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 18th


- Christian Feast Day
- Eponalia, feast of Epona, celebrated during Saturnalia. (Roman Empire)
- International Migrants Day (International)
- National Day (Qatar)
- New Jersey Day (New Jersey)
- Republic Day (Niger)

December 18th


- 2002 - 2003 California recall: Then Governor of California Gray Davis announces that the state would face a record budget deficit of $35 billion, roughly double the figure reported during his reelection campaign one month earlier.
- 1999 - NASA launches into orbit the Terra platform carrying five Earth Observation instruments, including ASTER, CERES, MISR, MODIS and MOPITT.
- 1997 - HTML 4.0 is published by the World Wide Web Consortium.
- 1996 - The Oakland, California school board passes a resolution officially declaring "Ebonics" a language or dialect.
- 1989 - The European Community and the Soviet Union sign an agreement on trade and commercial and economic cooperation.
- 1987 - Larry Wall releases the first version of the Perl programming language.
- 1978 - Dominica joins the United Nations.
- 1973 - Soviet Soyuz Programme: Soyuz 13, crewed by cosmonauts Valentin Lebedev and Pyotr Klimuk, is launched from Baikonur in the Soviet Union.
- 1972 - Vietnam War: President Richard Nixon announces that the United States will engage North Vietnam in Operation Linebacker II, a series of Christmas bombings, after peace talks collapsed with North Vietnam on the 13th.
- 1971 - Capitol Reef National Park is established in Utah.
- 1969 - Capital punishment in the United Kingdom: Home Secretary James Callaghan's motion to make permanent the Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act 1965, which had temporarily suspended capital punishment in England, Wales and Scotland for murder (but not for all crimes) for a period of five years.
- 1966 - Saturn's moon Epimetheus is discovered by Richard L. Walker.
- 1961 - Indonesia invades Netherlands New Guinea.
- 1956 - Japan joins the United Nations.
- 1944 - World War II: 77 B-29 Superfortress and 200 other aircraft of U.S. Fourteenth Air Force bomb Hankow, China, a Japanese supply base.
- 1935 - The Lanka Sama Samaja Party is founded in Ceylon.
- 1932 - The Chicago Bears defeat the Portsmouth Spartans 9-0 in the first ever NFL Championship Game. Because of a blizzard, the game was moved from Wrigley Field to the Chicago Stadium, the field measuring 80 yards (73 m) long.
- 1916 - World War I: The Battle of Verdun ends when German forces under Chief of Staff Erich Von Falkenhayn are defeated by the French and British, and suffer 337,000 casualties.
- 1915 - U.S. President Woodrow Wilson marries Edith Bolling Galt Wilson while president of the United States.
- 1912 - The Piltdown Man, later discovered to be a hoax, is found in the Piltdown Gravel Pit, by Charles Dawson.
- 1900 - The Upper Ferntree Gully to Gembrook Narrow-gauge (2 ft 6 in or 762 mm) Railway (now the Puffing Billy Railway) in Victoria, Australia is opened for traffic.
- 1898 - Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat sets a new land speed record of 39.245 mph (63.159 km/h) in a Jeantaud electric car. This is the first recognized land speed record.
- 1888 - Richard Wetherill and his brother in-law discover the ancient Indian ruins of Cliff Palace in Mesa Verde.
- 1878 - John Kehoe, the last of the Molly Maguires is executed in Pennsylvania.
- 1878 - The Al-Thani family become the rulers of the state of Qatar
- 1862 - American Civil War: In the Battle of Lexington, General Nathan Bedford Forrest defeats a Union force under Colonel Robert Ingersoll.
- 1793 - Surrender of the frigate La Lutine by French Royalists to Lord Hood; renamed HMS Lutine, she later becomes a famous treasure wreck.
- 1787 - New Jersey becomes the third state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.
- 1777 - The United States celebrates its first Thanksgiving, marking the recent victory by the Americans over General John Burgoyne in the Battle of Saratoga in October.
- 1642 - Abel Tasman becomes first European to land in New Zealand.
- 1620 - The Mayflower lands in present-day Plymouth, Massachusetts with 102 Pilgrims on board.
- 1271 - Kublai Khan renames his empire "Yuan" (? yuán), officially marking the start of the Yuan Dynasty of Mongolia and China.
- -218 - Second Punic War: Battle of the Trebia – Hannibal's Carthaginian forces defeat those of the Roman Republic.

