December 23rd is the day we officially celebrate Roots Day & Pfeffernusse Day.
We are now on the 357th day of the year, congratulations for making it this far! There’s only 2 days left until Christmas Day.
This day in history has been an interesting one! Here you’re going to learn something new about this special day, and what exactly made this day so special.
Did you know that on this day, December 23, 1972, the survivors of the Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 plane crash were rescued? They had been struggling to stay alive for 72 days in a remote part of the Andes mountains.
Keep reading for more fun & interesting facts about December 23rd in history!
Historical Events
What memorable events happened on December 23 in history? Keep reading to find out!
The Rutan Voyager became the first plane to fly around the world without stopping for fuel.
Piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager, Voyager took off from Edwards Air Force Base in the Mojave Desert, California, on December 14. The two pilots initially intended to fly in 3-hour shifts, but due to limitations in space, one of the pilots flew for three consecutive days at one point. When Voyager finally landed again, it had just 1.5% of the fuel it started with.
Plane crash survivors of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 were rescued.
Sixteen plane crash survivors were rescued after being stranded in the Andes for seventy days. Although 33 of the 45 onboard survived the crash, injuries and severe weather conditions killed many more. Survivors had to resort to cannibalism in order to stay alive.
After eleven months of imprisonment, 83 men from the US Navy were released by North Korea.
On January 23, 1968, the USS Pueblo, a spy ship, was captured along with its crew by the North Korean armed forces. While the US Navy claimed that the Pueblo was outside of North Korea's waters, North Korea claimed otherwise. The captives were only released after the US signed a statement that they were indeed within North Korea's territory and that they would never do it again.
Dr. Joseph E. Murray performed the first human kidney transplant at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.
Famous Births
Are you celebrating your birthday today? If so, did you know that you share the same birthday as Harry Judd? See what other famous people were born on this day.
2002
Finn Wolfhard
Canadian Actor
Age
22 years old
Born IN
British Columbia, Canada
1971
Corey Haim
Canadian Actor
Died On
Mar 10, 2010 (Age 38)
Born IN
Ontario, Canada
1805
Joseph Smith
American Religious Leader
Died On
Jun 27, 1844 (Age 38)
Born IN
Vermont, USA
1985
Harry Judd
English Musician
Age
39 years old
Born IN
England, UK
Birthday & Zodiac
For those of you who were born on December 23, your zodiac sign is Capricorn.
Capricorns are ambitious, determined and will consistently apply efforts to any task at hand to get the job done. It doesn’t matter how long it takes, or indeed, how many times they might fail.
People born in December share the Blue Topaz birthstone. The blue topaz promotes harmony, serenity, tranquility and helps the wearer to overcome pain and hurt.
If you were born on this day, you were likely conceived on the week of April 1st in the same year.
A baby that is conceived on December 23rd, 2025, will likely be due around September 15th, 2026.
Quotes
Here are the most famous or noteworthy quotes said on this day throughout history.
1888
“Life must be studied not from the pluses alone, but from the minuses too.”
Anton Chekhov
(Russian Playwright)
Special Holidays
Are you looking for something to do today? Well, here's a few special days that might just give you some ideas.
United States
National Roots Day
It’s about time we all have a closer look at your roots, and we’re not talking about plants or your hair! So celebrate National Roots Day by getting together with your family and tracing your family's ancestry. You might be surprised by who you’re related to!
United States
National Pfeffernüsse Day
For many people in Europe, the Christmas period just isn’t the same without these delicious spiced cookies. If you’ve never tried them before, you’re definitely missing out! There’s no better way to celebrate today than to try baking your own; it’s always worth the effort.
Fact Of The Day
Days Until
Your countdown to 2025's upcoming special days!
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Christmas Eve
1 day
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Christmas Day
2 days
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Bacon Day
7 days
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New Year's Day
9 days
