1. On December 25, 1837, Arkansas officially became the 25th state to join the Union. It was originally part of the Louisiana Purchase and became a territory in 1819 before gaining statehood 18 years later.

2. On December 25, 1862, Confederate forces led by General Thomas Hindman were defeated by Union troops under General James Blunt in the Battle of Prairie Grove. This was an important Civil War battle in Arkansas and helped secure Union control of the region.

3. December 25, 1926 saw the birth of author and folklorist Vance Randolph in Pittsburg, Kansas. Randolph spent much of his career studying the folklore and traditions of the Ozark Mountains, which span much of Arkansas and neighboring states.

4. In 1944, the town of Morrilton in central Arkansas experienced a devastating tornado on December 25 that killed 14 people and caused widespread damage. The tornado was part of a larger outbreak that swept across the southern United States during the holiday season.

5. On December 25, 1986, Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton announced that he was running for President of the United States. Clinton, who had previously served as both Governor and Attorney General of Arkansas, ultimately won the election in 1992 and served two terms as President.