Tukuk-OS📅 December 26
21 events · 12 births · 12 deaths
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What happened on December 26? Below are the notable events chosen by Wikipedia’s editors for this date, followed by celebrated births, deaths and the observances recognised around the world.
Events
- 2025 — Israel recognises Somaliland as an independent state, becoming the first country to do so.
- 2015 — A violent tornado moves through several suburbs of Dallas, Texas, killing ten and injuring almost 500 others. It was the deadliest tornado to ever hit Texas during the month of December.
- 2015 — A violent tornado moved through several suburbs of Dallas, United States, killing ten and injuring almost 500 others.
- 2006 — Two earthquakes off the southwest coast of Taiwan damaged submarine communications cables, disrupting Internet services in Asia and affecting financial transactions.
- 2004 — A major earthquake and tsunami devastated communities around the Indian Ocean, killing an estimated 227,898 people in 14 countries.
- 1996 — Six-year-old American beauty queen JonBenét Ramsey was found beaten and strangled in the basement of her family's home in Boulder, Colorado.
- 1996 — The Federation of Korean Trade Unions called on its 1.2 million members to refuse to work, beginning the largest organized strike in South Korean history.
Federation of Korean Trade Unions1996–1997 strikes in South Korea
- 1946 — American gangster Bugsy Siegel opened The Flamingo Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, the oldest casino still in operation on the Las Vegas Strip.
- 1943 — World War II: In the Battle of Cape Gloucester, American and Australian forces bombarded Japanese positions on New Britain in the Territory of New Guinea while U.S. Marines invaded from two sides of the island.
- 1943 — Second World War: The German battleship Scharnhorst was sunk at the Battle of the North Cape during an attempt to attack Arctic convoys.
World War IIGerman battleship ScharnhorstBattle of the North Cape
- 1919 — American baseball player Babe Ruth (pictured) was sold by the Boston Red Sox to their rivals, the New York Yankees, beginning the 84-year-long "Curse of the Bambino".
- 1898 — At the French Academy of Sciences, physicists Pierre and Marie Curie announced the discovery of a new element, naming it radium.
- 1871 — Thespis, the first comic opera by Gilbert and Sullivan, premiered at the Gaiety Theatre in London.
- 1862 — American Civil War: The Battle of Chickasaw Bayou began with Confederate defenders engaging Union forces who were attempting to capture the city of Vicksburg, Mississippi.
American Civil WarBattle of Chickasaw BayouConfederate States Army
- 1825 — Imperial Russian Army officers led about 3,000 soldiers in protest against Nicholas I's assumption of the throne after his elder brother Konstantin removed himself from the line of succession.
- 1811 — Seventy-two people died when a theater in Richmond, Virginia, was destroyed by fire, becoming the worst urban disaster in American history at the time.
- 1800 — 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.
Philip Gidley KingGovernor of New South WalesGovernor's Body Guard of Light Horse
- 1776 — American Revolutionary War: George Washington led a Continental Army column across the Delaware River to launch a surprise attack against Hessian forces at the Battle of Trenton (painting shown).
- 1723 — Johann Sebastian Bach (pictured) directed the premiere of Darzu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes, his first Christmas cantata composed in Leipzig.
Johann Sebastian BachDarzu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes, BWV 40Christmas cantata
- 1709 — The opera Agrippina, described as George Frideric Handel's first masterpiece, premiered in Venice.
- 1606 — 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.
Births
- 2004 — Leo Carlsson, Swedish ice hockey player
- 2002 — Josh Wilson-Esbrand, English footballer
- 2001 — Aleksej Pokuševski, Serbian basketball player
- 1997 — Tamara Zidanšek, Slovenian tennis player
- 1994 — Colby Cave, Canadian ice hockey player (died 2020)
- 1994 — Souleymane Coulibaly, Ivorian footballer
- 1992 — Cecilia Costa Melgar, Chilean tennis player
- 1992 — Jade Thirlwall, English singer
- 1991 — Brandon Scherff, American football player
- 1991 — Eden Sher, American actress
- 1991 — Trevor Siemian, American football player
- 1990 — Denis Cheryshev, Russian footballer
Deaths
- 2025 — Pate Mustajärvi, Finnish rock singer (born 1956)
- 2024 — Richard Parsons, American business executive (born 1948)
- 2024 — Manmohan Singh, Indian economist and politician, 13th Prime Minister of India (born 1932)
- 2023 — Lukas Enembe, Indonesian politician, Governor of Papua from 2013 to 2023 (born1967)
- 2023 — Tom Smothers, American comedian, actor, and activist (born 1937)
- 2021 — Giacomo Capuzzi, Italian Roman Catholic prelate, bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lodi (born 1929)
- 2021 — Paul B. Kidd, Australian author, journalist, and radio show host (born 1945)
- 2021 — Karolos Papoulias, Greek politician, President of Greece from 2005 to 2015 (born 1929)
- 2021 — Desmond Tutu, South African Anglican bishop, theologian and anti-apartheid and human rights activist (born 1931)
- 2021 — Nell Hall Williams, American quilter (born 1933)
- 2021 — Edward O. Wilson, American biologist (born 1929)
- 2020 — Brodie Lee, American Professional Wrestler (born 1979)
Observances & holidays
- 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 DayPublic holidays in South AfricaPublic holidays in 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)
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