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.

January 26th


- Australia Day (Australia)
- Christian Feast day
- Liberation Day (Uganda)
- Republic Day, one of only three national holidays in India, celebrated with pomp and pageantry with a military parade in New Delhi and across the rest of the nation. (India)
- Third day of the Sementivae in honor of Ceres and Terra (Roman Empire)

January 26th


- 1992 - Boris Yeltsin announces that Russia will stop targeting United States cities with nuclear weapons.
- 1965 - Hindi becomes the official language of India.
- 1934 - The Apollo Theater reopens in Harlem, New York City.
- 1841 - The United Kingdom formally occupies Hong Kong, which China later formally cedes.
- 1564 - The Council of Trent issues its conclusions in the Tridentinum, establishing a distinction between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism.
- 2005 - Glendale train crash: Two trains derail killing 11 and injuring 200 in Glendale, California, near Los Angeles.
- 2004 - President Hamid Karzai signs the new constitution of Afghanistan.
- 2004 - A whale explodes in the town of Tainan, Taiwan. A build-up of gas in the decomposing sperm whale is suspected of causing the explosion.
- 2001 - An earthquake hits Gujarat, India, causing more than 20,000 deaths.
- 1998 - Lewinsky scandal: On American television, U.S. President Bill Clinton denies having had "sexual relations" with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
- 1991 - Mohamed Siad Barre is removed from power in Somalia, ending centralized government, and is succeeded by Ali Mahdi.
- 1980 - Israel and Egypt establish diplomatic relations.
- 1978 - The Great Blizzard of 1978, a rare severe blizzard with the lowest non-tropical atmospheric pressure ever recorded in the US, strikes the Ohio – Great Lakes region with heavy snow and winds up to 100 mph (161 km/h).
- 1966 - The Beaumont Children go missing from Glenelg Beach near Adelaide, South Australia.
- 1962 - Ranger program: Ranger 3 is launched to study the moon. The space probe later misses the moon by 22,000 miles (35,400 km).
- 1961 - John F. Kennedy appoints Janet G. Travell to be his physician. This is the first time a woman holds this appointment.
- 1960 - Danny Heater sets a worldwide high school basketball scoring record when he records 135 points for Burnsville High School (West Virginia)
- 1958 - Japanese ferry Nankai Maru capsizes off southern Awaji Island, Japan, 167 killed.
- 1952 - Black Saturday in Egypt: rioters burn Cairo's central business district, targeting British and upper-class Egyptian businesses.
- 1950 - The Constitution of India comes into force, forming a republic. Rajendra Prasad is sworn in as its first President of India. Observed as Republic Day in India.
- 1942 - World War II: The first United States forces arrive in Europe landing in Northern Ireland.
- 1939 - Spanish Civil War: Troops loyal to nationalist General Francisco Franco and aided by Italy take Barcelona.
- 1934 - German-Polish Non-Aggression Pact is signed.
- 1930 - The Indian National Congress declares 26 January as Independence Day or as the day for Poorna Swaraj (Complete Independence) which occurred 20 years later.
- 1924 - St.Petersburg is renamed Leningrad
- 1920 - Former Ford Motor Company executive Henry Leland launches the Lincoln Motor Company which he later sold to his former employer.
- 1911 - Glenn H. Curtiss flies the first successful American seaplane.
- 1911 - Richard Strauss' opera Der Rosenkavalier receives its debut performance at the Dresden State Opera.
- 1907 - The Short Magazine Lee-Enfield Mk III is officially introduced into British Military Service, and remains the oldest military rifle still in official use.
- 1905 - The Cullinan Diamond is found at the Premier Mine near Pretoria in South Africa.
- 1885 - Troops loyal to The Mahdi conquer Khartoum.
- 1870 - American Civil War: Virginia rejoins the Union.
- 1863 - American Civil War: General Ambrose Burnside is relieved of command of the Army of the Potomac after the disastrous Fredericksburg campaign. He is replaced by Joseph Hooker.
- 1863 - American Civil War: Governor of Massachusetts John Albion Andrew receives permission from Secretary of War to raise a militia organization for men of African descent.
- 1861 - American Civil War: The state of Louisiana secedes from the Union.
- 1856 - First Battle of Seattle. Marines from the USS Decatur drive off American Indian attackers after all day battle with settlers.
- 1855 - Point No Point Treaty is signed in Washington Territory.
- 1838 - Tennessee enacts the first prohibition law in the United States
- 1837 - Michigan is admitted as the 26th U.S. state.
- 1808 - Rum Rebellion, the only successful (albeit short-lived) armed takeover of the government in Australia.
- 1788 - The British First Fleet, led by Arthur Phillip, sails into Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour) to establish Sydney, the first permanent European settlement on the continent. Commemorated as Australia Day
- 1736 - Stanislaus I of Poland abdicates his throne.
- 1700 - The magnitude 9 Cascadia Earthquake takes place off the west coast of the North America, as evidenced by Japanese records.
- 1699 - Treaty of Carlowitz is signed.
- 1589 - Job is elected as Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.
- 1565 - Battle of Talikota, fought between the Vijayanagara Empire and the Islamic sultanates of the Deccan, leads to the subjugation, and eventual destruction of the last Hindu kingdom in India, and the consolidation of Islamic rule over much of the Indian subcontinent.
- 1531 - Lisbon, Portugal is hit by an earthquake--thousands die.
- 1500 - Vicente Yáñez Pinzón becomes the first European to set foot on Brazil.
- 1340 - King Edward III of England is declared King of France.

