On This Day December 31st

 December 31st is the three-hundred-sixty-sixth day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 1 day remaining until the end of the year.

Events

406 – Vandals, Alans, and Suebians cross the Rhine, beginning an invasion of Gaul.

870 – Battle of Englefield: The Vikings clash with Ealdorman Æthelwulf of Berkshire. The invaders are driven back to Reading (East Anglia); many Danes are killed.

1600 – The British East India Company is chartered.

1687 – The first Huguenots set sail from France to the Cape of Good Hope.

1759 – Arthur Guinness signs a 9,000-year lease at £45 per annum and starts brewing Guinness.

1790 – Efimeris, the oldest Greek newspaper of which issues have survived till today, is published for the first time.

1796 – The incorporation of Baltimore as a city.

1831 – Gramercy Park is deeded to New York City.

1862 – American Civil War: Abraham Lincoln signed an act admitting West Virginia to the Union, dividing the state in two.

1907 – The first-ever ball drop in Times Square.

1946 – President Harry S. Truman officially proclaimed the end of World War II hostilities.

1955 – General Motors becomes the first U.S. corporation to make over US$1 billion annually.

1983 – The United States Government breaks up the AT&T Bell System.

2011 – NASA successfully put the first of two Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory satellites in orbit around the Moon.

 

Birthdays

695 – Muhammad ibn al-Qasim, Umayyad general (d. 715)

1514 – Andreas Vesalius, Belgian anatomist, physician, and author (d. 1564)

1668 – Herman Boerhaave, Dutch botanist and physician (d. 1738)

1720 – Charles Edward Stuart, Scottish claimant to the throne of England (d. 1788)

1834 – Queen Kapiolani of Hawaii (d. 1899)

1857 – King Kelly, American baseball player and manager (d. 1894)

1878 – Elizabeth Arden, a Canadian businesswoman, founded Elizabeth Arden, Inc. (d. 1966)

1880 – George Marshall, American general and politician, 50th United States Secretary of State, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1959)

1905 – Jule Styne, English American composer (d. 1994)

1908 – Simon Wiesenthal, Ukrainian-Austrian Nazi hunter and author (d. 2005)

1937 – Anthony Hopkins, Welsh actor, director, and composer

1946 – Diane von Fürstenberg, Belgian-American fashion designer

1961 – Jeremy Heywood, English economist and civil servant (d. 2018)

1971 – Heath Shuler, American football player and politician

1981 – Margaret Simpson, Ghanaian heptathlete


Holiday Highlight

Hogmanay: Scotland’s Joyful New Year’s Celebration

Hogmanay, Scotland’s enchanting New Year’s celebration, combines joy, warmth, and rich traditions. Rooted in centuries of history, it blends Norse, Roman, and Gaelic influences. At its heart is renewal and togetherness, marked by traditions like first-footing, where the first visitor brings gifts for good luck. Fire symbolizes purification, as seen in lively processions and bonfires across Scotland.

A highlight is singing “Auld Lang Syne,” a cherished song by Robert Burns, fostering friendship as the clock strikes midnight. Modern celebrations feature music, fireworks, and festive gatherings, especially in Edinburgh. Whether in a bustling city or a cozy village, Hogmanay is a time for reflection and fresh beginnings. Cheers to brighter days ahead! Slàinte Mhath! 


Holidays And Observance 

Hogmanay

Leap Second Time Adjustment Day 

Make Up Your Mind Day 

National Champagne Day 

New Years Eve 

No Interruptions Day  

Universal Hour of Peace Day 

Unlucky Day 



Adios Muchachos

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