Jimmy Buffett and Other Famous People With Christmas Birthdays
Merry Birthday!
Is sharing your birthday with one of the most popular holidays a curse or a blessing? Feel free to ask any of these famous people who were born on Dec. 25 or 24 — at least, the ones still living. If you have a Christmas birthday, you're in good company, with the likes of Clara Barton, Humphrey Bogart, and Ricky Martin.
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Isaac Newton, b. 1642
One of the most important scientists, mathematicians, and philosophers of the Enlightenment was born on Christmas Day — at least according to the Julian Calendar, which was in use in England at the time. Now we'd say he was born January 4 of the following year, but he celebrated on Christmas, and that's good enough for us.
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Pope Pius VI, b. 1717
Pius VI was Pope from 1775 to 1799, the fifth-longest papal reign in history. He's most known for opposing the French Revolution. He hailed King Louis XVI as a religious martyr after he was executed by guillotine in France, and fought Napoleon's army. The papal army lost and Pius VI was taken prisoner until he died 18 months later.
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Clara Barton, b. 1821
The founder of the American Red Cross, Clara Barton, was a Christmas baby. She was a humanitarian and civil rights activist who earned the nickname Angel of the Battlefield while providing nursing care to wounded soldiers during the Civil War. She became the first president of the American Red Cross after convincing President Chester Arthur that the organization could respond to incidents like natural disasters, not just war.
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Muhammed Ali Jinnah, b. 1876
Dec. 25 is a national holiday in Pakistan, but not because of Christmas. It's Muhammed Ali Jinnah's birthday, the founder of the country. He was a barrister that trained in London before getting into politics in India. He was the first Governor-General of Pakistan and helped establish the country's new government and policies.
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Louis Chevrolet, b. 1878
Louis Chevrolet was a Swiss race car driver, but you can probably guess he's best known for co-founding the Chevrolet Motor Car Co. He moved to New York in 1901 and worked for Buick, where he probably started designing his own engine. He founded Chevy with his brother and other investors in 1911.
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Conrad Hilton, b. 1887
The founder of the Hilton hotel chain originally intended to purchase a bank in Texas in 1919, but bought a 40-room hotel in Cisco instead. The hotel was so busy that he converted the dining area to more rooms, and soon after opened more hotels across Texas. Though he lost money and some hotels in the Great Depression, Hilton hotels were the first international hotel chain.
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Humphrey Bogart, b. 1899
Though he only won one Academy Award, Humphrey Bogart is considered one of the greatest film actors of all time. Thanks to his roles in classic Hollywood films like "Casablanca" and "The Maltese Falcon" he became a cultural icon. This Christmas baby even has his picture on a U.S. Postal Service stamp.
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Anwar Sadat, b. 1918
Anwar Sadat was the third president of Egypt until he was assassinated in 1981 by fundamentalist officers in the Egyptian army. He was the first Muslim to win a Nobel Peace Prize for his part in signing the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty, which President Jimmy Carter helped facilitate. Like many political breakthroughs, the treaty was disliked by some groups, and led to his assassination.
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Ava Gardner, b. 1922
Hollywood actress and singer Ava Gardner was born on Christmas Eve. She established herself as one of the most popular film leading ladies in the 1950s and 1960s, and was nominated for an Oscar and Golden Globe awards. Frank Sinatra famously left his wife in order to marry Gardner in 1951, making headlines that were often not complimentary.
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Rod Serling, b. 1924
Though his name may not ring a bell immediately, Rod Serling has had a lasting impact on American pop culture. He created "The Twilight Zone" in 1959, a sci-fi television series that influenced almost all work in the genre to come. He was an activist and worked many of his views on war, censorship, and race into his work.
Anthony Fauci, b. 1940
The man who's been the face of the American government's pandemic response, Anthony Fauci, was born on Christmas Eve. He is currently President Joe Biden's chief medical adviser and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease. He grew up above his family's pharmacy, and has studied viral diseases like HIV, swine flu, and Ebola before COVID-19.
