December 5: Holidays, Historical Events, Famous Birthdays & Zodiac Sign
On December 5, 1933, Americans raised their glasses legally for the first time in over a decade as the Twenty-first Amendment repealed Prohibition.
About December 5
December 5 carries a remarkable split personality: it is the day the United States finally dried out from Prohibition in 1933, and it is also the birthday of Walt Disney, born in 1901—a man whose imagination shaped the twentieth century as profoundly as any politician. The same date in 1955 saw Rosa Parks and E. D. Nixon launch the Montgomery bus boycott, a pivotal act of defiance that helped ignite the American Civil Rights Movement.
Beyond American shores, this date has witnessed turning points across centuries. In 63 BC, the Roman statesman Cicero delivered his fourth and final Catiline Oration, denouncing the conspiracy that threatened the Republic. In 1766, auctioneer James Christie held his very first sale in London, laying the foundation for one of the world's most famous auction houses. And in 1914, Ernest Shackleton's Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition set out, aiming to achieve the first land crossing of the frozen continent.
The day also carries its share of somber milestones. In 1952, the Great Smog descended on London, a toxic blend of coal pollution and fog that paralyzed the city and claimed thousands of lives. Yet December 5 is also a day of international cooperation—designated by the United Nations as International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development, recognizing those who give their time to build better communities worldwide.
Holidays & Observances on December 5
- Children's Day (Suriname)
- Day of Military Honour - Battle of Moscow (Russia)
- Discovery Day (Haiti and Dominican Republic)
- International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development
- Klozum (Schiermonnikoog, Netherlands)
- Saint Nicholas' Eve (Belgium, Czech Republic, Slovakia, the Netherlands, Hungary, Romania, Germany, Poland and the UK) Krampusnacht (Austria)
- The King Bhumibol Adulyadej Memorial Birthday (Thailand)
- World Soil Day
Fun & National Days on December 5
- Day of the Ninja — Slip into the shadows and celebrate the stealthy art of the ninja this December 5.
- Bathtub Party Day — Trade your shower for a soak and throw a sudsy celebration in the comfort of your tub.
- National Blue Jeans Day — Pull on your favorite denim and strut with pride in honor of the world's most beloved trousers.
- Earmuff Day — Keep your ears toasty and appreciate the simple genius of this cold-weather accessory.
- AFL-CIO Day
- Coats & Toys for Kids Day
- Global Fat Bike Day
- International Spirit of the Game Day
On This Day in History
- -63 — Cicero delivered the last of his Catiline Orations, condemning the conspiracy threatening the Roman Republic.
- 1484 — Pope Innocent VIII issued a papal bull authorizing inquisitors to pursue alleged witchcraft in German territories.
- 1766 — Auctioneer James Christie conducted his inaugural sale in London, launching what became a legendary auction house.
- 1776 — Phi Beta Kappa held its first meeting at the College of William & Mary, establishing America's oldest academic honor society.
- 1831 — Former U.S. President John Quincy Adams took his House of Representatives seat, the only ex-president to serve in Congress.
- 1848 — President James K. Polk confirmed to Congress that vast quantities of gold had been found in California, accelerating the Gold Rush.
- 1914 — The Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition departed, aiming to accomplish the first overland crossing of the Antarctic continent.
- 1933 — The Twenty-first Amendment was ratified, officially ending Prohibition and restoring legal alcohol sales across the United States.
- 1941 — Soviet General Georgy Zhukov launched a massive counter-offensive against German forces at the Battle of Moscow.
- 1952 — A deadly combination of fog and coal pollution settled over London, beginning the four-day Great Smog that killed thousands.
- 1955 — Rosa Parks and E. D. Nixon initiated the Montgomery bus boycott, a defining moment of the Civil Rights Movement.
- 2014 — NASA launched Exploration Flight Test-1, the inaugural flight test of the Orion spacecraft designed for deep-space exploration.
Famous Birthdays on December 5
- 1782 — Martin Van Buren, The eighth U.S. president and the first to be born as a citizen of the newly independent United States.
- 1830 — Christina Rossetti, Victorian-era English poet whose lyrical works include the beloved Christmas carol 'In the Bleak Midwinter.'
- 1839 — George Armstrong Custer, Union cavalry commander in the Civil War who later died at the infamous Battle of Little Bighorn.
- 1890 — Fritz Lang, Austrian-American filmmaker whose groundbreaking science-fiction epic 'Metropolis' defined early cinema.
- 1901 — Walt Disney, Animator and visionary who co-founded the Disney empire and revolutionized the entertainment industry.
- 1901 — Werner Heisenberg, German physicist who formulated the uncertainty principle and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics.
- 1932 — Little Richard, Electrifying American singer and pianist widely regarded as a founding father of rock and roll.
- 1934 — Joan Didion, American novelist and essayist whose sharp, lucid prose chronicled the cultural turbulence of the 1960s and beyond.