What Happened On December 26

10 odd things that happened on December 26

• 
  1980 Weird

  Witnesses report the first of several sightings of unexplained lights near RAF Woodbridge, in Rendlesham Forest, Suffolk, England, United Kingdom, an incident called "Britain's Roswell".

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  Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

• 
  1871 First ever

  Thespis, the first comic opera by Gilbert and Sullivan, premiered at the Gaiety Theatre in London.

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  Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

• 
  1800 First ever

  Philip Gidley King, Governor of New South Wales, ordered the formation of the Governor's Body Guard of Light Horse, described as the first full-time military unit raised in Australia.

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  Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

• 
  1723 First ever

  Johann Sebastian Bach (pictured) directed the premiere of Darzu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes, his first Christmas cantata composed in Leipzig.

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  Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

• 
  1709 First ever

  The opera Agrippina, described as George Frideric Handel's first masterpiece, premiered in Venice.

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  Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

• 
  1606 First ever

  The first known performance of King Lear, a tragedy written by William Shakespeare (pictured) and based on the legend of Leir of Britain, took place before King James I.

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  Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

• 
  1871 First ever

  Thespis, the first Gilbert and Sullivan collaboration, debuts.

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  Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

• 
  1811 First ever

  A theater fire in Richmond, Virginia kills 72 people, including the Governor of Virginia George William Smith and the president of the First National Bank of Virginia Abraham B. Venable.

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  Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

• 
  1799 First ever

  Henry Lee III's eulogy to George Washington in congress declares him as "first in war, first in peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen".

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  Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

• 
  1793 Oddly true

  Second Battle of Wissembourg: France defeats Austria.

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  Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Observed today

• Boxing Day, except when December 26 is a Sunday. If it is a Sunday, Boxing Day is transferred to December 27 by Royal Proclamation. (Commonwealth of Nations), and its related observances: Day of Good Will (South Africa and Namibia)
• Boxing Day, except when December 26 is a Sunday. If it is a Sunday, Boxing Day is transferred to December 27 by Royal Proclamation. (Commonwealth of Nations), and its related observances: Family Day (Vanuatu)
• Boxing Day, except when December 26 is a Sunday. If it is a Sunday, Boxing Day is transferred to December 27 by Royal Proclamation. (Commonwealth of Nations), and its related observances: Thanksgiving (Solomon Islands)
• Christian feast day: Abadiu of Antinoe (Coptic Church)
• Christian feast day: Pope Dionysius
• Christian feast day: James the Just (Eastern Orthodox Church)
• Christian feast day: Saint Stephen (Western Church)
• Christian feast day: Synaxis of the Theotokos (Eastern Orthodox Church)
• Christian feast day: Vicenta María López i Vicuña
• Christian feast day: December 26 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
• Independence and Unity Day (Slovenia)
• Mauro Hamza Day (Houston, Texas)
• Mummer's Day (Padstow, Cornwall)
• Saint Stephen's Day (public holiday in Alsace, Austria, Catalonia, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Ireland, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovakia and Switzerland), and its related observances: Father's Day (Bulgaria)
• The first day of Kwanzaa, celebrated until January 1 (United States)
• The first day of Junkanoo street parade, the second day is on the New Year's Day (The Bahamas)
• The second day of the Twelve Days of Christmas (Western Christianity) Second day of Christmas (Public holiday in the Netherlands, Poland and Slovakia)
• Wren Day (Ireland and the Isle of Man)

