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 15th


- Bill of Rights Day, honors the United States Bill of Rights on the anniversary of its ratification. (United States)
- Christian Feast Day
- Consualia, in honor of Consus. (Roman Empire)
- Homecoming Day, celebrates the return of evacuated citizens to Alderney after World War II. (Alderney)
- Kingdom Day or Koninkrijksdag, commemorates the signing of the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1954. (Netherlands)
- Zamenhof Day (International Esperanto Community)

December 15th


- 1903 - The Wright brothers' first attempt to launch the Wright Flyer at Kitty Hawk, NC
- 1791 - The United States Bill of Rights becomes law when ratified by the Virginia General Assembly.
- 2009 - Boeing's new 787 Dreamliner makes its maiden flight from Seattle, Washington.
- 2006 - First flight of the F-35 Lightning II.
- 2005 - Latvia amends its constitution to eliminate possibility of same-sex couples being entitled to marry.
- 2005 - Argentina's president Néstor Kirchner announces the early repayment of its external debt to the IMF.
- 2005 - Introduction of the F-22 Raptor into USAF active service.
- 2005 - The 2005 Atlantic Power Outage began.
- 2002 - The Capital Center (formerly US Airways Arena) is demolished.
- 2001 - The Leaning Tower of Pisa reopens after 11 years and $27,000,000 to fortify it, without fixing its famous lean.
- 2000 - The 3rd reactor at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant is shut down.
- 1997 - A chartered Tupolev TU-154 from Tajikistan crashes in the desert near Sharja, United Arab Emirates airport killing 85.
- 1997 - The Treaty of Bangkok is signed allowing the transformation of Southeast Asia into a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone.
- 1994 - Palau becomes a member of the United Nations.
- 1993 - History of Northern Ireland: The Downing Street Declaration is issued by British Prime Minister John Major and Irish Taoiseach Albert Reynolds.
- 1978 - U.S. President Jimmy Carter announces that the United States will recognize the People's Republic of China and cut off all relations with Taiwan
- 1976 - Samoa becomes a member of the United Nations.
- 1973 - John Paul Getty III, grandson of American billionaire J. Paul Getty, is found alive near Naples, Italy, after being kidnapped by an Italian gang on July 10, 1973.
- 1970 - The Illinois State Constitution is adopted at a special election.
- 1970 - South Korean ferry Namyong Ho capsizes off Korean Strait killing 308.
- 1967 - The Silver Bridge collapses, killing 46 people.
- 1965 - Gemini program: Gemini 6A, crewed by Wally Schirra and Thomas Stafford, is launched from Cape Kennedy, Florida. Four orbits later, it achieves the first space rendezvous, with Gemini 7.
- 1961 - In Jerusalem, Adolph Eichmann is sentenced to death after being found guilty of 15 criminal charges, including charges of crimes against humanity, crimes against the Jewish people and membership of an outlawed organization.
- 1960 - Richard Paul Pavlick is arrested for attempting to blow up and assassinate the U.S. President-Elect, John F. Kennedy only four days earlier.
- 1955 - Jens Olsen's World Clock is started by Danish King Frederick IX and Jens Olsen's youngest grandchild Birgit.
- 1954 - The Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands was signed.
- 1945 - Occupation of Japan: General Douglas MacArthur orders that Shinto be abolished as the state religion of Japan.
- 1942 - The Battle of Mount Austen, the Galloping Horse, and the Sea Horse begins during the Guadalcanal campaign.
- 1941 - Holocaust: German troops execute over 15,000 Jews at Drobitsky Yar, a ravine southeast of the city of Kharkiv, Ukraine.
- 1941 - The American Federation of Labor adopts a no-strike policy in war industries.
- 1939 - Gone with the Wind receives its première at Loew's Grand Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
- 1917 - World War I: An armistice is reached between the new Bolshevik government and the Central Powers.
- 1914 - World War I: The Serbian Army recaptures Belgrade from the invading Austro-Hungarian Army.
- 1914 - A gas explosion at Mitsubishi Hojyo coal mine, Ky?sh?, Japan, kills 687.
- 1913 - Nicaragua becomes a signatory to the Buenos Aires Convention.
- 1906 - The London Underground's Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway opens.
- 1905 - The Pushkin House is established in St. Petersburg to preserve the cultural heritage of Alexander Pushkin
- 1891 - James Naismith introduces the first version of basketball, with thirteen rules, a peach basket nailed to either end of his school's gymnasium, and two teams of nine players.
- 1868 - Shogunate rebels found Ezo Republic in Hokkaid?.
- 1864 - In the Battle of Nashville, Union forces under George H. Thomas almost completely destroy the Army of Tennessee under John B. Hood.
- 1863 - In Romania the mountain railway from Anina to Oravita is used for the first time.
- 1467 - Stephen III of Moldavia defeats Matthias Corvinus of Hungary, with the latter being injured thrice, at the Battle of Baia.
- 1256 - Hulagu Khan captures and destroys the Hashshashin stronghold at Alamut in present-day Iran as part of the Mongol offensive on Islamic southwest Asia.
- 1167 - Sicilian chancellor Stephen du Perche moves the royal court to Messina to prevent a rebellion.
- 533 - Byzantine general Belisarius defeats the Vandals, commanded by King Gelimer, at the Battle of Ticameron.

