Mariah Carey's single 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' reached number one, 25 years after its release.
The US State Department increased the reward for information on the Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi to $25 million.
A five-day pollution red alert was declared in Beijing and 21 other Chinese cities.
The mayor of Flint, Michigan, declared a state of emergency over contaminated water.
The name 'Euro' was officially adopted for European Currency.
O.J. Simpson became the first NFL running back to rush for 2,000 yards in a season.
'Jingle Bells' became the first song played in space when it was broadcast during NASA's Gemini 6 space flight.
The Pioneer 6 space probe was launched atop a Delta-E rocket.
'Lawrence of Arabia' film directed by David Lean, was released in the United States.
German armies took Allied forces by surprise in the Ardennes, marking the beginning of the Battle of the Bulge.
The Anglo-Irish Treaty, agreed to by the British Parliament and Sinn Féin, was ratified.
Virginia became the first state to ratify the Articles of Confederation.
The Boston Tea Party protest occurred.
Vasco da Gama became the first European to sail along Africa's East Coast.
