1) In 1862, during the Civil War, the Battle of Sacramento took place in Sacramento, Kentucky. Union forces successfully defended against a Confederate attack, marking a small victory for the North.
2) The first full length opera performed in Kentucky took place on December 23, 1816, with the staging of "Cinderella" in Lexington.
3) On this day in 1984, the Kentucky Wildcats basketball team defeated the University of Louisville Cardinals by a score of 65-44, marking a dominant victory in a hotly contested in-state rivalry.
4) Country music superstar Dwight Yoakam was born on December 23, 1956, in Pikeville, Kentucky. Yoakam has had numerous hits over the years, including "Guitars, Cadillacs," "Fast as You," and "A Thousand Miles from Nowhere."
5) The historic Christ Church Cathedral in Louisville, built in 1824, held its first Christmas Eve service on December 23, 1826, just two years after its construction. The cathedral still holds regular services and events to this day.