1. On December 23, 1864, during the American Civil War, Confederate soldiers seized the steamer Greyhound in Passamaquoddy Bay while trying to cross from Canada to the United States. The incident became known as the St. Croix Raid and was part of a failed Confederate plan to disrupt Union shipping and cause panic in New England.

2. In 1924, the John G. Sawyer skating rink opened in Bangor, Maine, on December 23. The rink was named after a local businessman who donated the funds for its construction. It was used for ice skating and other winter sports, as well as concerts, dances, and other events.

3. December 23, 1972, is remembered as the date of a severe blizzard that hit Maine. The storm, which lasted several days, dumped up to 30 inches of snow in some areas and caused widespread power outages and damage to buildings and vehicles. It also resulted in several deaths and injuries.

4. On December 23, 1984, the computer software company Lotus Development Corporation announced the release of its new spreadsheet program, Lotus 1-2-3. The program became one of the most popular business software applications of the 1980s and helped to establish Lotus as a major player in the computer industry.

5. In 2019, Maine Governor Janet Mills declared December 23 to be "Night of the Nutcracker" in honor of the Maine State Ballet's production of the famous ballet. The proclamation recognized the ballet's contribution to Maine's cultural heritage and its role in promoting the arts and education in the state.