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 17th


- Christian Feast Day
- International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers
- National Day (Bhutan)
- O Sapientia (Roman Catholic Church)
- Saturnalia, in honor of Saturn (Roman festivals)
- Wright Brothers Day, a United States federal observances by Presidential Proclamation

December 17th


- 2005 - Anti-WTO protesters riot in Wan Chai, Hong Kong
- 2005 - Jigme Singye Wangchuck abdicate the throne as King of Bhutan.
- 2003 - The Soham murder trial ends at the Old Bailey in London, with Ian Huntley found guilty of two counts of murder. His girlfriend Maxine Carr is found guilty of perverting the course of justice.
- 2003 - SpaceShipOne flight 11P, piloted by Brian Binnie, makes its first supersonic flight.
- 2002 - Second Congo War: The Congolese parties of the Inter Congolese Dialogue sign a peace accord which makes provision for transitional governance and legislative and presidential elections within two years.
- 1997 - The United Kingdom commences its Firearms (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1997, which extends the state's gun ban to include all handguns -- with the exception of antique and show weapons.
- 1989 - The first episode of television series The Simpsons, "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire", airs in the United States.
- 1989 - Romanian Revolution: Protests continue in Timi?oara with rioters breaking into the Romanian Communist Party's District Committee building and attempting to set it on fire.
- 1983 - The IRA bombs Harrods Department Store in London, killing six people.
- 1981 - Brigadier General James L. Dozier is abducted by the Red Brigade in Verona, Italy.
- 1981 - The Senegambia Confederation is founded.
- 1973 - Terrorism: 30 passengers are killed in an attack by Palestinian terrorists on Rome's Leonardo da Vinci Airport.
- 1970 - Polish 1970 protests: In Gdynia soldiers fire at workers emerging from trains, killing dozens.
- 1969 - The SALT I talks begin.
- 1969 - Project Blue Book: The United States Air Force closes its study of UFOs, stating that sightings were generated as a result of "A mild form of mass hysteria, Individuals who fabricate such reports to perpetrate a hoax or seek publicity, psychopathological persons, and misidentification of various conventional objects."
- 1967 - Prime Minister of Australia Harold Holt disappears while swimming near Portsea, Victoria and was presumed drowned.
- 1961 - History of Goa: Operation Vijay – India seizes Goa from Portugal.
- 1960 - Troops loyal to Haile Selassie I in Ethiopia crush the coup that began December 13, returning power to their leader upon his return from Brazil. Haile Selassie absolves his son of any guilt.
- 1957 - The United States successfully launches the first Atlas intercontinental ballistic missile at Cape Canaveral, Florida.
- 1950 - The F-86 Sabre's first mission over Korea.
- 1947 - First flight of the Boeing B-47 Stratojet strategic bomber.
- 1944 - World War II: Battle of the Bulge – Malmedy massacre – American 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion POWs are shot by Waffen-SS Kampfgruppe Peiper.
- 1941 - World War II: Japanese forces land in Northern Borneo.
- 1939 - World War II: Battle of the River Plate – The Admiral Graf Spee is scuttled by Captain Hans Langsdorff outside Montevideo.
- 1935 - First flight of the Douglas DC-3 airplane.
- 1926 - Antanas Smetona assumes power in Lithuania as the 1926 coup d'état is successful.
- 1919 - Uruguay becomes a signatory to the Buenos Aires copyright treaty.
- 1918 - Culmination of the Darwin Rebellion as some 1000 demonstrators march on Government House in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
- 1907 - Ugyen Wangchuck was crowned first King of Bhutan
- 1903 - The Wright Brothers make their first powered and heavier-than-air flight in the Wright Flyer at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
- 1865 - First performance of the Unfinished Symphony by Franz Schubert.
- 1862 - American Civil War: General Ulysses S. Grant issues General Order No. 11, expelling Jews from Tennessee, Mississippi, and Kentucky.
- 1837 - Fire in the Winter Palace of Saint Petersburg occurred.