January 26th


- 1996 - Tyger Drew-Honey, British actor
- 1993 - Cameron Bright, Canadian actor
- 1990 - Christopher Massey, American actor
- 1989 - Emily Hughes, American figure skater
- 1987 - Vladimir Garin, Russian actor (d. 2003)
- 1987 - Mia Rose, English/Portuguese singer
- 1987 - Marlon Mario Brandao da Silveira, Brazilian footballer
- 1986 - Thiago Pereira, Brazilian swimmer
- 1986 - Gerald Green, American basketball player
- 1986 - Matt Heafy, American musician (Trivium)
- 1986 - Hero, South Korean singer (TVXQ)
- 1986 - Shantelle Malawski, Canadian professional wrestler
- 1984 - Layla Kayleigh, British television personality
- 1984 - Iain Turner, Scottish footballer
- 1984 - Luo Xuejuan, Chinese swimmer
- 1983 - Petri Oravainen, Finnish footballer
- 1982 - Reggie Hodges, American football player
- 1981 - Juan Jose Haedo, Argentinian Cyclist
- 1981 - Gustavo Dudamel, Venezuelan Composer/Conductor
- 1980 - Sanae Kobayashi, Japanese voice actress
- 1979 - Sara Rue, American actress
- 1978 - Estéban Germán, Dominican baseball player
- 1978 - Corina Morariu, American tennis player
- 1978 - Kelly Stables, American actress
- 1977 - Vince Carter, American basketball player
- 1977 - Justin Gimelstob, American tennis player
- 1977 - Tye Tribbett, American Singer
- 1976 - Willie Adler, American guitar player
- 1976 - hitomi, Japanese singer and songwriter
- 1975 - Frankie Rayder, American model
- 1974 - Shannon Hale, American author
- 1973 - Mayu Shinjo, Japanese mangaka
- 1973 - Melvil Poupaud, French actor
- 1971 - Bryan Callen, American actor
- 1971 - Dorian Gregory, American actor
- 1970 - Kirk Franklin, American gospel singer
- 1970 - Tracy Middendorf, American actress
- 1969 - Michael O'Hearn, American bodybuilder
- 1968 - Ravi Teja, Tollywood film actor
- 1967 - Pradip Somasundaran, Indian playback singer
- 1965 - Natalia Yurchenko, Soviet gymnast
- 1965 - Thomas Östros, Swedish politician
- 1964 - Paul Johansson, American actor
- 1963 - José Mourinho, Portuguese football manager
- 1963 - Andrew Ridgeley, English musician
- 1963 - Riddell Akua, Nauruan politician
- 1963 - Gisela Valcarcel, Peruvian Hostess
- 1962 - Oscar Ruggeri, Argentine footballer
- 1961 - Tom Keifer, American musician (Cinderella)
- 1961 - Wayne Gretzky, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1961 - Li Cunxin, Chinese-Australian ballet dancer
- 1960 - Road Warrior Animal, American professional wrestler
- 1960 - Charlie Gillingham, American musician (Counting Crows)
- 1958 - Anita Baker, American singer
- 1958 - Ellen DeGeneres, American actress and comedian
- 1958 - Salvador Sánchez, Mexican boxer
- 1955 - Eddie Van Halen, Dutch musician (Van Halen)
- 1954 - Kim Hughes, Australian cricketer
- 1953 - Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Prime Minister of Denmark
- 1953 - Lucinda Williams, American singer
- 1953 - Alik L. Alik, vice-president of the Federate States of Micronesie
- 1950 - Jörg Haider, Austrian far-right politician (d. 2008)
- 1950 - Janet Lupo, American model
- 1949 - Jonathan Carroll, American author
- 1949 - David Strathairn, American actor
- 1947 - Michel Sardou, French singer
- 1947 - Patrick Dewaere, French actor (d. 1982)
- 1946 - Gene Siskel, American film critic (d. 1999)
- 1945 - Jacqueline du Pré, English cellist (d. 1987)
- 1944 - Angela Davis, American feminist and activist
- 1943 - César Gutiérrez, Venezuelan baseball player (d. 2005)
- 1943 - Jean Knight, American singer
- 1943 - Austin "Jack" Warner,Trinidadian FIFA Vice-President and CONCACAF President
- 1942 - Souad Hosni, Egyptian actress (d. 2001)
- 1941 - Scott Glenn, American actor
- 1941 - Henry Jaglom, English director
- 1937 - Joseph Saidu Momoh, Sierra Leone political leader (d. 2003)
- 1936 - Sal Buscema, American comic book artist
- 1935 - Corrado Augias, Italian journalist, writer and TV personality
- 1935 - Bob Uecker, American baseball player and broadcaster
