✦ DateLore

On This Day · The 359th day of the year

December 25

A look at December 25 through the almanac — historic events, famous birthdays including Isaac Newton and Humphrey Bogart, and the day's notable deaths and observances.

♑ZodiacCapricorn ◈BirthstoneTurquoise ❀Birth flowerHolly
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Events

10 notable moments
  1. 1991

    Mikhail Gorbachev

    Mikhail Gorbachev resigns as President of the Soviet Union (the union itself is dissolved the next day). Ukraine's referendum is finalized and Ukraine officially leaves the Soviet Union.

    Leader of the Soviet
  2. 1989

    Romanian revolution

    Romanian Revolution: Deposed President of Romania Nicolae Ceaușescu and his wife, Elena, are condemned to death and executed after a summary trial.

    1989 popular uprising in
  3. 1941

    World War II

    World War II: Battle of Hong Kong ends, beginning the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong.

    1939–1945 global conflict
  4. 1914

    World War I

    World War I: A series of unofficial truces occur across the Western Front to celebrate Christmas.

    1914–1918 global conflict
  5. 1870

    Richard Wagner

    Wagner's Siegfried Idyll is first performed.

    German composer (1813–1883)
  6. 1809

    Ephraim McDowell

    Dr. Ephraim McDowell performs the first ovariotomy, removing a 22-pound tumor.

    American physician (1771–1830)
  7. 1725

    Johann Sebastian Bach

    J. S. Bach leads the first performance of the Christmas cantata Unser Mund sei voll Lachens, BWV 110, making laughter audible in singing.

    German composer (1685–1750)
  8. 1100

    Baldwin I of Jerusalem

    Baldwin of Boulogne is crowned the first King of Jerusalem in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

    King of Jerusalem from
  9. 1046

    Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor

    Henry III is crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Clement II.

    Holy Roman Emperor from
  10. 36

    AD 36

    Forces of Emperor Guangwu of the Eastern Han, under the command of Wu Han, conquer the separatist Chengjia empire, reuniting China.

    Calendar year
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Famous birthday twins

Born on December 25

Isaac Newton

b. 1642

English physicist and mathematician

Humphrey Bogart

b. 1899

American actor

Hanna Schygulla

b. 1943

German actress

John IV Doukas Laskaris

b. 1250

Byzantine emperor

Ram Narayan

b. 1927

Indian sarangi player

Christina of Saxony

b. 1461

Queen consort of Denmark

Leopold II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau

b. 1700

Prince of Anhalt-Dessau

Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha

b. 1601

Duke of Saxe-Gotha and Altenburg

Deaths

  • 2006James Brown, American singer-songwriter
  • 1977Charlie Chaplin, English actor and director
  • 1963Tristan Tzara, Romanian-French poet, playwright, painter, and critic
  • 1824Barbara von Krüdener, German mystic and author
  • 1784Yosa Buson, Japanese poet and painter
  • 820Leo V the Armenian, Byzantine emperor from 813 to 820

Holidays & observances

  • —Christmas Day, Christian festival commemorating the birth of Jesus. (Internationally observed)
  • —Christian feast day: Anastasia of Sirmium (Catholic Church)
  • —Christian feast day: Stephen (Armenian Apostolic Church)
  • —Christian feast day: December 25 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
  • —Children's Day (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Republic of Congo)
  • —Tulsi Pujan Diwas (India)
  • —Constitution Day (Taiwan)
  • —Good Governance Day (India)

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