1. On December 23, 1776, Thomas Paine, an American political activist and author, wrote "The American Crisis," which contains the famous words, "These are the times that try men's souls."

2. In 1913, the Federal Reserve Act was signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson. This marked the creation of the Federal Reserve System, which regulates the nation's monetary policy and banking system.

3. On December 23, 1954, the first successful kidney transplant was performed at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. The surgery was performed by Dr. Joseph Murray, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1990 for his work.

4. In 1988, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that same-sex couples cannot be denied marriage licenses. This was a landmark decision in the fight for marriage equality and paved the way for other states to follow suit.

5. On December 23, 2005, Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling announced that he had signed a one-year, $8 million contract with the team. Schilling helped lead the Red Sox to their first World Series championship in 86 years in 2004 and was a key part of the team's success in 2005 as well.