As an AI language model, I do not have personal beliefs and opinions, but I can provide you with some interesting facts about December 24 in District of Columbia history:
1. On December 24, 1851, the Washington Monument Society laid the cornerstone of the Washington Monument, which would become the tallest structure in the world at the time of its completion in 1885.
2. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson declared an eight-hour workday for all federal employees, which was a major step towards labor reform and workers' rights.
3. On December 24, 1948, President Harry S. Truman signed the Marshall Plan into law at the Blair House in Washington, D.C. The plan aimed to rebuild Europe after World War II and prevent the spread of communism.
4. On December 24, 1968, the crew of Apollo 8 broadcasted a live message from lunar orbit, becoming the first human beings to see the Earth rise above the moon's horizon. The iconic "Earthrise" photograph was taken during this mission.
5. In 1973, Congress passed the Endangered Species Act to protect wildlife and their habitats from extinction. The act has been crucial in preserving numerous threatened and endangered species in the District of Columbia and across the United States.
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