1. The first recorded Christmas celebration in Washington State was in 1847, when Catholic missionaries held a service in what is now Walla Walla.

2. In 1890, the city of Seattle celebrated Christmas with a parade that included a Santa Claus who arrived in a sleigh pulled by live reindeer.

3. In 1911, the first official Washington State Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony was held at the state capitol in Olympia. The tradition continues to this day.

4. On December 25, 1932, Seattle experienced one of its biggest snowstorms in history, dumping over a foot of snow on the city and causing widespread power outages.

5. In 1985, the Seattle Times reported that a man dressed as Santa Claus robbed a bank in Tacoma on Christmas Eve, making off with over $50,000 in cash. He was later arrested and sentenced to 30 years in prison.