The Almanac

Today is Wednesday, Dec. 25, the 359th day of 2002, with six to follow.

This is Christmas Day.

The moon is waning. The morning stars are Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Pluto. The evening stars are Mercury, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

Those born on this date are under the sign of Capricorn. They include British mathematician, physicist and astronomer Sir Isaac Newton in 1642; American Red Cross founder Clara Barton in 1821; French painter Maurice Utrillo in 1883; hotelier Conrad Hilton in 1887; English author Rebecca West in 1892; Robert "Believe It or Not" Ripley in 1893; actor Humphrey Bogart in 1899; jazz bandleader Cab Calloway in 1907; Egyptian President Anwar Sadat in 1918; TV writer Rod Serling in 1924; singers Jimmy Buffett in 1946 (age 56) and Barbara Mandrell in 1948 (age 54); actors Gary Sandy in 1945 (age 57) and Sissy Spacek in 1949 (age 53); singer Annie Lennox in 1954 (age 48); and comedian Norm McDonald in 1962 (age 40).

On this date in history:

In about 3 B.C., according to Christian belief, Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem. Calendar miscalculations of the time make it impossible to be certain of the year.

In 1066, William the Conqueror was crowned King William I of England.

In 1818, the first known Christmas carol was sung at Oberndorf, Austria. It was "Silent Night, Holy Night," composed by organist Franz Gruber and Father Joseph Mohr.

In 1941, British Hong Kong surrendered to advancing Japanese forces.

In 1985, Mexico City police discovered a major museum theft of pre-Columbian treasures.

In 1986, the hijackers of an Iraqi Airways Boeing 737 en route from Baghdad to Amman, Jordan, exploded grenades, causing a fiery crash in Saudi Arabia. 67 of the 107 people aboard died.

In 1989, ex-Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife and second-in-command, Elena, were executed. The United States officially recognized the new Romanian government.

In 1990, Mikhail Gorbachev was given direct control of the Soviet Cabinet and all government ministries in a major widening of his power.

In 1991, Mikhail Gorbachev resigned as the Soviet president. The next day, the Supreme Soviet voted to end the Soviet Union.

In 1995, actor-singer Dean Martin died at the age of 78.

In 1996, "Tickle Me Elmo" was the hottest Christmas gift of the year.

In 2000, President Clinton offered a Middle East peace plan that, among other things, included proposals for Israel to give up sovereignty over the Temple Mount and for Palestinians to surrender right of refugees to return to Israel.

A thought for the day: Thomas Tusser said,

"At Christmas play and make good cheer,

"For Christmas comes but once a year."