December 24 is the 358th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; seven days remain until the end of the year.
We have some interesting facts & historic events all about December 24th, including areas in religion, crime, health and more.
Keep reading for more interesting facts about December 24th in history!
Table of Contents
Global Celebrations
- National Egg Nog Day
Historic Events
What Happened On This Day – December 24
1955: NORAD’s Santa tracking service begins
The event is now a Christmas tradition where the North American Aerospace Defense Command tracks Santa Claus as he travels around the world delivering presents to children. The event began after a printing error in a Sears catalog asking children to call Santa Claus. The number that was printed was the number of Colorado Springs’ Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) Center.
1951: Libya gains independence from Italy
The North African country had been ruled by Italy since 1912. After independence, it became a constitutional monarchy under King Idris. King Idris was overthrown in a military coup led by Muammar Gaddafi in 1969.
1914: Christmas Truce begins
A much-studied event in war and peace studies, the Christmas Truce was a brief unofficial ceasefire between British and German troops along the Western Front of World War I. During the truce, soldiers from both sides sang carols, shared food, exchanged gifts and played football (soccer). Subsequent attempts to hold similar ceasefires around Christmas time failed.
1865: Ku Klux Klan created
The extremist white supremacist organization, also known as the Klan, was created in Pulaski, Tennessee by Confederate Army veterans.
1826: Eggnog riots begin at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York
Also known as the Grog Mutiny, these riots began on Christmas Eve after cadets consumed copious amounts of eggnog made with smuggled whiskey. The riots lasted until December 25.
Famous Birthdays
Births On This Day, December 24
1973: Stephenie Meyer, American author, film producer
1971: Ricky Martin, Puerto Rican/American singer-songwriter, actor
1957: Hamid Karzai, Afghan politician, 12th President of Afghanistan
1868: Emanuel Lasker, German chess player
1166: John, King of England
Heartbreaking Deaths
Deaths On This Day, December 24
2008: Harold Pinter, English playwright, screenwriter, director, actor, Nobel Prize laureate
1977: Samael Aun Weor, Colombian author
1965: William M. Branham, American minister
1914: John Muir, Scottish/American environmentalist, author
1524: Vasco da Gama, Portuguese explorer
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