On Dec. 25, 1818, “Silent Night (Stille Nacht)” was publicly performed for the first time during the Christmas Midnight Mass at the Church of St. Nikolaus in Oberndorf, Austria.
Today in History: Silent Night performed for the first time
Category: History
Today in History: Queen Elizabeth II pardons Alan Turing
On Dec. 24, 2013, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II granted a posthumous pardon to code-breaker Alan Turing, who was criminally convicted of homosexual behavior in the 1950s.
Avocado Poinsettia Pie and cold Sea Foam Jell-O Salad: Testing vintage Chicago Tribune Christmas recipes from the ’50s and ’60s
Officially named Avocado Poinsettia Pie, the concoction of canned cream of celery soup and frozen peas mixed with two eggs reflects an era when refrigerator space was limited and fresh ingredients — especially those not in season — were difficult to find at the supermarket.
Vintage Chicago Tribune: How Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer became a Christmas icon
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was conceived for a purely Scrooge-like reason — to make money. Its creator, however, saw the Montgomery Ward marketing campaign as an opportunity to be as bold in his writing as the fantastical flying stag with a blindingly bright beak he invented was when called upon to pull Santa Claus’ sleigh […]
Today in History: Franco Harris makes the ‘Immaculate Reception’
On Dec. 23, 1972, in an NFL playoff game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Oakland Raiders, Steelers running back Franco Harris scored a game-winning touchdown on a deflected pass with less than 10 seconds left in the game. The “Immaculate Reception,” as the catch came to be known, is often cited as the greatest NFL play of all time.
Today in History: President Barack Obama repeals ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’
On Dec. 22, 2010, President Barack Obama signed a law allowing gay, lesbian and bisexual Americans to serve openly in the military for the first time in history, repealing the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.
Newberry Library discovers it holds the largest example in existence of an extremely rare paper type
Little was known about the manuscript, which donated by Edward Ayer, a tycoon who made his fortune supplying railroad ties.
Today in History: First newspaper crossword puzzle published
On Dec. 21, 1913, the first newspaper crossword puzzle, billed as a “Word-Cross Puzzle,” was published in the New York World.
Today in Sports: Kobe Bryant scores a career-high 62 points
2005 — Kobe Bryant scores a career-high 62 points and the Los Angeles Lakers beat Dallas 112-90. Bryant scores a franchise-record 30 points in the third quarter and sits out the fourth after outscoring the Mavericks 62-61 over the three quarters.
Today in History: Louisiana Purchase completed
On Dec. 20, 1803, the Louisiana Purchase was completed as ownership of the territory was formally transferred from France to the United States.