1. “Dinofest,” today through Jan. 7 at Chicago’s Navy Pier. 312-595-PIER. Dig it!
2. Chester Greenwood Day, Farmington, Maine. Let’s “ear” it for the inventor of the ear muff!
3. Illinois’ date to become a state, 1818.
4. Over-hyped personalities star on the 17th
Annual Most Boring Celebrities on the Year list, released today. See www.boringinstitute.com.
5. Happy Birthday, Walt Disney, born in Chicago, 1901.
6. “Mary Had a Little Lamb” makes history when Thomas Edison recites it on his new sound recording invention, 1877.
7. The world’s largest overdue fine is charged by the University of Cincinnati’s Medical Library for a book returned 145 years late.
8. “Sesame Street” premieres on PBS, 1969. Happy anniversary, Big Bird!
9. “A Charlie Brown Christmas” premieres, 1965.
10. Mighty Mouse comes to save the day! Mighty Mouse Playhouse premieres, 1955.
11. UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Fund) established, 1946.
12. Poinsettia Day! Congressman and Secretary of War Joel Roberts Poinsett, who died on this day in 1851, introduced the plant to the U.S.
13. St. Lucia Day. Celebrate the candle-lit tradition at the Swedish American Museum. Call 773-728-8111.
14. Brrr . . . think you’ve got the shivers? South Pole discovered, 1911, by Roald Amundsen, four others and 52 sled dogs.
15. Sioux warrior, leader and medicine man Sitting Bull dies, 1890.
17. Wright Brothers succeed in first manned flight, Kitty Hawk, N.C. 1903. Facing a goal? Do the “wright” thing and aim for the skies!
18. Animal crackers introduced, 1890. Consume cookie critters today.
19. Today and tomorrow — Do-It-Yourself Messiah, at Chicago’s Civic Opera House. For information call 888-880-9701.
21. First crossword puzzle published, 1913, introducing challenging fun across generations and down through time.
22. Hanukkah begins.
Fans go ape for “Colo,” the first gorilla born in captivity, 1956, Columbus, Ohio.
23. “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” by Clement C. Moore, appears in the Troy Sentinel, Troy, N.Y., 1823 and a classic is born.
25. Christmas Day
26. Kwanzaa begins.
27. Dr. Crawford Williamson Long, of Georgia, gives his wife anesthesia N the first used for childbirthN during their infant’s delivery, 1845.
30. Have a Tee-rrific 25th birthday, Tiger Woods!
31. New Year’s Eve. The “Drunkometer,” an early driver breath test, is introduced in Indianapolis, 1938. Tonight, think before you drink!
