December 31st

80,000 Vandals, Alans and Suebians cross the Rhine at Mainz, beginning invasion of Gallia.

Both a Blue Moon and lunar eclipse occured on the same day. The next such event to happen on New Year's eve will be in 2028.

The death toll for Americans killed in the Iraq war reached 3,000.

Michael Kennedy, 39-year-old son of the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, was killed in a skiing accident on Aspen Mountain in Colorado.

Date skipped in Kiribati. The Phoenix Islands and the Line Islands in Kiribati skip December 31st due to a change in their time zone from UTC−11:00 to UTC+13:00 and UTC−10:00 to UTC+14:00, respectively.

Entertainer Barbra Streisand performed her first paid concert in 22 years, singing to a sellout crowd at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas.

Robert Mugabe sworn in as Zimbabwe's president.

Rock singer Rick Nelson, 45, and six other people were killed when fire broke out aboard a DC-3 that was taking the group to a New Year's Eve performance in Dallas.

Coup in Nigeria. A military coup in Nigeria overthrew the civilian government of Shehu Shagari and installed Maj-Gen Muhammadu Buhari.

Private U.S. citizens were allowed to buy and own gold for the first time in more than 40 years.

The al-Fatah guerrillas of Yasser Arafat launched their first terrorist raid on Israel.

Central African Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland was formally dissolved.

The Marshall Plan expired after distributing more than $12 billion in foreign aid.

Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista tells his Cabinet he is fleeing the country.

The Marshall Plan expired after distributing more than $12 billion in foreign aid.

President Truman officially proclaimed the end of hostilities in World War II.

The first breath test for drivers, 'drunkometer,' was introduced in Indianapolis.

Manhattan Bridge opens for traffic. The Manhattan Bridge, one of the first suspension bridges ever constructed, was opened to traffic on this day. The bridge was designed by Leon Moisseiff and crosses the East River in New York City.

The first annual ball drop at Times Square. The annual tradition of dropping a ball at 11:59 pm to mark the start of the New Year was organized for the first time by Adolph Ochs, the owner of the New York Times.

Ellis Island (NYC) opens as a US immigration depot.

Thomas Edison gave the first public demonstration of an electric incandescent lamp.

President Abraham Lincoln signed an act admitting West Virginia to the Union.

22,990mm of rain falls in Cherrapunji Assam in India in 1861, a world record.

Britain's Queen Victoria decided to make Ottawa the capital of Canada.

Battle of Quebec in American Revolutionary War. Americans defeated trying to take British stronghold

English astronomer James Bradley announces discovery of Earth's nutation motion (wobble).