On December 23, 1823, “A Visit From St. Nicholas,” perhaps
the most famous and influential Christmas poem ever was
published in the Troy Sentinel newspaper in New York by
an anonymous author.

It wasn’t until nearly 20 years later, in 1844, that American
writer Clement Clarke Moore claimed authorship after
seeing the poem misattributed in the Washington
National Intelligencer.

Moore took credit for the poem, claiming to have authored 
“some lines, describing a visit from St. Nicholas, which I
wrote many years ago, not for publication, but to amuse
my children.”

The world’s first cloned cat—CC, or Copy Cat—was born in
a biomedical lab at Texas A&M University. CC, who lived for
18 years, had all the physical attributes and indifference
toward humanity of any other kitty. Her birth kickstarted
a global pet-cloning industry.  

 CC with her surrogate mom, Allie.

Rainbow, the genetic donor cat.

Photo of C.C. taken in 2008.

On March 3, 2020, CC died at 18 years old in College Station, Texas.

CC went on to have her own kittens, who were healthy and genetically unique.

The "shoe bomber," British terrorist Richard Reid (above),
attempted to detonate explosives hidden in his shoes on
American Airlines Flight 63 from Paris to Miami on December
22, 2001, but passengers and crew subdued him, leading to
his arrest and a life sentence. 

The event that prompted worldwide airport security changes
like mandatory shoe removal.

   
    

        
        
        
        
       

The shoes Reid tried to detonate during the flight.

George Smith Patton Jr
(11 November 1885 – 21 December 1945)

     

          
  General George S. Patton, commander of the U.S. 3rd Army,
died from injuries suffered in a car accident not in battle. He
was 60 years old.   
                  
          
          
 

President Richard Nixon met Elvis Presley in the Oval Office
on December 21, 1970, a famously strange meeting initiated
by Elvis, who wanted to offer his services in the war on drugs
and asked Nixon for a federal narcotics badge, which Nixon
granted, giving the world one of the most requested photos
in U.S. National Archives history.

Elvis showing off his cuff links to the president.

Elvis presented Nixon with signed photographs of his family.