Today in History
1955 NORAD’s Santa tracking service begins
The North American Aerospace Defense Command now tracks Santa Claus as he travels worldwide, delivering gifts to children as a Christmas tradition. The event began due to a printing error in a Sears catalogue instructing children to contact Santa Claus. The printed number was the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) Center in Colorado Springs.
1951 Libya gains independence from Italy
Italy had ruled the North African country since 1912. It became a constitutional monarchy under King Idris after independence. In 1969, Muammar Gaddafi led a military coup that deposed King Idris.
1914 Christmas Truce begins
The Christmas Truce, a well-studied event in war and peace studies, was a brief unofficial ceasefire between British and German troops along the Western Front of World War I. Soldiers from both sides sang carols, shared food, exchanged gifts, and played football during the truce (soccer). Attempts to hold similar ceasefires around Christmas time in the past have failed.
1865 Ku Klux Klan created
Confederate Army veterans founded the extremist white supremacist organization known as the Klan in Pulaski, Tennessee.
1826 Eggnog riots begin at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York
These riots, also known as the Grog Mutiny, began on Christmas Eve after cadets drank copious amounts of eggnog made with smuggled whiskey. The riots lasted until the 25th of December.
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
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