▲

The holidays are usually a jolly time of the year, a time to gather and celebrate with family and friends. But for some people, Christmas can also be quite painful, particularly for those who have lost loved ones around the festive season. And of the considerable lives lost on December 25 throughout modern history, you can count celebrities among those lost in tragic deaths.

Browse through the following gallery and get to know the stars who perished on Christmas Day.

▲

James Brown went down in music history as "The Godfather of Soul." His fiery performances and unique style made him a star with a career spanning over 50 years.

▲

The iconic singer passed away on Christmas Day in 2006. Brown was 73 when he died of a heart attack and fluid in his lungs in a hospital in Atlanta. But some details about his death just don't add up, according to some people.

▲

Marvin Crawford, the doctor who signed the singer’s death certificate, doesn't believe Brown died of natural causes, and the singer's lifelong friend Andre White believes Brown was actually murdered. No autopsy was performed, so the mystery remains unsolved.

▲

The late Charlie Chaplin is one of the most famous actors and filmmakers to ever come out of Britain. He eventually moved to the US and became a silent film star.

▲

Charlie Chaplin became predominantly known for his character "The Tramp." Later in his life, the actor moved to Switzerland, where on December 25, 1977, he "died peacefully in his sleep during the night," said his widow Oona O'Neill. Chaplin was 88.

▲

Chaplin's health had deteriorated in the last few years prior to his death. He needed a wheelchair and carried an oxygen tank. Chaplin was also reportedly losing his hearing and sight, and struggled to speak at times. The film legend eventually suffered a stroke and died in his sleep.

▲

George Michael catapulted into stardom with the duo Wham! in the '80s. He then embarked on a highly successful solo career.

▲

It is somewhat ironic that the man who sang 'Last Christmas' died on Christmas Day. George Michael passed away in December 2016 of "dilated cardiomyopathy with myocarditis and fatty liver." It is believed that the singer spent his last day alone or with his housekeeper.

▲

Tragically, George Michael's sister, Melanie Panayiotou, also died on Christmas Day, exactly three years after her brother passed away. The holiday season must be an incredibly difficult time of the year for their family.

▲

A member of the Rat Pack, Dean Martin was nicknamed "The King of Cool." His work with comedian Jerry Lewis turned him into a superstar.

▲

Martin, too, died on Christmas Day. He was 78 when he left us in 1995. Dean Martin had been battling numerous health issues, including kidney problems.

▲

A heavy smoker, it was acute respiratory failure resulting from emphysema and lung cancer that eventually killed Dean Martin.

▲

The dancer, singer, and actress was once called the "most exciting woman in the world" by famed director Orson Welles. Kitt was indeed a star.

▲

Eartha Kitt passed away at home on Christmas Day in 2008, after battling colon cancer. She was with her daughter Kitt Shapiro when she died. But as peaceful as it sounds, according to Shapiro, her mother's death was anything but quiet.

▲

"The doctor told us she will leave very quickly and her body will just start to shut down. But when she left, she left the world with a bang, she left it how she lived it. She screamed her way out of here, literally. I truly believe her survival instincts were so part of her DNA that she was not going to go quietly or willingly," said her daughter.

▲

One of the most famous Spanish artists ever, Miró was a pioneer of modern art and a household name in the abstract and surrealist art movements.

▲

The Catalan artist had his fantastic works displayed in the world's top museums and galleries, and lived a long, fruitful life until he passed away, aged 90.

▲

Joan Miró died on December 25, 1983 from heart failure, supposedly caused by a myriad of health issues he was battling, including "heart and lung ailments." He'd been admitted to the hospital just two week before he passed due to difficulties breathing. He returned home and eventually died.

▲

Billy Martin was a baseball second baseman and five-time manager of the New York Yankees.

▲

Sadly, the Yankees icon tragically died in a car crash on Christmas Day in 1989. Billy Martin was 61.

▲

The fatal crash occurred when Martin and friend Bill Reedy were driving home from drinking at a bar. Reedy was said to be behind the wheel, and was eventually convicted of driving over the limit.

▲

Blondell was a quintessential Hollywood blonde bombshell. The actress had a career spanning half a century, and was even nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

▲

The actress died of leukemia on December 25, 1979, in Santa Monica, California. Joan Blondell was 70.

▲

Blondell reportedly had her children and sister at her bedside when she passed.

▲

The former President of Romania was the last communist leader of the country. He was in power for over two decades, and is considered one of the most ruthless dictators in recent history.

▲

He was overthrown and executed by a firing squad during the Romanian Revolution in December 25, 1989.

▲

The execution of Nicolae and his wife, Elena, was shown on Romanian TV. Nicolae Ceaușescu was 71.

▲

Yoshihito, who later became known as Emperor Taishō, is one of the most important historical figures in Japan. He ruled the country from 1912 until 1926.

▲

Yoshihito died on Christmas Day 1926, victim of a heart attack. Though earlier in December it was announced that the emperor was suffering from pneumonia, and a source at the time also mentions uremic poisoning as the cause of death.

▲

Emperor Taishō was 47 years old when he passed away. He was loved by the Japanese people and continues to be a prominent historical figure.

Sources: (Grunge) (IMDb)