The Gray Ghost, St. Nicholas and Patchy Fog

1. Santa Claus is everywhere these days. In orthodox countries all over Europe, Dec. 6 is Saint Nicholas Day, an annual children's festival that celebrates the gift-giver (known to the Dutch as Sinterklaas, to us as Santa Claus and as Father Christmas in Canada and the UK).  

2. Dec. 6 is also an important historic date. On this date in 1865, the 13th Amendment was ratified, officially banning slavery in the Union. 

3. On Dec. 6, 1877, Thomas Edison made one of the first phonograph recordings of a human voice by singing "Mary Had A Little Lamb". Also that day, the first issue of the Washington Post was published. 

4. Today is the 178th birthday of Confederate Col. John Singleton Mosby, also known as "The Gray Ghost" (1833-1916). "Mosby's Raiders", which operated throughout central and Northern Virginia, were legendary for eluding Union pursuers and the region became informally known as "Mosby's Confederacy". After the war, many considered Mosby a traitor when he became Ulysses S. Grant's campaign director in Virginia and later served as his U.S. consul to Hong Kong.     

Other notable Dec. 6 birthdays include American lyricist Ira Gershwin, American lyricist (1896-1983), AMerican bank robber Baby Face Nelson (1908-1934), former D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty (b.1970) and American actor Tom Hulce (b.1953).

5. Today is the South County Federation Meeting and Holiday Party! The party starts at 7:00 p.m. Click here for more. 

6. There is a 60% chance that rain will continue into the evening, accompanied by patchy fog. The low temperature will be 55, according to the National Weather Service.