5 momentous military events that took place on Christmas Day

Christmas is one of the most celebrated holidays on earth. But that doesn't mean that conflicts simply freeze every December 25th.

Important events in both of America's most formative wars - the Revolutionary War and the Civil War - took place on Christmas. British and German troops even celebrated the holiday together on Christmas Day during WWI.

Here's a look at some of the major military events that have fallen on Christmas, a date with a surprisingly rich history.

Pierre Bienaimé wrote a previous version of this post.