This Day in History for December 25 — ‘White Christmas’ Premieres, and More

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history:

1066: William the Conqueror is crowned King of England (more info)

1776: George Washington and the Continental Army cross the Delaware River, hoping to surprise a Hessian force celebrating Christmas at their winter quarters in Trenton, New Jersey (more info)

1941: 'White Christmas,' written by Irving Berlin, premieres on Bing Crosby's radio program and goes on to become one of the most commercially successful singles of all time (more info)

1991: Mikhail Gorbachev resigns as president of the Soviet Union; the union itself dissolves the next day (more info)

2000: A fire during a Christmas party at an unlicensed disco in Luoyang, China, kills more than 300 people (more info)