December 18th


- 1992 - Bridgit Mendler, American actress and singer
- 1990 - James Lawrie, Northern Irish footballer
- 1989 - Ashley Benson, American actress
- 1987 - Miki And?, Japanese figure skater
- 1987 - Ayaka, Japanese singer
- 1987 - Fernando Jara, Panamanian jockey
- 1986 - François Hamelin, Canadian short track speed skater
- 1985 - Tara Conner, American beauty contestant (Miss USA)
- 1985 - Hana Soukupová, Czech supermodel
- 1983 - Darren Carter, English footballer
- 1983 - Andy Fantuz, Canadian football player
- 1982 - Dave Luetkenhoelter, American bassist (Kutless)
- 1981 - Jeremy Accardo, American baseball player
- 1981 - Jens Schmidt, German rugby player
- 1980 - Christina Aguilera, American singer
- 1980 - Heinz Inniger, Swiss snowboarder
- 1980 - Benjamin Watson, American football player
- 1979 - Mamady Sidibe Malian footballer
- 1979 - Carlos, Portuguese footballer
- 1979 - Eric Escobar, Puerto Rican professional wrestler
- 1978 - Daniel Cleary, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1978 - Ali Curtis, American soccer player
- 1978 - Katie Holmes, American actress
- 1977 - José Acevedo, Dominican baseball player
- 1977 - Lindsay Armaou, Irish singer
- 1977 - Ryan Scott Ottney, American journalist and comic book writer
- 1976 - Koyuki, Japanese actress and model
- 1975 - Trish Stratus, Canadian professional wrestler
- 1975 - Masaki Sumitani, Japanese comedian
- 1975 - David O'Doherty, Irish comedian
- 1975 - Vincent van der Voort, Dutch dart player
- 1975 - Sia Furler. Australian singer
- 1975 - Ken Lambert. American IT professional
- 1974 - Peter Boulware, American football player
- 1974 - Kari Byron, artist and television personality
- 1974 - Euroboy, Norwegian musician (Turbonegro)
- 1974 - Bill Duggan, American television actor and host
- 1973 - Leila Arcieri, American actress and model
- 1972 - Raymond Herrera, American drummer (Fear Factory) and businessman
- 1972 - Trevor Chowning, American painter
- 1972 - DJ Lethal, Latvian-born American DJ (House of Pain, Limp Bizkit)
- 1972 - Rah Digga, American rapper
- 1971 - Barkha Dutt, Indian journalist
- 1971 - Noriko Matsueda, Japanese composer
- 1971 - Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, Spanish tennis player
- 1970 - Anthony Catanzaro, American fitness model
- 1970 - DMX, American rapper and actor
- 1970 - Lucious Harris, American basketball player
- 1970 - Miles Marshall Lewis, American author
- 1970 - Fernando Solabarrieta, Chilean journalist
- 1970 - Victoria Pratt, Canadian actress and fitness model
- 1970 - Cowboy Troy, American rapper
- 1970 - Rob Van Dam, American professional wrestler
- 1970 - Johnny Yeo, English artist
- 1969 - Santiago Cañizares, Spanish footballer
- 1969 - Justin Edinburgh, English footballer
- 1969 - Akira Iida, Japanese racing driver
- 1968 - Rachel Griffiths, Australian actress
- 1968 - Alejandro Sanz, Spanish singer
- 1968 - Casper Van Dien, American actor
- 1968 - Mark Cooper, Manager of Peterborough F.C
- 1968 - Nina Wadia, British actress/comedian
- 1967 - Toine van Peperstraten, Dutch sports journalist
- 1966 - Makiko Esumi, Japanese actress
- 1966 - Mille Petrozza, German singer (Kreator)
- 1965 - Mick Collins, American musician (The Gories, The Dirtbombs)
- 1964 - Stone Cold Steve Austin, American professional wrestler
- 1964 - Don Beebe, American football player
- 1964 - Robson Green, English actor and singer
- 1963 - Charles Oakley, American basketball player
- 1963 - Brad Pitt, American actor
- 1963 - Karl Dorrell, American football coach
- 1963 - Greg D'Angelo, American musician (White Lion)
- 1963 - Pauline Ester, French singer
- 1963 - Allan Kayser, American actor
- 1963 - Norman Brown, smooth jazz musician
- 1962 - Renaldo Lapuz, Filipino-born American singer
- 1961 - Brian Orser, Canadian figure skater
- 1960 - Kazuhide Uekusa, Japanese economist
- 1957 - Jonathan Cainer, English astrologer
- 1956 - Ron White, American comedian
- 1954 - Ray Liotta, American actor
- 1953 - Elliot Easton, American guitarist (The Cars)
- 1953 - Khas-Magomed Hadjimuradov, Chechen singer-songwriter
- 1950 - Gillian Armstrong, Australian film director
- 1950 - Randy Castillo, American drummer (Ozzy Osbourne) (d. 2002)
- 1950 - Sarath Fonseka, former commander of the Sri Lanka Army and a former Chief of Defence of Sri Lanka.
- 1950 - Heinz-Josef Kehr, German footballer
- 1950 - Leonard Maltin, American film critic
- 1949 - David A. Johnston, American volcanologist (d. 1980)
- 1949 - Terry Hertzler, American poet
