So you want to have a drink but you aren't sure why? Here are some GREAT reasons to call your friends over and have a party.
December 13th - holidays
- Christian Feast Day
- Acadian Rememberance Day
- Republic Day (Malta)
- Saint Lucy's Day (mainly Scandinavia, some regions of Italy (e.g. Sicily, Veneto and Trentino), and Malta)
- Tellus was worshipped in the district Carinae at the Esquiline Hill, and a lectisternium or table was spread for Ceres. (Roman Empire)
- The shortest day and longest night. (Julian calendar)
December 13th - events
- 2003 - Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is captured near his home town of Tikrit (see Operation Red Dawn).
- 1949 - The Knesset votes to move the capital of Israel to Jerusalem.
- 1545 - Council of Trent begins.
- 2006 - The Baiji, or Chinese River Dolphin, is announced as extinct.
- 2004 - Former Chilean dictator, General Augusto Pinochet is put under house arrest, after being sued under accusations over 9 kidnapping actions and manslaughter. The house arrest is lifted the same day on appeal.
- 2002 - Enlargement of the European Union: The European Union announces that Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia will become members from May 1, 2004.
- 2001 - the Indian Parliament Sansad is attacked by terrorists. 15 people are killed, including all the terrorists.
- 2000 - The "Texas 7" escape from the John Connally Unit near Kenedy, Texas and go on a robbery spree, during which police officer Aubrey Hawkins is shot and killed.
- 1989 - Attack on Derryard checkpoint: The Provisional Irish Republican Army launch an attack on a British Army permanent vehicle checkpoint near Rosslea, Northern Ireland. Two British soldiers are killed and one badly wounded.
- 1989 - The last issue of Gnistan (The Spark), the organ of the Solidaritetspartiet, is published in Sweden.
- 1988 - Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat gives a speech at the UN general assembly in the Austrian city of Geneva after the US authorities refused to give him a visa to enter New York.
- 1981 - General Wojciech Jaruzelski declares martial law in Poland to prevent dismantling of the communist system by Solidarity.
- 1979 - The Canadian Government of Prime Minister Joe Clark is defeated in the House of Commons, prompting the 1980 Canadian election.
- 1977 - A DC-3 aircraft chartered from the Indianapolis-based National Jet crashes near Evansville Regional Airport, killing 29, including the University of Evansville basketball team, support staff and boosters of the team.
- 1974 - Malta becomes a republic.
- 1972 - Apollo program: Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt begin the third and final Extra-vehicular activity (EVA) or "Moonwalk" of Apollo 17. This is the last manned mission to the moon of the 20th century.
- 1968 - Brazilian president Artur da Costa e Silva decrees the AI-5 (or the fifth Institutional Act), which lasts until 1978 and marks the beginning of the hard times of Brazilian military dictatorship.
- 1967 - Constantine II of Greece attempts an unsuccessful counter-coup against the Regime of the Colonels
- 1962 - NASA "Relay 1" launch, first active repeater communications satellite in orbit.
- 1960 - While Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia visits Brazil, his Imperial Bodyguard seizes the capital and proclaim him deposed and his son, Crown Prince Asfa Wossen, Emperor.
- 1959 - Archbishop Makarios becomes the first President of Cyprus.
- 1943 - World War II: The Massacre of Kalavryta by German occupying forces in Greece.
- 1941 - World War II: Hungary and Romania declare war on the United States.
- 1939 - World War II: Battle of the River Plate – Captain Hans Langsdorff of the German Deutschland class cruiser (pocket battleship) Admiral Graf Spee engages with Royal Navy cruisers HMS Exeter, HMS Ajax and HMNZS Achilles.
- 1938 - The Holocaust: The Neuengamme concentration camp opens in the Bergedorf district of Hamburg, Germany.
- 1937 - Second Sino-Japanese War: Battle of Nanjing – Nanjing, defended by the National Revolutionary Army under the command of General Tang Shengzhi, falls to the Japanese.
- 1937 - Nanjing Massacre. Japanese troops begin carrying out several weeks of raping and killing of civilians and suspected Chinese resistance after the fall of Nanjing.
- 1867 - Fenian bomb explodes in Clerkenwell, London, killing six.
- 1862 - American Civil War: At the Battle of Fredericksburg, Confederate General Robert E. Lee defeats the Union Major General Ambrose E. Burnside.
- 1809 - Dr. Ephraim McDowell performed the first ovariotomy, removing a twenty-two pound tumor.
- 1769 - Dartmouth College is founded by the Rev. Eleazar Wheelock, with a Royal Charter from King George III, on land donated by Royal Governor John Wentworth.
- 1643 - English Civil War: The Battle of Alton takes place in Hampshire.
- 1642 - Abel Janszoon Tasman reaches New Zealand.
- 1636 - The Massachusetts Bay Colony organizes three militia regiments to defend the colony against the Pequot Indians. This organization is recognized today as the founding of the United States National Guard.
- 1577 - Sir Francis Drake sets out from Plymouth, England, on his round-the-world voyage.