- 1834 - Opening of the Dublin and Kingstown Railway, the first public railway on the island of Ireland.
- 1819 - Simón Bolívar declares the independence of the Republic of Gran Colombia in Angostura (now Ciudad Bolívar in Venezuela).
- 1812 - War of 1812: U.S. forces attack a friendly Lenape village in the Battle of the Mississinewa.
- 1807 - France issues the Milan Decree, which confirms the Continental System.
- 1790 - Discovery of the Aztec calendar stone.
- 1718 - Great Britain declares war on Spain.
- 1637 - Shimabara Rebellion: Japanese peasants led by Amakusa Shiro rise against daimyo Matsukura Shigeharu.
- 1600 - Marriage of Henry IV of France and Marie de' Medici.
- 1586 - Emperor Go-Yozei becomes Emperor of Japan.
- 1583 - Cologne War: Forces under Ernest of Bavaria defeats the troops under Gebhard Truchsess von Waldburg at the Siege of Godesberg.
- 1577 - Francis Drake sails from Plymouth, England, on a secret mission to explore the Pacific Coast of the Americas for English Queen Elizabeth I.
- 1538 - Pope Paul III excommunicates Henry VIII of England.
- 1531 - Pope Clement VII establishes a parallel body to the Inquisition in Lisbon, Portugal.
- 1398 - Sultan Nasir-u Din Mehmud's armies in Delhi are defeated by Timur.
- 942 - Assassination of William I of Normandy.
- 920 - Romanos I is crowned co-emperor of the underage Emperor Constantine VII.
- 546 - Gothic War: The Ostrogoths of King Totila conquer Rome by bribing the Byzantine garrison.

December 17th


- 2007 - James, Viscount Severn, British royal
- 1990 - Ashley Edner, American actress
- 1986 - Vanessa Zima, American actress
- 1985 - Ryuichi Ogata, Japanese singer w-inds.
- 1984 - Andrew Davies, English footballer
- 1984 - Luis Maria Alfageme, Argentine footballer
- 1983 - Erik Christensen, Canadian hockey player
- 1983 - Kosuke Saito, Japanese DJ
- 1982 - Josh Barfield, American baseball player
- 1982 - Lorenzo Cittadini, Italian rugby player
- 1982 - Craig Kielburger, Canadian anti-child-labor activist
- 1982 - Stephane Lasme, Gabonese basketball player
- 1982 - Ryan Moats, National Football League running back
- 1981 - Jerry Hsu, Asian-American Pro Skater
- 1980 - Ryan Hunter-Reay, American race car driver
- 1980 - Alexandra Papageorgiou, Greek hammer thrower
- 1980 - Eli Pariser, American political blogger and activist
- 1980 - Stella Ng, Singaporean singer & actress
- 1979 - Jaimee Foxworth, American actress and porn star
- 1979 - Ryan Key, American musician and songwriter (Yellowcard)
- 1979 - Matt Murley, American ice hockey player
- 1978 - Alex Cintrón, Puerto Rican baseball player
- 1978 - Riteish Deshmukh, Indian actor
- 1978 - Manny Pacquiao, Filipino boxer and politician
- 1978 - Neil Sanderson, Canadian drummer (Three Days Grace)
- 1978 - Chase Utley, American baseball player
- 1977 - Arnaud Clément, French tennis player
- 1977 - Samuel Pahlsson, Swedish hockey player
- 1977 - Oxana Fedorova (?????? ????????), Miss Universe 2002
- 1976 - Éric Bédard, Canadian speed skater
- 1976 - Zsanett Égerházi, Hungarian-born porn actress
- 1976 - Nir Davidovich, Israeli footballer
- 1976 - Patrick Müller, Swiss footballer
- 1976 - Takeo Spikes, American football player
- 1975 - Milla Jovovich, Ukrainian-born actress
- 1975 - Bree Sharp, American singer/songwriter
- 1975 - Mayuko Aoki, Japanese voice actress
