tzara (d: December 25, 1963) (Biography of Tristan Tzara)

1946:
W. C. Fields (d: December 25, 1946) (Biography of W. C. Fields)

1940:
Agnes Ayres, American actress (b: April 4, 1898 ; d: December 25, 1940) (Biography of Agnes Ayres)

1938:
Karel Čapek, Czech writer (b: January 9, 1890 ; d: December 25, 1938) (Biography of Karel Capek)

1933:
Francesc Macia (d: December 25, 1933) (Biography of Francesc Macia)

1926:
Taisho Emperor (d: December 25, 1926) (Biography of Taisho Emperor)

1925:
Karl Abraham, German psychoanalyst (b: May 3, 1877 ; d: December 25, 1925) (Biography of Karl Abraham)

1880:
Fridolin Anderwert, Swiss Federal Councilor (b: September 19, 1828 ; d: December 25, 1880) (Biography of Fridolin Anderwert)

1683:
Kara Mustafa (d: December 25, 1683) (Biography of Kara Mustafa)

1676:
Matthew Hale (jurist) (d: December 25, 1676) (Biography of Matthew Hale (jurist))
William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Newcastle (d: December 25, 1676) (Biography of William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Newcastle)

1635:
Samuel de Champlain, French explorer (b: July 3, 1567 ; d: December 25, 1635) (Biography of Samuel de Champlain)

795:
Pope Adrian I (d: December 25, 795) (Biography of Pope Adrian I)

Source: http://www.spiritus-temporis.com/25-december/deaths.html