- 1294 - Saint Celestine V resigns the papacy after only five months; Celestine hoped to return to his previous life as an ascetic hermit.
December 13th - births
- 2005 - Prince Aymeric of Belgium
- 2005 - Prince Nicolas of Belgium
- 1989 - Katherine Schwarzenegger, American novelist
- 1989 - Taylor Swift, American Country singer
- 1988 - Rickie Fowler, American amateur golfer
- 1985 - Michael Bumpus, American football player
- 1985 - Laurence Leboeuf, Canadian actress
- 1985 - Alby Mathewson, New Zealand All Black rugby player
- 1984 - Hanna-Maria Seppälä, Finnish swimmer
- 1983 - Matt Deis, American bassist
- 1983 - Otylia J?drzejczak, Polish swimmer
- 1982 - Anthony Callea, Australian singer/songwriter
- 1982 - Ricky Nolasco, American baseball player
- 1982 - Tuka Rocha, Brazilian racing driver
- 1982 - Dominik Werling, German footballer
- 1981 - Amy Lee, American singer/songwriter (Evanescence)
- 1980 - Bosco Wong, Hong Kong Singer and Actor
- 1980 - Satoshi Tsumabuki, Japanese actor
- 1980 - Ryan France, English footballer
- 1978 - Ryo Kawakita, Japanese guitarist (Maximum the Hormone)
- 1978 - BJ Penn, American mixed martial artist
- 1977 - Sascha Kindred, British Paralympic swimmer
- 1977 - Peter Stringer, Irish rugby union footballer
- 1976 - Josh Fogg, American baseball player
- 1976 - Sřren Friis, Danish footballer
- 1976 - Rados?aw Sobolewski, Polish footballer
- 1975 - Bates Battaglia, American ice hockey player
- 1975 - Tom DeLonge, American guitarist (blink-182, Angels & Airwaves)
- 1975 - Matthew LeCroy, American baseball player
- 1974 - Sara Cox, English TV and radio presenter
- 1974 - Debbie Matenopoulos, American television personality and actress
- 1974 - Nicholas McCarthy, English guitarist (Franz Ferdinand)
- 1973 - Christie Clark, American actress
- 1972 - Niki Evans, English singer
- 1970 - Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, Austrian mountaineer
- 1969 - Tony Curran, Scottish actor
- 1969 - Sergei Fedorov, Russian ice hockey player
- 1969 - Murat Nasyrov, Russian singer (d. 2007)
- 1967 - Jamie Foxx, American actor and singer
- 1967 - Bo Pelini, American football coach
- 1966 - Ross Burden, New Zealand celebrity chef
- 1966 - Don Roff, American writer and filmmaker
- 1965 - Marko Mäetamm, Estonian artist
- 1964 - hide, Japanese musician (X Japan) (d. 1998)
- 1962 - Roger Ilegems, Belgian track cyclist and road bicycle racer
- 1962 - Kendra Slewenski, English netballer
- 1961 - Harry Gregson-Williams, English composer
- 1961 - Irene Saez, Miss Universe 1981 and Venezuelan politician
- 1961 - Gary Zimmerman, American football player
- 1960 - Daggubati Venkatesh, Indian actor
- 1959 - Jim Barrell, American professional wrestler
- 1959 - Johnny Whitaker, American actor
- 1958 - Lynn-Holly Johnson, American figure skater and actress
- 1957 - Morris Day, American singer (The Time)
- 1957 - Jean-Marie Messier, French businessman
- 1957 - Steve Buscemi, American actor
- 1956 - Dale Berra, American baseball player
- 1956 - Majida El Roumi, Lebanese singer
- 1956 - Phil Hubbard, American basketball player
- 1954 - John Anderson, American country music singer-songwriter
- 1954 - Steve Forbert, American singer-songwriter
- 1954 - Tamora Pierce, American author
- 1953 - Ben Bernanke, American economist and current United States Chairman of the Federal Reserve
- 1953 - Bill Castro, Dominican baseball player
- 1953 - Jim Davidson, British comedian
- 1953 - Bob Gainey, Canadian ice hockey player and General Manager
- 1952 - Sylvester Ritter (Junkyard Dog), American professional wrestler (d. 1998)
- 1950 - Wendie Malick, American actress
- 1950 - Tom Vilsack, 40th Governor of Iowa and 30th United States Secretary of Agriculture
- 1949 - Randy Owen, American country singer and guitarist (Alabama)
- 1949 - Tom Verlaine, American singer and guitarist (Television)
- 1949 - Robert Lindsay, English actor
- 1949 - Paula Wilcox, English actress
- 1948 - Jeff Baxter, American guitarist (Steely Dan, The Doobie Brothers)
- 1948 - Lillian Board, British track and field athlete (d. 1970)
- 1948 - Ted Nugent, American guitarist
- 1948 - Lester Bangs, Rock critic
- 1948 - Brian Wilson, Scottish politician
- 1947 - Darlene Cates, American actress
- 1947 - Rex Hagon, Canadian actor and host
- 1947 - Dave Hamilton, American baseball player
- 1945 - Kathy Garver, American actress
- 1945 - Brian McGuire, Australian racing driver (d. 1977)
- 1944 - Hwang Jang Lee, Korean martial artist and film actor
- 1943 - Ferguson Jenkins, Canadian baseball player
- 1943 - Gösta Winbergh, Swedish tenor (d. 2002)
- 1942 - Anna Eshoo, American politician
- 1941 - John Davidson, American actor and game show host
- 1939 - Eric Flynn, British actor and singer (d. 2002)
- 1938 - Alvin Curran, American composer
- 1938 - Heino, German folk singer.