Jimmy Buffett, b. 1946
If you've ever gone on a cruise or other Caribbean vacation, you've undoubtedly encountered something related to Jimmy Buffet, whether it was one of his Margaritaville bars or a flock of Parrotheads, the name given to his superfans. There's a good chance he's been wasted away again on his Christmas birthday, looking for his lost shaker of salt …
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Barbara Mandrell, b. 1948
Country Music Hall of Fame and Grand Ole Opry member Barbara Mandrell is a Christmas baby. She had many Billboard No. 1 hits including her signature song, "I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool". Her variety television show with her sisters gained her even more widespread popularity in the early 1980s.
Sissy Spacek, b. 1949
Sissy Spacek's wide-ranging career has spanned five decades and includes an Oscar, Golden Globes, and other acting awards. She started performing when she was just 6, and used Sissy as her stage name because she was called that by her brothers. One of her most memorable roles was as the title character in the Stephen King horror classic "Carrie."
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Karl Rove, b. 1950
Republican political consultant Karl Rove celebrates his birthday on Dec. 25. He was a senior adviser and deputy chief of staff to President George W. Bush until he resigned during the Valerie Plame controversy. Besides his alleged involvement in that scandal, he was also controversial for his role in the Iraq War and defending the Bush administration's use of torture.
Annie Lennox, b. 1954
With her signature cropped haircut, Scot Annie Lennox fronted the band the Eurythmics in the 1980s when it was at its most popular. Since her massive hits "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" and "Here Comes the Rain Again," she's engaged in activism work for causes such as AIDS awareness and LGBTQ rights.
Rickey Henderson, b. 1958
Considered one of baseball's best leadoff hitters and baserunners, Rickey Henderson celebrates his big day on Christmas. He holds Major League Baseball records in a number of categories, including stolen bases and leadoff home runs, and he won two World Series titles. The Oakland Athletics, with whom he spent much of his 24-year career, retired his jersey No. 24.
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Helena Christensen, b. 1968
Danish supermodel Helena Christensen got her start by winning the Miss Universe Denmark crown in 1986 when she was only 17. A year later, she left home to start her modeling career in Paris. Since then she's appeared on countless magazine covers, luxury brand ads, and even on a 40-foot billboard in Times Square.
Dido, b. 1971
English singer Dido was born on Dec. 25, but like many other Christmas babies whose parents want them to have a proper birthday, she celebrates the occasion on June 25. She rose to global fame in 1999 with singles like "Thank You," which was also famously sampled by Enimen in "Stan."
Justin Trudeau, b. 1971
Whether you know him as a heartthrob or by his more official title — the current prime minister of Canada — Justin Trudeau is wished bon anniversaire along with joyeux Noel. He is the second youngest prime minister in the country's history, and he's also the first family member of a previous PM to hold office after his father served in the 1980s.
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Ricky Martin, b. 1971
Ricky Martin is livin' la vida loca every year when he celebrates his birthday on Christmas Eve. The Puerto Rican singer has sold over 70 million records worldwide after getting his start in boy-band sensation Menudo at age 12. He's arguably one of the most influential Latin stars of all time which has earned him the nickname King of Latin Pop.
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Ryan Seacrest, b. 1974
In 2002, Ryan Seacrest, whose birthday is on Christmas Eve, took a job as host of a new Fox reality television show. That show was "American Idol," which quickly rocketed up in popularity and made Seacrest a household name. He's still hosting the show, along with a number of others, including morning show "Live with Kelly and Ryan."
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Jeremy Strong, b.1978
Jeremy Strong is an actor who's best known for his current role as Kendall in "Succession." He's recognized for his dedication to his roles, sometimes to his own detriment, like when he fractured his foot running in character as Kendall for a scene in which he needed to be out of breath and sweaty.
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