✦ DateLore

On This Day · The 358th day of the year

December 24

A look at December 24 through the almanac — historic events, famous birthdays including Galba and Brigetta Barrett, and the day's notable deaths and observances.

♑ZodiacCapricorn ◈BirthstoneTurquoise ❀Birth flowerHolly
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Events

10 notable moments
  1. 2021

    Tatmadaw

    Burmese military forces commit the Mo So massacre, killing at least 44 civilians.

    Combined military forces of
  2. 2008

    Lord's Resistance Army

    The Lord's Resistance Army, a Ugandan rebel group, begins a series of attacks against civilians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, massacring more than 400.

    Christian extremist organization in
  3. 1939

    World War II

    World War II: Pope Pius XII makes a Christmas Eve appeal for peace.

    1939–1945 global conflict
  4. 1929

    Argentina

    Assassination attempt on Argentine President Hipólito Yrigoyen.

    Country in South America
  5. 1924

    Albania

    Albania becomes a republic.

    Country in Southeast Europe
  6. 1914

    World War I

    World War I: The "Christmas truce" begins.

    1914–1918 global conflict
  7. 1913

    Italian Hall disaster

    The Italian Hall disaster in Calumet, Michigan results in the deaths of 73 striking workers families at a Christmas party participants (including 59 children) when someone falsely yells "fire".

    1913 human crush in
  8. 1871

    Aida

    The opera Aida premieres in Cairo, Egypt.

    1871 tragic opera by
  9. 1814

    United Kingdom

    Representatives of the United Kingdom and the United States sign the Treaty of Ghent, ending the War of 1812.

    Country in northwestern Europe
  10. 759

    Tang dynasty

    Tang dynasty poet Du Fu departs for Chengdu, where he is hosted by fellow poet Pei Di.

    Imperial dynasty of China
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Famous birthday twins

Born on December 24

Galba

b. -3

Roman emperor

Brigetta Barrett

b. 1990

American high jumper

Nicholas Meyer

b. 1945

American screenwriter, film director, and author

James Prescott Joule

b. 1818

English physicist and brewer

George I of Greece

b. 1845

King of Greece from 1863 to 1913

Tarja Halonen

b. 1943

Finnish lawyer and politician, 11th President of Finland

Dima Bilan

b. 1981

Russian singer-songwriter and actor

Hamid Karzai

b. 1957

Afghan politician, 12th President of Afghanistan

Deaths

  • 2008Harold Pinter, English playwright, screenwriter, director, Nobel Prize laureate
  • 1997Toshiro Mifune, Chinese-Japanese actor and producer
  • 1982Louis Aragon, French author and poet
  • 1541Andreas Karlstadt, Christian theologian and reformer
  • 1524Vasco da Gama, Portuguese explorer and politician, Governor of Portuguese India
  • 36AD 36, emperor of Chengjia

Holidays & observances

  • —Christian feast day: Adela and Irmina
  • —Christian feast day: Paola Elisabetta Cerioli
  • —Christian feast day: Adam and Eve
  • —Christian feast day: December 24 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
  • —Christmas Eve (Christianity) and its related observances: Aðfangadagskvöld, the day when the 13th and the last Yule Lad arrives to towns. (Iceland)
  • —Christmas Eve (Christianity) and its related observances: Feast of the Seven Fishes (Italian Americans)
  • —Christmas Eve (Christianity) and its related observances: Juleaften (Denmark)/Julaften (Norway)/Julafton (Sweden)
  • —Christmas Eve (Christianity) and its related observances: Nittel Nacht (certain Orthodox Jewish denominations)

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