An employee decorates a Christmas tree at the entrance of Cham Palace Hotel in Damascus. File image/Reuters
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Firstpost22-12-2025, 09:09

From Electric Trees to Cloned Cats: December 22's Historic Milestones Unveiled

  • The first Christmas tree decorated with electric lights appeared on December 22, 1882, created by Edward H Johnson in New York City.
  • World's first cloned cat, CC, was born on December 22, 2001, at Texas A&M University, marking a breakthrough in genetic science.
  • Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky was dramatically spared from execution on December 22, 1849, a moment that profoundly shaped his writing.
  • Johnson's electric tree offered a safer alternative to candles, though initially expensive and slow to adopt.
  • CC's differing fur pattern from her donor highlighted that physical traits can vary despite identical DNA.

Why It Matters: December 22 marks diverse historical milestones: from the first electric Christmas tree to the first cloned cat and Dostoevsky's dramatic reprieve.

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