December 31: Day of the Week
December 31, 2023 is the 365th day of the year 2023 in the Gregorian calendar. The day of the week is Sunday.
If you are trying to learn French then this day of the week in French is dimanche.
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Here’s the December calendar. You can also browse the full year monthly calendar.
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Zodiac & Birthstone
Capricorn is the zodiac sign of a person born on this day. Turquoise is the modern birthstone for this month. Onyx is the mystical birthstone from Tibetan origin that dates back over a thousand years.
December 31: This Day in History
It is widely known as New Year’s Eve since the following day is New Year’s Day. It is the last day of the year.
December 31 Historical Event(s)
- 406Vandals, Alans and Suebians cross the Rhine, beginning an invasion of Gaul.
- 535Byzantine General Belisarius completes the conquest of Sicily, defeating the Ostrogothic garrison of Syracuse, and ending his consulship for the year.
- 1660James II of England is named Duke of Normandy by Louis XIV of France.
- 1775American Revolutionary War: Battle of Quebec: British forces repulse an attack by Continental Army General Richard Montgomery.
- 1862American Civil War: The Battle of Stones River begins near Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
- 1907The first New Year’s Eve celebration is held in Times Square (then known as Longacre Square) in New York, New York.
- 1961RTÉ Ireland’s state broadcaster launches its first national television service.
- 1965Jean-Bédel Bokassa, leader of the Central African Republic army, and his military officers begins a coup d'état against the government of President David Dacko.
- 1992Czechoslovakia is peacefully dissolved in what is dubbed by media as the Velvet Divorce, resulting in the creation of the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
- 1999The United States Government hands control of the Panama Canal (as well all the adjacent land to the canal known as the Panama Canal Zone) to Panama. This act complied with the signing of the 1977 Torrijos-Carter Treaties.
Who were born on December 31?
- 1514Andreas Vesalius, Flemish anatomist (d. 1564)
- 1572Emperor Go-Yozei of Japan, (d. 1617)
- 1864Robert Grant Aitken, American astronomer (d. 1951)
- 1902Lionel Daunais, French-Canadian singer and composer (d. 1982)
- 1924Taylor Mead, American actor
- 1934Akram Awan, Islamic scholar
- 1959Baron Waqa, Nauruan politician and musician
- 1960Steve Bruce, English footballer
- 1965Tony Dorigo, English footballer
- 1979Elaine Cassidy, Irish actress
Now try another date like anniversaries, birthdays of someone you know or any other date that is special to you. Don’t forget to share the info to your friends, loved ones or social media followers. Who knows, they might appreciate and thank you for it.