- 1808 – Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony has its world premier in Vienna
- 1882 – Edward Johnson hand wires 80 red, white and blue bulbs and the first electric Christmas lights adorn a tree
- 1883 – Arthur Mitchell is born. He became the first African American elected to Congress as a Democrat and served over 4 terms
- 1884 – St. Elmo Brady is born. In 1916, he became the first African American to earn a PhD in chemistry.
- 1912 – Claudia Alta Taylkor is born. She is better known as Lady Bird Johnson.
- 1932 – The Mummy starring Boris Karloff premieres. Nice Christmas movie.
- 1958 – The Chipmunk Song by Alvin, Simon and Theordore reaches #1 on the music charts
- 1968 Julie Nixon, daughter of Richard M., marries David Eisenhower, grandson of Dwight D.
- 1978 – John Wayne Gacy confessed to killing over 2 dozen boys and young men
- 1989 – Nicolae Ceaucescu’s Romanian government is overthrown. He and his wife Elena will be executed two days later.
- 1990 – Lech Walesa is sworn in as Poland’s first popularly elected president
- 2010 – The repeal of the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy is signed into law by President Obama