December 15th


- 1911 - Stan Kenton, American musician (d. 1979)
- 1892 - J. Paul Getty, American oil tycoon (d. 1976)
- 1832 - Gustave Eiffel, French engineer and architect (Eiffel tower) (d. 1923)
- 37 - Nero, Roman emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty (d. 68)
- 1994 - Emma Lockhart, American teen actress
- 1987 - Mandy Jiroux, American dancer & singer
- 1986 - Xiah, South Korean singer TVXQ
- 1986 - James Slade, American college-basketball player
- 1986 - Snejana Onopka, Ukrainian supermodel
- 1985 - Diogo Fernandes Brazilian footballer
- 1984 - Kirsty Lee Allan, Australian actress
- 1984 - Martin Škrtel Slovakian footballer
- 1983 - René Goguen (René Duprée), Canadian professional wrestler
- 1983 - Delon Armitage, England rugby player
- 1983 - Wang Hao, Chinese table tennis player
- 1983 - Delon Armitage, English Rugby Union player
- 1982 - Borja García, Spanish racing driver
- 1982 - George O. Gore II, American actor
- 1981 - Najoua Belyzel, French singer
- 1981 - Brendan Fletcher, Canadian actor
- 1981 - Andy González, Puerto Rican baseball player
- 1981 - Thomas Herrion, American football player (d. 2005)
- 1981 - Creighton Lovelace, American Baptist minister
- 1981 - Roman Pavlyuchenko, Russian footballer
- 1981 - Michelle Dockery, British actress
- 1980 - Sergio Pizzorno, English guitarist (Kasabian)
- 1980 - Manuel Wilhelm, German rugby player
- 1979 - Adam Brody, American actor
- 1979 - Eric Young, Canadian professional wrestler
- 1978 - Mark Jansen, Dutch guitarist (Epica)
- 1978 - Jerome McDougle, American football player
- 1977 - Dave Mackintosh, Scottish drummer (Dragonforce)
- 1977 - Geoff Stults, American actor
- 1977 - Eba, Mongolian entertainer
- 1976 - Baichung Bhutia, Indian footballer
- 1976 - Aaron Miles, American baseball player
- 1976 - Elix Skipper, American professional wrestler
- 1973 - Surya Bonaly, French-born American figure skater
- 1973 - Ryu Seung-wan, South Korean actor and director
- 1972 - Stuart Townsend, Irish actor
- 1972 - Rodney Harrison, American football player
- 1971 - Arne Quinze, Belgian conceptual artist
- 1971 - Clint Lowery, American guitarist (Sevendust)
- 1970 - Frankie Dettori, Italian jockey
- 1970 - Lawrence Funderburke, American basketball player
- 1970 - Michael Shanks, Canadian actor
- 1969 - Chantal Petitclerc, Canadian wheelchair athlete
- 1968 - Javid Hussain, Indian film producer
- 1968 - Osama Ali Maher, Swedish politician
- 1968 - Garrett Wang, American actor
- 1967 - David Howells, English footballer
- 1967 - Mo Vaughn, American baseball player
- 1966 - Manos Papayiannis, Greek fashion model and actor
- 1966 - Molly Price, American actress
- 1966 - Carl Hooper, former West Indian cricket player and captain
- 1963 - Andrew Luster, Max Factor heir
- 1963 - Helen Slater, American actress
- 1963 - David Wingate, American basketball player
- 1963 - Norman J. Grossfeld, American television producer and screenwriter
- 1961 - Karin Resetarits, Austrian journalist
- 1960 - Walter Werzowa, Austrian composer
- 1958 - Eddy Annys, Belgian high jumper
- 1957 - Mario Marois, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1957 - Mike McAlary, American journalist (d. 1998)
- 1957 - Yuuichi Nagashima, Japanese voice actor
- 1957 - Laura Molina, American artist, musician and actress
- 1956 - William Orbit, English producer, mixer and musician
- 1955 - Paul Simonon, English bassist (The Clash)
- 1954 - Mark Warner, American politician
- 1953 - J. M. DeMatteis, American comic book writer
