1. On December 24, 1818, the Spanish priest Father Narciso Duran rode into San Francisco Bay, marking the beginning of the Catholic Church's influence in California.

2. In 1848, the first gold discovery was made at Sutter's Mill, near Coloma, on December 24. This event sparked the California Gold Rush and the influx of thousands of prospectors seeking their fortunes.

3. On December 24, 1853, the US Army established Fort Tejon in present-day Kern County to protect travellers on the Stockton-Los Angeles Road from Native American attacks.

4. December 24, 1914, saw the first flight over Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley when Calbraith Perry Rodgers piloted his Wright Brothers biplane from San Francisco to Pasadena.

5. On December 24, 1955, the San Francisco 49ers played the Baltimore Colts in the NFL Championship game. The 49ers won the game 38-27, the team's first championship victory.