- 1975 - Nick Dinsmore (Eugene), American professional wrestler
- 1974 - Duff Goldman, American chef
- 1974 - Sarah Paulson, American actress
- 1974 - Ian Petrella, American actor
- 1974 - Giovanni Ribisi and Marissa Ribisi, American actor and actress
- 1973 - Konstadinos Gatsioudis, Greek javelin thrower
- 1973 - Rian Johnson, American writer and director
- 1973 - Paula Radcliffe, English runner
- 1973 - Nikki Stanzione, American television presenter
- 1972 - John Abraham, Indian actor
- 1972 - Laurie Holden, American actress
- 1971 - Sinan Akku?, Turkish-German actor
- 1971 - Alan Khan, South African radio & TV presenter
- 1971 - Antoine Rigaudeau, French basketball player
- 1970 - Sean Patrick Thomas, American actor
- 1969 - Chuck Liddell, American mixed martial artist
- 1969 - Chris Mason, English darts player
- 1969 - Mick Quinn, English Musician (Supergrass)
- 1969 - Michael V., Filipino comedian and actor
- 1968 - Andrey Golovatiuk, Russian politician
- 1968 - Paul Tracy, Canadian race car driver
- 1967 - Gigi D'Agostino, Italian DJ and musician
- 1967 - Vincent Damphousse, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1966 - Tracy Byrd, American musician
- 1966 - Valeri Liukin, Soviet gymnast
- 1966 - Kristiina Ojuland, Estonian politician
- 1965 - Craig Berube, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1964 - Ginger, English singer and guitarist (The Wildhearts)
- 1964 - Frank Musil, Czech ice hockey player
- 1964 - Michele Tafoya, American sportcaster
- 1964 - Joe Wolf, American basketball player
- 1962 - Rocco Mediate, American golfer
- 1962 - Paul Dobson, English footballer
- 1962 - Richard Jewell, American security guard and accused bomber (d. 2007)
- 1961 - Sara Dallin, English singer (Bananarama)
- 1960 - Moreno Argentin, Italian cyclist
- 1959 - Albert King, American basketball player
- 1958 - Mike Mills, American musician (R.E.M.)
- 1957 - Earl Hudson, American drummer (Bad Brains)
- 1956 - Peter Farrelly, American film director
- 1955 - Brad Davis, American basketball player
- 1953 - Samuel Hadida, film distributor
- 1953 - Barry Livingston, American actor
- 1953 - Bill Pullman, American actor
- 1953 - Sally Menke, American Film Editor
- 1951 - Ken Hitchcock, Canadian ice hockey coach
- 1951 - Tatyana Kazankina, Soviet athlete
- 1950 - Laurence F. Johnson, American educator
- 1949 - Sotiris Kaiafas, Cypriot footballer
- 1949 - Paul Rodgers, English singer (Free; Bad Company)
- 1947 - Wes Studi, American actor
- 1946 - Eugene Levy, Canadian actor
- 1945 - Ernie Hudson, American actor
- 1945 - Chris Matthews, American journalist
- 1945 - Jacqueline Wilson, English author
- 1944 - Jack L. Chalker, American novelist (d. 2005)
- 1944 - Bernard Hill, English actor
- 1943 - Mary Brunner, American former "Manson Family" member
- 1943 - Ron Geesin, Scottish musician and composer
- 1942 - Paul Butterfield, American musician (d. 1987)
- 1940 - Kåre Valebrokk, Norwegian journalist
- 1939 - Eddie Kendricks, American singer (The Temptations) (d. 1992)
- 1938 - Carlo Little, English drummer (d. 2005)
- 1938 - Peter Snell, New Zealand runner
- 1937 - Kerry Packer, Australian businessman (d. 2005)
- 1937 - John Kennedy Toole, American novelist (d. 1969)
- 1937 - Calvin Waller, American Army general (d. 1996)
- 1937 - Art Neville, American musician (The Neville Brothers)