• 2025Israel recognises Somaliland as an independent state, becoming the first country to do so. Wikipedia →
• 2021Three people are killed when a 14-year-old opens fire on civilians at a Texaco convenience store in Garland, Texas. Wikipedia →
• 2015A violent EF-4 tornado hits Garland, Texas, killing nine and injuring almost 500 others. Wikipedia →
• 2013An Irkut-Avia Antonov An-12 crashes on approach to Irkutsk Northwest Airport, killing all nine people on board. Wikipedia →
• 2012China opens the world's longest high-speed rail route, which links Beijing and Guangzhou. Wikipedia →
• 2006Two earthquakes in Hengchun, Taiwan measuring 7.0 and 6.9 on the moment magnitude scale kill two and disrupt telecommunications across Asia. Wikipedia →
• 2004The 9.1–9.3 Mw Indian Ocean earthquake shakes northern Sumatra with a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent). One of the largest observed tsunamis, it affected coastal and partially mainland areas of Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Malaysia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Indonesia; death toll is estimated at 227,898. Wikipedia →
• 2004Orange Revolution: The final run-off election in Ukraine is held under heavy international scrutiny. Wikipedia →
• 2003The 6.6 Mw Bam earthquake shakes southeastern Iran with a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent), leaving more than 26,000 dead and 30,000 injured. Wikipedia →
• 1999The storm Lothar sweeps across Central Europe, killing 137 and causing US$1.3 billion in damage. Wikipedia →
• 1998Iraq announces its intention to fire upon U.S. and British warplanes that patrol the northern and southern no-fly zones. Wikipedia →
• 1994Four Armed Islamic Group hijackers seize control of Air France Flight 8969. When the plane lands at Marseille, a French Gendarmerie assault team boards the aircraft and kills the hijackers. Wikipedia →
• 1993Kuban Airlines Flight 5719 crashes during a go-around at Gyumri Shirak International Airport, killing 35 of the 36 people on board. Wikipedia →
• 1991The Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union meets and formally dissolves the Soviet Union, ending the Cold War. Wikipedia →
• 1989United Express Flight 2415 crashes on approach to the Tri-Cities Airport in Pasco, Washington, killing all six people on board. Wikipedia →
• 1980Witnesses report the first of several sightings of unexplained lights near RAF Woodbridge, in Rendlesham Forest, Suffolk, England, United Kingdom, an incident called "Britain's Roswell". Wikipedia →
• 1978The inaugural Paris-Dakar Rally begins. Wikipedia →
• 1975Tu-144, the world's first commercial supersonic aircraft, surpassing Mach 2, goes into service. Wikipedia →
• 1972Vietnam War: As part of Operation Linebacker II, 120 American B-52 Stratofortress bombers attacked Hanoi, including 78 launched from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, the largest single combat launch in Strategic Air Command history. Wikipedia →
• 1968The Communist Party of the Philippines is established by Jose Maria Sison, breaking away from the Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas-1930. Wikipedia →
• 1968Pan Am Flight 799 crashes during takeoff from Elmendorf Air Force Base, killing three. Wikipedia →
• 1966The first Kwanzaa is celebrated by Maulana Karenga, the chair of Black Studies at California State University, Long Beach. Wikipedia →
• 1963The Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "I Saw Her Standing There" are released in the United States, marking the beginning of Beatlemania on an international level. Wikipedia →
• 1948Cardinal József Mindszenty is arrested in Hungary and accused of treason and conspiracy. Wikipedia →
• 1948The last Soviet troops withdraw from North Korea. Wikipedia →
• 1944World War II: George S. Patton's Third Army breaks the encirclement of surrounded U.S. forces at Bastogne, Belgium. Wikipedia →
• 1943World War II: German warship Scharnhorst is sunk off Norway's North Cape after a battle against major Royal Navy forces. Wikipedia →
• 1941U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs a bill establishing the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day in the United States. Wikipedia →
• 1941British Prime Minister Winston Churchill addresses a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress. Wikipedia →
• 1926World premiere of Sibelius's tone poem Tapiola. Wikipedia →
• 1919Babe Ruth of the Boston Red Sox is sold to the New York Yankees by owner Harry Frazee, allegedly establishing the Curse of the Bambino superstition. Wikipedia →
• 1898Marie and Pierre Curie announce the isolation of radium. Wikipedia →
• 1871Thespis, the first Gilbert and Sullivan collaboration, debuts. Wikipedia →
• 1862American Civil War: The Battle of Chickasaw Bayou begins as Union General William T. Sherman starts landing his troops in an attempt to advance on Vicksburg, Mississippi. Wikipedia →
• 1862Dakota War of 1862: The largest mass-hanging in U.S. history takes place in Mankato, Minnesota, where 38 Native American prisoners are hanged. Wikipedia →
• 1861American Civil War: The Trent Affair: Confederate diplomatic envoys James Murray Mason and John Slidell are freed by the United States government, thus easing tensions between the U.S. and the United Kingdom. Wikipedia →
• 1860First Rules derby is held between Sheffield F.C. and Hallam F.C., the oldest football fixture in the world. Wikipedia →
• 1843The discovery of octonions by John T. Graves, who denoted them with a boldface O, was announced to his mathematician friend William Hamilton, discoverer of quaternions, in a letter on this date. Wikipedia →
• 1825Advocates of liberalism in Russia rise up against Czar Nicholas I in the Decembrist revolt, but are later suppressed. Wikipedia →
• 1811A theater fire in Richmond, Virginia kills 72 people, including the Governor of Virginia George William Smith and the president of the First National Bank of Virginia Abraham B. Venable. Wikipedia →
• 1806Battles of Pultusk and Golymin: Russian forces hold French forces under Napoleon. Wikipedia →
• 1805Austria and France sign the Treaty of Pressburg. Wikipedia →
• 1799Henry Lee III's eulogy to George Washington in congress declares him as "first in war, first in peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen". Wikipedia →
• 1793Second Battle of Wissembourg: France defeats Austria. Wikipedia →
• 1790Louis XVI of France gives his public assent to Civil Constitution of the Clergy during the French Revolution. Wikipedia →
• 1776American Revolutionary War: In the Battle of Trenton, the Continental Army under General George Washington executes a successful surprise attack and defeats a garrison of Hessian forces serving Great Britain. Wikipedia →
• 1723Bach led the first performance of Darzu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes, BWV 40, his first Christmas Cantata composed for Leipzig. Wikipedia →
• 1709The opera Agrippina by George Frideric Handel premiered in Venice. Wikipedia →
• 1704Second Battle of Anandpur: In the Second Battle of Anandpur, Aurangzeb's two generals, Wazir Khan and Zaberdast Khan executed two children of Guru Gobind Singh, Zorawar Singh aged eight and Fateh Singh aged five, by burying them alive into a wall. Wikipedia →
• 1481Battle of Westbroek: An army of 4,000 to 5,000 soldiers raised by David of Burgundy, Bishop of Utrecht, attacks an armed mob of people from nearby Utrecht who were trying to avenge the massacre of the inhabitants of Westbroek. Wikipedia →
• 887Berengar I is elected as king of Italy by the lords of Lombardy. He is crowned with the Iron Crown of Lombardy at Pavia. Wikipedia →
• 795Election of Pope Leo III. Wikipedia →