Birthdays: December 31

Many readers ask The Old Farmer's Almanac what happened on their birthday--or the birthday of a loved one.. To help out, we've put together an everything-birthdays page! Find fun birthday facts, birthday history, folklore, and more!

Please enter a birthday month and day below.

Weather History for December 31

1863: In what became known as the "Battle Above the Clouds," the Union army, aided by clouds obscuring the battlefield, was victorious at Lookout Mountain near Chattanooga

Birthday Weather

What was the weather like on the day that you or a loved one was born? See our free Weather History tool to go back in time!

What about the weather forecast for a future birthday? Check out our long-range weather forecasts for your location.

Birthday Lore for December 31

You are a great reader and an interesting conversationalist and always appear at ease. You are adaptable to environment and circumstance, quick-witted, and capable and trustworthy to the minutest detail. You are both loving and lovable, very fond of your home life, and enjoy entertaining.

Who Else Shares This Birthday?

Born 1856: Louis Brandeis (U.S. Supreme Court justice)

Born 1976: Anna Kay Faris (actress)

Born 1916: Walter Cronkite (newscaster)

On This Day in History

1520: Ferdinand Magellan, traveling west from Spain, discovered what is now the Strait of Magellan, leading to the Pacific Ocean

1825: Oldest social college fraternity in continuous existence, Kappa Alpha Society, founded at Union College in Schenectady, New York

1992: Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton was elected 42nd President of the US. Five women won Senate seats, including Democrat Carol Moseley-Braun, who became the first African-American woman senator

Signs of the Zodiac

SCORPIO (October 23-November 22)

The Scorpion or the Eagle. Ruling planet: Pluto. Element: Water. Quality: Willpower. Ability: To focus on goals.You are the strongest members of the zodiac. Because of this, there is no middle road for you: Choose the high road or the low road, but choose you must. Unlike the other astrological signs of strength, you don’t waste it showing it off. You wait until you truly want something and then focus your will on your goals, drawing them in like a fisherman reels in his net. You have the capacity to get what you want.

Source: www.yourlovesigns.com

Birthday Cakes