Today marks the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere and the summer solstice in the southern hemisphere. Winter will arrive at 5:44 a.m. EST (the time zone in which I am shivering).

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The New York World newspaper published a “Word-Cross Puzzle” created by Arthur Wynne on this date in 1913. It is credited as the first crossword puzzle. (The puzzle is seen at the top of this post.)

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The first landing party from the ship Mayflower disembarked and set foot on a beach outside what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts, on this date in 1620.

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In Jules Verne’s 1873 novel, Around the World in 80 Days, December 21, 1872, is Day 80, the day Phileas Fogg returns to London.

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Pan Am Flight 103 was destroyed by a bomb over Lockerbie, Scotland, on this date in 1988.

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F. Scott Fitzgerald died on this date in 1940. General George S. Patton died in 1945 on this date. Dick Schaap died 15 years ago today. Saparmurat Niyazov died 10 years ago today.

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Josh Gibson was born on this date in 1911. Werner von Trapp, a member of the singing family, was born on this date in 1915. Frank Zappa was born in 1940 on this date. Jack Nance was born on this date in 1943. Carl Wilson was born 70 years ago today. “God Only Knows”:

 
Florence Griffith Joyner was born in 1959 on this date.

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Edward Hoagland is 84 today. Phil Donahue is 81 today. Jane Fonda is 79 today. Michael Tilson Thomas is 72. Josh Mostel is 70. Dave Kingman is 68. Samuel L. Jackson is 68. Jeffrey Katzenberg is 66. Sir András Schiff is 63. Chris Evert is 62. Ray Romano is 59. Fabiana Udenio is 52. Andy Dick is 51 today. Julie Delpy is 47 today.

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