December 24 Birthday
On December 24, 1968, Apollo 8 entered lunar orbit. Frank Borman, James Lovell, and William Anders became the first humans to orbit the Moon. On Christmas Eve, they read from the Book of Genesis during a live broadcast: "In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth." The broadcast was watched by 250 million people — one quarter of humanity. Anders took "Earthrise" — a photograph of the Earth rising above the lunar horizon. It is one of the most reproduced photographs in history and is credited with launching the environmental movement. On December 24, 1914, soldiers on the Western Front laid down their arms. British and German soldiers met in no-man's-land, exchanged cigarettes and food, sang carols, and played football. The truce was not ordered by commanders — it began spontaneously at the front and spread. Officers on both sides were furious. The next day, the shooting resumed. There was no Christmas Truce in 1915 — officers threatened court-martial. The truce of 1914 was the last time ordinary soldiers on opposite sides of a war decided they had more in common with each other than with their generals. People born on December 24 fall under the zodiac sign of Capricorn. The birthstone is Tanzanite and the birth flower is Holly. Historical events on December 24 include 1814: Treaty of Ghent signed, ending the War of 1812, 1968: Apollo 8 becomes first spacecraft to orbit the Moon, 1914: Christmas Truce — British and German soldiers stop fighting, exchange gifts. Famous people born on December 24 include Ava Gardner (1922), Hamid Karzai (1957), Ryan Seacrest (1974).