December 11: Holidays, Historical Events, Famous Birthdays & Zodiac Sign
On December 11, 1972, Apollo 17 became the sixth and final manned mission to touch down on the Moon, closing out humanity's first era of lunar exploration.
About December 11
December 11 is a day of global observances and historical turning points. It marks International Mountain Day, a United Nations effort highlighting the environmental and cultural significance of the world's peaks. In Argentina, music lovers celebrate National Tango Day, while Burkina Faso commemorates Republic Day, remembering when Upper Volta became an autonomous republic within the French Community in 1958.
The date also carries enormous political weight across centuries. In 220, Emperor Xian of Han was forced to relinquish his throne to Cao Pi, son of the warlord Cao Cao, bringing China's mighty Han dynasty to a close. Fast forward to 1688, and England's King James II tossed the Great Seal of the Realm into the River Thames while attempting to flee to France during the Glorious Revolution. In 1931, the Statute of Westminster granted legislative equality to Britain's Dominions, a foundational moment for nations like Canada, Australia, and South Africa. The United States entered World War II on this day in 1941 when both Germany and Italy declared war on America following Pearl Harbor.
December 11 has also witnessed remarkable cultural milestones. In 1913, Leonardo da Vinci's stolen masterpiece, the Mona Lisa, was finally recovered in Florence after more than two years missing from the Louvre. In 2001, China officially joined the World Trade Organization, reshaping global commerce. The date is shared by legendary figures born under the Sagittarius sign, from composer Hector Berlioz in 1803 to chess grandmaster Viswanathan Anand in 1969.
Holidays & Observances on December 11
- Establishment of Kurdish Women's Union (Iraqi Kurdistan)
- Indiana Day (United States)
- International Mountain Day
- National Tango Day (Argentina)
- Pampanga Day (Pampanga province, Philippines)
- Republic Day, the day when Upper Volta became an autonomous republic in the French Community in 1958. (Burkina Faso)
Fun & National Days on December 11
- National Have a Bagel Day — Toast your favorite bagel, pile on the cream cheese, and savor a perfectly chewy breakfast tradition.
- Holiday Food Drive for Needy Animals Day — Drop off kibble or supplies at a local shelter to help furry friends enjoy a cozy winter season.
- National App Day — Download something new and useful, or finally delete those apps you have been ignoring all year.
- National Noodle Ring Day — Attempt the retro charm of a baked noodle ring and marvel at this quirky mid-century culinary marvel.
- National Stretching Day — Take a moment to lengthen those muscles and give your body a refreshing, much-needed mobility break.
- Official Lost and Found Day — Dig through your junk drawer and reunite long-lost items with their rightful owners or finally toss them.
- National Salesperson's Day
On This Day in History
- 220 — Cao Pi, son of the powerful warlord Cao Cao, compelled Emperor Xian to step down, bringing the centuries-old Han dynasty to its conclusion.
- 1688 — Fleeing to France during the Glorious Revolution, England's King James II hurled the Great Seal of the Realm into the River Thames.
- 1792 — France's National Convention put deposed monarch King Louis XVI on trial for treason, a radical step in the revolutionary era.
- 1816 — Indiana officially joined the United States as the nineteenth state, expanding the young nation's western frontier.
- 1901 — Guglielmo Marconi successfully transmitted the first transatlantic radio signal from Cornwall, England, to St. John's, Newfoundland.
- 1913 — More than two years after it was stolen from the Louvre, Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa was recovered in Florence and the thief arrested.
- 1931 — The Statute of Westminster established legislative equality between the UK and its Dominions, reshaping the British Commonwealth of Nations.
- 1936 — King Edward VIII's abdication of the British throne became official, ending a constitutional crisis over his marriage intentions.
- 1941 — Following America's entry into World War II after Pearl Harbor, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States.
- 1972 — Apollo 17 touched down on the lunar surface, marking the sixth and final manned mission of the Apollo program to land on the Moon.
- 1997 — The Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement committing nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, officially opened for signature.
- 2001 — China formally became a member of the World Trade Organization, a transformative moment for global trade and the Chinese economy.
Famous Birthdays on December 11
- 1475 — Pope Leo X, Renaissance pope born 1475 whose lavish patronage of the arts coincided with the start of the Protestant Reformation.
- 1803 — Hector Berlioz, French Romantic composer born 1803, celebrated for his visionary orchestration and the groundbreaking Symphonie fantastique.
- 1843 — Robert Koch, German microbiologist born 1843 who identified the microbes causing tuberculosis, cholera, and anthrax, winning a Nobel Prize.
- 1863 — Annie Jump Cannon, American astronomer born 1863 who revolutionized stellar classification by developing the Harvard spectral system.
- 1890 — Carlos Gardel, French-Argentinian singer born 1890 who became the defining voice and cultural icon of the tango genre.
- 1911 — Naguib Mahfouz, Egyptian novelist born 1911 who won the Nobel Prize for his sweeping narratives of life in Cairo across the 20th century.
- 1918 — Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Russian writer and Nobel laureate born 1918 whose searing works exposed the brutal realities of the Soviet gulag system.
- 1931 — Rita Moreno, Puerto Rican actress born 1931 and rare EGOT winner who broke barriers for Latina performers in Hollywood and on Broadway.
- 1969 — Viswanathan Anand, Indian chess grandmaster born 1969 who became a World Chess Champion and inspired a generation of players in India.