- 1936 - Tommy Steele, English singer and actor
- 1936 - Jorge Bergoglio, Argentine cardinal
- 1935 - George Lindsey, American actor
- 1935 - Cal Ripken, Sr., American baseball coach (d. 1999)
- 1934 - Ray Wilson, English footballer
- 1931 - Dave Madden, Canadian-born American actor
- 1931 - James McGaugh, American professor and neurobiologist
- 1930 - Bob Guccione, American magazine publisher
- 1930 - Armin Mueller-Stahl, German actor
- 1929 - Jacqueline Hill, English actress (d. 1993)
- 1929 - William Safire, American columnist (d. 2009)
- 1927 - Richard Long, American actor (d. 1974)
- 1926 - Ray Jablonski, American baseball player (d. 1985)
- 1923 - Jaroslav Pelikan, American historian (d. 2006)
- 1922 - Alan Voorhees, American engineer and urban planner (d. 2005)
- 1921 - Lore Berger, Swiss writer (d. 1943)
- 1920 - Kenneth E. Iverson, Canadian computer scientist (d. 2004)
- 1916 - Penelope Fitzgerald, English writer (d. 2000)
- 1915 - André Claveau, French singer (d. 2003)
- 1914 - Raymond Fernandez, American convicted murderer (d. 1951)
- 1912 - Edward Short, British politician
- 1910 - Sy Oliver, American jazz arranger and bandleader (d. 1988)
- 1908 - Willard Frank Libby, American chemist, Nobel laureate (d. 1980)
- 1906 - Fernando Lopes-Graça, Portuguese composer and musicologist (d. 1994)
- 1906 - Russell C. Newhouse, Inventor (d. 1998)
- 1905 - Simo Häyhä, Finnish sniper (d. 2002)
- 1905 - Érico Lopes Veríssimo, Brazilian writer (d. 1975)
- 1904 - Paul Cadmus, American artist (d. 1999)
- 1903 - Erskine Caldwell, American author (d. 1987)
- 1903 - Ray Noble, English bandleader and actor (d. 1978)
- 1900 - Mary Cartwright, English mathematician (d. 1998)
- 1900 - Katina Paxinou, Greek actress (d. 1973)
- 1895 - Nils Asheim, Norwegian politician (d. 1966)
- 1894 - Arthur Fiedler, American conductor (d. 1979)
- 1893 - Erwin Piscator, German film director (d. 1966)
- 1892 - Sam Barry, American basketball coach (d. 1950)
- 1887 - Josef Lada, Czech painter (d. 1957)
- 1887 - Hermine Reuss, Empress of Germany and Duchess of Bohemia (d. 1947)
- 1883 - Raimu, French actor (d. 1946)
- 1881 - Aubrey Faulkner, South African cricketer (d. 1930)
- 1874 - William Lyon Mackenzie King, 10th Prime Minister of Canada (d. 1950)
- 1873 - Ford Madox Ford, English writer (d. 1939)
- 1859 - Paul César Helleu, French artist (d. 1927)
- 1853 - Émile Roux, French physician (d. 1933)
- 1847 - Émile Faguet, French writer and critic (d. 1916)
- 1842 - Sophus Lie, Norwegian mathematician; (d. 1899)
- 1835 - Alexander Emanuel Agassiz, American scientist; son of Louis Agassiz (d. 1910)
- 1830 - Jules de Goncourt, French publisher (d. 1870)
- 1807 - John Greenleaf Whittier, American poet and abolitionist (d. 1892)
- 1796 - Thomas Chandler Haliburton, Canadian novelist (d. 1865)
- 1778 - Sir Humphry Davy, English chemist and physicist (d. 1829)
- 1749 - Domenico Cimarosa, Italian composer (d. 1801)
- 1734 - Maria I of Portugal, Portuguese queen (d. 1816)
- 1706 - Émilie du Châtelet, French mathematician and physicist (d. 1749)
- 1685 - Thomas Tickell, English writer (d. 1740)
- 1632 - Anthony Wood, English antiquarian (d. 1695)
- 1619 - Prince Rupert of the Rhine, commander in the English Civil War (d. 1682)
- 1267 - Emperor Go-Uda of Japan (d. 1324)
- 1239 - Kujo Yoritsugu, Japanese Shogun (d. 1256)