- 1937 - Ulf G. Lindén, Swedish entrepreneur (d. 2009)
- 1937 - Ron Taylor, Canadian baseball player
- 1936 - His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan (Aga Khan IV), Imam (leader) of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims
- 1936 - J. C. Martin, American baseball player
- 1935 - Joe Christopher, American baseball player
- 1935 - Ken Hall, American football player
- 1935 - Lindy McDaniel, American baseball player
- 1934 - Richard D. Zanuck, American film producer
- 1930 - Robert Prosky, American actor (d. 2008)
- 1929 - Christopher Plummer, Canadian actor
- 1926 - George Rhoden, Jamaican athlete
- 1925 - Dick Van Dyke, American actor and comedian
- 1923 - Philip Warren Anderson, American physicist, Nobel laureate
- 1923 - Larry Doby, American baseball player (d. 2003)
- 1920 - George Shultz, United States Secretary of State 1982-1989
- 1919 - Hans-Joachim Marseille, German flying ace of World War II (d. 1942)
- 1917 - John Hart, American actor (d. 2009)
- 1915 - Curd Jürgens, German-born Austrian actor (d. 1982)
- 1915 - Ross Macdonald, American-born author (d. 1983)
- 1915 - B. J. Vorster, Prime Minister of South Africa 1966-1978 (d. 1983)
- 1914 - Alan Bullock, British author of the first biography of Hitler written in any language. (d. 2004)
- 1913 - Arnold Brown, the 11th General of The Salvation Army (d. 2002)
- 1913 - Archie Moore, American boxer (d. 1998)
- 1911 - Trygve Haavelmo, Norwegian economist and Bank of Sweden Prize winner (d. 1999)
- 1911 - Kenneth Patchen, American poet and painter (d. 1972)
- 1910 - Van Heflin, American actor (d. 1971)
- 1906 - Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent (d. 1968)
- 1906 - Sir Laurens van der Post, South African author (d. 1996)
- 1903 - Talcott Parsons, American sociologist, (d. 1979)
- 1903 - Ella Baker, African-American activist (d. 1986)
- 1903 - Carlos Montoya, Spanish guitarist (d. 1993)
- 1902 - Panagiotis Kanellopoulos, Prime Minister of Greece (d. 1986)
- 1897 - Drew Pearson, American journalist (d. 1969)
- 1887 - George Polya, Hungarian-born mathematician (d. 1985)
- 1887 - Alvin York, American soldier & Medal of Honor recipient (d. 1964)
- 1883 - Belle da Costa Greene, American librarian, bibliographer and archivist (d. 1950)
- 1874 - Josef Lhévinne, Russian-born pianist (d. 1944)
- 1871 - Emily Carr, Canadian artist (d. 1945)
- 1870 - Edward LeSaint, American actor and director (d. 1940)
- 1867 - Kristian Birkeland, Norwegian explorer and scientist (d. 1917)
- 1864 - Emil Seidel, Mayor of Milwaukee (d. 1947)
- 1860 - Lucien Guitry, French actor (d. 1925)
- 1856 - Svetozar Boroevi?, Austro-Hungarian field marshal (d. 1920)
- 1836 - Franz von Lenbach, German painter (d. 1904)
- 1818 - Mary Todd Lincoln, First Lady of the United States (d. 1882)
- 1816 - Ernst Werner von Siemens, German engineer, inventor, and industrialist (d. 1892)
- 1814 - Ana Néri, Brazilian nurse (d. 1880)
- 1804 - Joseph Howe, Canadian politician (d. 1873)
- 1797 - Heinrich Heine, German poet (d. 1856)
- 1784 - Archduke Louis of Austria (d. 1864)
- 1724 - Franz Aepinus, German scientist (d. 1802)
- 1720 - Carlo Gozzi, Italian dramatist (d. 1804)
- 1678 - Yongzheng Emperor of China (d. 1735)
- 1662 - Francesco Bianchini, Italian philosopher and scientist (d. 1729)
- 1640 - Robert Plot, English naturalist (d. 1696)
- 1585 - William Drummond of Hawthornden, Scottish poet (d. 1649)
- 1553 - King Henry IV of France (d. 1610)
- 1533 - King Eric XIV of Sweden (d. 1577)
- 1521 - Pope Sixtus V (d. 1590)