- 1948 - Bill Nelson, English musician (Be-Bop Deluxe)
- 1948 - Laurent Voulzy, French singer and composer
- 1948 - Edmund Kemper, American serial killer
- 1947 - Leonid Yuzefovich, Russian crime fiction writer
- 1946 - Steve Biko, South African anti-apartheid activist (d. 1977)
- 1946 - Steven Spielberg, American film director
- 1945 - Jean Pronovost, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1943 - Keith Richards, English guitarist (The Rolling Stones)
- 1943 - Alan Rudolph, American film director and screenwriter
- 1942 - Harvey Atkin, Canadian actor
- 1941 - Wadada Leo Smith, American trumpeter and composer
- 1940 - Bramwell Morrison, member of Sharon, Lois & Bram
- 1939 - Michael Moorcock, English author
- 1939 - Harold E. Varmus, American scientist and Nobel laureate
- 1938 - Chas Chandler, English musician (The Animals) (d. 1996)
- 1938 - Joel Hirschhorn, American songwriter and composer (d. 2005)
- 1938 - Roger E. Mosley, American actor
- 1936 - Malcolm Kirk, English professional wrestler (d. 1987)
- 1935 - Jacques Pépin, French chef
- 1934 - Boris Volynov, Soviet cosmonaut
- 1933 - Arthur Leigh Allen, American suspected serial killer (d. 1992)
- 1933 - Lonnie Brooks, American blues musician
- 1932 - Roger Smith, American actor
- 1931 - Allen Klein, American rock and roll business manager (d. 2009)
- 1931 - Alison Plowden, English historian (d. 2007)
- 1930 - Moose Skowron, American baseball player
- 1929 - Gino Cimoli, American baseball player
- 1929 - Józef Cardinal Glemp, Cardinal-Archbishop Emeritus of Warsaw
- 1928 - Mirza Tahir Ahmad, Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community (d. 2003)
- 1927 - Ramsey Clark, 66th U.S. Attorney General
- 1927 - Roméo LeBlanc, 25th Governor General of Canada (d. 2009)
- 1917 - Ossie Davis, American actor and activist (d. 2005)
- 1916 - Douglas Fraser, Scottish-born American trade unionist (d. 2008)
- 1916 - Betty Grable, American actress (d. 1973)
- 1913 - Alfred Bester, American author (d. 1987)
- 1913 - Willy Brandt, Chancellor of Germany, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (d. 1992)
- 1913 - Ray Meyer, American basketball coach (d. 2006)
- 1912 - Benjamin O. Davis Jr., American General (d. 2002)
- 1911 - Jules Dassin, American film director (d. 2008)
- 1910 - Abe Burrows, American playwright (d. 1985)
- 1910 - Eric Tindill, New Zealand rugby and cricket international player and referee/umpire (d. 2010)
- 1908 - Paul Siple, American Antarctic explorer (d. 1969)
- 1908 - Celia Johnson, English actress (d. 1982)
- 1907 - Lawrence Lucie, American jazz guitarist (d. 2009)
- 1907 - Bill Holland, American auto racer (d. 1984)
- 1904 - George Stevens, American film director (d. 1975)
- 1899 - Peter Wessel Zapffe, Norwegian author and philosopher (d. 1990)
- 1897 - Fletcher Henderson, American arranger and composer (d. 1952)
- 1890 - Edwin Armstrong, American inventor (d. 1954)
- 1888 - Dame Gladys Cooper, English actress (d. 1971)
- 1888 - Robert Moses, American public works official (d. 1981)
- 1886 - Ty Cobb, American baseball player (d. 1961)
- 1879 - Paul Klee, Swiss-born painter (d. 1940)
- 1878 - Joseph Stalin, leader of the Soviet Union (d. 1953)
- 1873 - Francis Burton Harrison, American political figure (d. 1957)
- 1870 - Saki, English writer (d. 1916)
- 1863 - Franz Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria (d. 1914)
- 1861 - Lionel Monckton, English composer for the musical theatre (d. 1924)
- 1860 - Edward MacDowell, American composer and pianist (d. 1908)
- 1856 - Sir J. J. Thomson, English physicist and Nobel laureate (d. 1940)
- 1851 - Graciano Lopez Jaena, Filipino orator and satirist (d. 1896)
- 1849 - Henrietta Edwards, Canadian women’s rights activist (d. 1931)
- 1847 - Augusta Holmès, French composer (d. 1903)
- 1835 - Lyman Abbott, American author (d. 1922)
- 1825 - Charles Griffin, American general (d. 1876)
- 1825 - John S. Harris, American politician (d. 1906)
- 1778 - Joseph Grimaldi, English clown (d. 1837)
- 1725 - Johann Salomo Semler, German historian and Bible commentator (d. 1791)
- 1707 - Charles Wesley, English Methodist hymnist (d. 1788)
- 1662 - James Douglas, 2nd Duke of Queensberry, Scottish politician (d. 1711)
- 1661 - Christopher Polhem, Swedish scientist and inventor (d. 1751)
- 1620 - Heinrich Roth, German Sanskrit scholar (d. 1668)
- 1610 - Charles du Fresne, sieur du Cange, French philologist (d. 1688)
- 1602 - Simonds d'Ewes, English antiquarian and politician (d. 1650)
- 1507 - ?uchi Yoshitaka, Japanese warlord (d. 1551)