- 1934 - Roger Landry, Quebec businessman and newspaper publisher
- 1933 - Ercole Baldini, Italian cyclist
- 1932 - Coxsone Dodd, Jamaican record producer
- 1931 - Mary Murphy, American film actress
- 1930 - Napoleón Abueva, Filipino sculptor
- 1929 - Jules Feiffer, American cartoonist and writer
- 1929 - Gordon Solie, American wrestling commentator (d. 2000)
- 1928 - Roger Vadim, French film director and actor (d. 2000)
- 1927 - José Azcona del Hoyo, President of Honduras (d. 2005)
- 1927 - Bob Nieman, American baseball player (d. 1985)
- 1926 - Farman Fatehpuri, Pakistani scholar
- 1925 - Joan Leslie, American actress
- 1925 - Paul Newman, American actor, philanthropist, race car driver and race team owner (d. 2008)
- 1925 - Claude Ryan, Quebec newspaper editor (d. 2004)
- 1924 - Rauf Denkta?, Cypriot politician
- 1924 - Annette Strauss, American philanthropist and politician (d. 1998)
- 1924 - Alice Babs, Swedish singer
- 1923 - Anne Jeffreys, American actress
- 1922 - Michael Bentine, British comedian (d. 1996)
- 1922 - Seán Flanagan, Irish Gaelic footballer and politician (d. 1993)
- 1921 - Akio Morita, Japanese businessman (d. 1999)
- 1921 - Eddie Barclay, French producer (Barclay Records) (d. 2005)
- 1920 - Hans Holzer, American paranormal researcher (d. 2009)
- 1919 - Bill Nicholson, English footballer and manager for Tottenham Hotspur. (d. 2004)
- 1919 - Valentino Mazzola, Italian footballer (d. 1949)
- 1918 - Nicolae Ceau?escu, Romanian dictator (d. 1989)
- 1918 - Philip José Farmer, American writer (d. 2009)
- 1915 - William Hopper, American actor (d. 1970)
- 1914 - Princess Hadice Hayriye Ayshe Dürrühsehvar (d. 2006)
- 1913 - Jimmy Van Heusen, American songwriter (d. 1990)
- 1911 - Polykarp Kusch, German-born physicist, Nobel Prize Laureate (d. 1993)
- 1911 - Norbert Schultze, German composer and songwriter (d. 2002)
- 1910 - Jean Image, Hungarian-born French animator (d. 1989)
- 1908 - Rupprecht Geiger, German painter (d. 2009)
- 1908 - Stéphane Grappelli, French jazz violinist (d. 1997)
- 1908 - Jill Esmond, English actress (d. 1990)
- 1905 - Charles Lane, American actor (d. 2007)
- 1905 - Maria von Trapp, Austrian-born singer (d. 1987)
- 1904 - Ancel Keys, American scientist (d. 2004)
- 1904 - Seán MacBride, Irish statesman, Nobel Prize Laureate (d. 1988)
- 1902 - Menno ter Braak, Dutch author and polemicist (d. 1940)
- 1900 - Karl Ristenpart, German conductor (d. 1967)
- 1893 - Giuseppe Genco Russo, Sicilian mafioso (d. 1976)
- 1892 - Zara Cully, American actress (d. 1978)
- 1892 - Bessie Coleman, American pioneer aviator (d. 1926)
- 1891 - Frank Costello, Italian-born gangster (d. 1973)
- 1891 - Wilder Penfield, American-born Canadian neurosurgeon (d. 1976)
- 1887 - François Faber, Luxembourgian cyclist (d. 1915)
- 1887 - Marc Mitscher, American admiral (d. 1947)
- 1885 - Michael Considine, Australian politician (d. 1959)
- 1880 - Douglas MacArthur, American general and Medal of Honor recipient (d. 1964)
- 1878 - Dave Nourse, South African cricketer (d. 1948)
- 1864 - József Pusztai, Slovene writer, poet and journalist in Hungary (d. 1934)
- 1852 - Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza (Pietro Paolo Savorgnan di Brazzà), explorer (d. 1905)
- 1842 - François Coppée, French poet and novelist (d. 1908)
- 1832 - George Shiras Jr., U.S. Supreme Court justice (d. 1924)
- 1826 - Julia Dent Grant, First Lady of the United States (d. 1902)
- 1813 - Juan Pablo Duarte, Dominican founding father (d. 1876)
- 1781 - Achim von Arnim, German poet (d. 1831)
- 1763 - Charles XIV John of Sweden, Napoleonic general (d. 1844)
- 1722 - Alexander Carlyle, Scottish church leader (d. 1805)
- 1716 - George Germain, 1st Viscount Sackville, British soldier and politician (d. 1785)
- 1714 - Jean-Baptiste Pigalle, French sculptor (d. 1785)
- 1541 - Florent Chrestien, French writer (d. 1596)
- 1497 - Emperor Go-Nara of Japan (d. 1557)