December 6th History, Trivia, and Fun Facts |
December 6th History Highlights |
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Saint Nicholas Day |
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The American Santa Claus and the British Father Christmas, derive from Saint Nicholas. “Santa Claus” is itself derived in part from the Dutch Sinterklaas, the saint’s name in that language. The modern Santa Claus grew out of traditions surrounding the historical Saint Nicholas (March 15, 270 – December 6, 343), a fourth-century Greek bishop. The first detailed description of St. Nicholas was by Washington Irving in the 1809 publication A History of New-York from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty, under the pseudonym Diedrich Knickerbocker. Irving’s description was the basis for the artist’s interpretation of Santa in 1821’s The Children’s Friend: A New-Year’s Present to the Little Ones from Five to Twelve. Then, in 1823, Clement Clarke Moore wrote ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas (or A Visit from St. Nicholas). Moore’s account characterized Santa as a jolly old man who rides in a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer and slides down chimneys to deliver gifts. Thomas Nast is often credited with the original first-person drawing of Santa. He was apparently a smoker, possibly a paid endorsement- at that time people didn’t realize the dangers of smoking. In 1931 Santa began promoting Coca-cola, although no details of any official relationship has ever been announced. Today, Santa only endorses products that can’t hurt you like cookies and Coca-Cola.
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National Microwave Oven Day |
National Microwave Oven Day is celebrated on December 6th. No one is quite sure when the holiday was first founded, but it is now celebrated each year in the United States. Fun Facts About Microwave Ovens
How to Celebrate National Microwave Oven Day Try a New Microwave Recipe Serve Microwave Dessert Learn More About How Microwaves Work |
December 6th is… |
International Sweater Day Miner’s Day Mitten Tree Day National Gazpacho Day National Pawnbrokers Day National Microwave Oven Day Put on Your Own Shoes Day Saint Nicholas Day |
December 6th Birthday Quotes |
“It is stern work, it is perilous work, to thrust your hand in the sun And pull out a spark of immortal flame to warm the hearts of men: But Prometheus, torn by the claws and beaks whose task is never done, Would be tortured another eternity to go stealing fire again.” Learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all. I think that I shall never see “You drive. I’ve been hit!” “Don’t try and fit your faith into your busy schedule, build your schedule around your faith.” “One can be very happy without demanding that others agree with them.” |
December 6th Birthdays |
1886 – Joyce Kilmer, American soldier, author, and poet (died in 1918) 1887 – Joseph Lamb, American pianist, and composer (died in 1960) 1890 – Dion Fortune, Welsh occultist (died in 1946) 1896 – Ira Gershwin, American songwriter (died in 1983) 1900 – Agnes Moorehead, American actress (died in 1974) 1908 – Baby Face Nelson, American gangster (died in 1934) 1920 – Dave Brubeck, American pianist, and composer (died in 2012) 1924 – Wally Cox, American actor (died in 1973) 1936 – Kenneth Copeland, American evangelist 1941 – Richard Speck, American serial killer (died in 1991) 1945 – Larry Bowa, American baseball player, and manager 1946 – Frankie Beverly, American singer-songwriter, 1948 – JoBeth Williams, American actress 1949 – Linda Creed, American singer-songwriter (died in 1986) 1953 – Tom Hulce, American actor 1967 – Judd Apatow, American director, producer, and screenwriter |
13th Amendment |
| Passed by Congress on January 31, 1865. Ratified December 6, 1865. The 13th Amendment changed a portion of Article IV, Section 2 Section 1 Section 2 |
December 6th History |
1790 – The US Congress moved from New York to Philadelphia. 1830 – The U.S. Naval Observatory, one of the oldest scientific agencies in the US, was established as the ‘Depot of Charts and Instruments’ in Washington, D.C. 1850 – Hermann von Helmholtz (1821-94) announced the invention the ophthalmoscope, to the Berlin Physical Society. It enabled doctors to see directly into a patient’s eye. 1865 – The 13th Amendment to the US Constitution, officially ending the institution of slavery, was ratified. 1877 – Thomas Edison demonstrated the first sound recording, his reciting of ‘Mary had a Little Lamb’, at his Menlo Park, NJ Laboratory. 1877 – The Washington Post began publication. 1883 – Ladies’ Home Journal began publication. 1884 – The Washington Monument was completed. 1906 – The first aerial photographs of Stonehenge were shown at the Society of Antiquaries. 2nd Lieutenant Philip Sharpe of the Royal Engineers Balloon Section took them from a hydrogen balloon. 1907 – The Monongah Coal Mine Disaster killed 361 coal miners. It was the worst mining disaster in American history. 1933 – A federal judge ruled that James Joyce’s book, Ulysses, was not obscene
1948 – Talent Scouts (Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts) premiered on CBS. 1957 – Vanguard rocket carrying the first US satellite blew up on the Cape Canaveral, Florida launch pad. It rose about four feet and collapsed. 1964 – Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer debuted on NBC. The holiday tradition moved to CBS in 1972 1969 – #1 Hit December 6, 1969 – December 19, 1969: Steam – Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye 1969 – Meredith Hunter was killed by ‘guards’ at the Altamont Music Festival. 1986 – #1 Hit December 6, 1986 – December 12, 1986: Peter Cetera and Amy Grant – The Next Time I Fall 1991 – Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country was released in theaters. December 6, 1992 (fiction) World War III began with an explosion in Japan, Akira, Manga 2002 – Winona Ryder was sentenced to 36 months of probation and 480 hours of community service after stealing more than $5,500 worth of merchandise from a Saks Fifth Avenue store in Beverly Hills, California. She also paid restitution and a fine. 2003 – #1 Hit December 6, 2003 – December 12, 2003: Ludacris featuring Shawnna – Stand Up 2005 – Brokeback Mountain, starring Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal was released in theaters. 2017 – Donald Trump’s administration officially announced the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. |
Today’s Random Trivia and Shower Thoughts |
A group of Wild Rabbits (Hares) is called a Down or Husk. A group of baby Rabbits is called a Litter or Nest. David Bowie’s first TV appearance was in 1964 at the age of 17, but was not for his music; he was interviewed on the BBC’s Tonight show as the founder of ‘The Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired Men’. “Well isn’t that special?” – Dana Carvey as the Church Lady (Saturday Night Live) One of the 7 Wonders of the Middle Ages: Stonehenge, construction began ~2400 BC Michael Crichton, the author of Jurassic Park, felt his professor at Harvard was giving him unfair grades. To prove it he turned in a paper from George Orwell and received a B-. Fiancée is the feminine form and Fiancé is the masculine form for engagements. The Capital of Benin is Porto-Novo TV Quotes… “No soup for you!” (The Soup Nazi) on Seinfeld. A group of Rhinoceroses is called a Crash or Stubbornness. You can lose a whole pound by playing ping pong for 12 hours. (From Snapple Facts) A ship is designed to take you places, so if your friendship, companionship, partnership, or relationship isn’t taking you anywhere… abandon ship! “Take this quarter, go downtown, and have a rat gnaw that thing off your face! Good day to you, madam.” – Uncle Buck (John Candy) In the USA, they call the contiguous states the “Lower 48.” But of the 50 states, the southernmost point is in Hawaii and the northernmost point is in Alaska. So shouldn’t the contiguous states be the “Middle 48?” Useless Pronunciation: C as in cadence |
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