1. On December 24, 1855, the first public printing of the Emancipation Proclamation took place in the District of Columbia.

2. In 1914, on the outbreak of World War I, President Woodrow Wilson lit the first national Christmas tree on the Ellipse in front of the White House on December 24.

3. December 24, 1971, was the first Christmas Eve that the District's Metro rail system operated, allowing people to travel to their holiday destinations much more conveniently.

4. In 1983, following a three-year renovation, the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum reopened in the District of Columbia on December 24.

5. December 24, 2017, marked the opening of a new sports and entertainment arena named the Entertainment and Sports Arena in the Congress Heights neighborhood of the District of Columbia. The arena is the official home of the Washington Wizards G League team and hosts various community events and concerts throughout the year.