- 1952 - Rudi Protrudi, American musician (The Fuzztones)
- 1952 - Julie Taymor, American director
- 1952 - Allan Simonsen, Danish footballer
- 1949 - Don Johnson, American actor
- 1948 - Melanie Chartoff, American actress
- 1948 - Cassandra Harris, Australian actress (d. 1991)
- 1947 - Rodney Bingenheimer, American radio personality
- 1946 - Art Howe, American baseball player and manager
- 1946 - Carmine Appice, American musician (Vanilla Fudge)
- 1945 - Thaao Penghlis, Australian actor
- 1944 - Jim Leyland, American baseball manager
- 1944 - Chico Mendes, Brazilian campaigner (d. 1988)
- 1943 - Kathleen Blanco, American politician
- 1943 - Lucien den Arend, Dutch artist
- 1942 - Dave Clark, English musician (The Dave Clark Five)
- 1940 - Nick Buoniconti, American football player
- 1939 - Cindy Birdsong, American singer (The Supremes)
- 1938 - Billy Shaw, American football player
- 1936 - Joe D'Amato, Italian director (d. 1999)
- 1933 - Bapu, Indian cartoonist, designer and film director
- 1933 - Tim Conway, American actor and comedian
- 1933 - Donald Woods, South African journalist and anti-apartheid activist (d. 2001)
- 1932 - Jesse Belvin, American musician (d. 1960)
- 1930 - Edna O'Brien, Irish novelist and short story writer
- 1929 - Barry Harris, American bebop jazz pianist
- 1928 - Friedensreich Hundertwasser, Austrian artist (d. 2000)
- 1928 - Jerry Wallace, American singer (d. 2008)
- 1925 - Sam Pollock, Canadian ice hockey general manager
- 1925 - Kasey Rogers, American actress (d. 2006)
- 1923 - Freeman Dyson, English-born American physicist
- 1923 - Uziel Gal, Israeli firearm designer (d. 2002)
- 1923 - Valentin Varennikov, Russian general and statesman
- 1921 - Alan Freed, American disc jockey (d. 1965)
- 1921 - Bob Todd, British comedian (d. 1992)
- 1920 - Kurt Schaffenberger, American comics artist (d. 2002)
- 1919 - Max Yasgur, owner of the Woodstock Festival site (d. 1973)
- 1918 - Jeff Chandler, American actor (d. 1961)
- 1917 - Shan-ul-Haq Haqqee, linguist and writer of Pakistan (d. 2005)
- 1916 - Buddy Cole, American pianist (d. 1964)
- 1916 - Maurice Wilkins, New Zealand-born physicist, Nobel laureate (d. 2004)
- 1913 - Roger Gaudry, French Canadian chemist, businessman and corporate director (d. 2001)
- 1913 - Muriel Rukeyser, American poet (d. 1980)
- 1912 - Ray Eames, American designer (d. 1988)
- 1911 - Nicholas P. Dallis, American psychiatrist and comic strip writer (d. 1991)
- 1910 - John H. Hammond, American musician (d. 1987)
- 1907 - Oscar Niemeyer, Brazilian architect
- 1903 - Tamanishiki San'emon, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 32nd Yokozuna (d. 1938)
- 1902 - Robert F. Bradford, 57th Governor of Massachusetts (d. 1983)
- 1899 - Harold Abrahams, English sprinter (d. 1978)
- 1896 - Betty Smith, American author (d. 1972)
- 1888 - Maxwell Anderson, American writer (d. 1959)
- 1885 - Leonid Pitamic, Slovenian philosopher (d. 1971)
- 1878 - Hans Carossa, German writer (d. 1956)
- 1875 - Emilio Jacinto, Filipino poet and revolutionary (d. 1899)
- 1861 - Charles Duryea, American automobile pioneer (d. 1938)
- 1861 - Pehr Evind Svinhufvud, Finnish politician (d. 1944)
- 1860 - Niels Ryberg Finsen, Danish physician, Nobel laureate (d. 1904)
- 1860 - Abner Powell, American baseball player (d. 1953)
- 1859 - L. L. Zamenhof, Polish initiator of Esperanto (d. 1917)
- 1852 - Henri Becquerel, French physicist, Nobel laureate (d. 1908)
- 130 - Lucius Verus, Roman co-emperor (d. 169)