December 2024 in photos: USA TODAY's most memorable pictures of the year

Visual Editors
·1 min read
In December, the last full moon of the year passed over the United States. Elon Musk started making appearances on Capitol Hill.
In December, the last full moon of the year passed over the United States. Elon Musk started making appearances on Capitol Hill.

December 2024, rife with holidays and joy, is typically when Americans focus on family and rest. For the families that go without, communities come together during the season of giving and fill the gaps for those in need. The Toys for Tots program, known across the country for giving gifts to children in need, was captured by Kitsap Sun photographer Meegan Reid. "I photograph our local Toys for Tots set up every year and, I am always looking for a different type of photo from the years before. The problem with this year was the only time I could fit the shoot into my schedule was on the slowest day of the setup so there wasn't a lot going on and I was struggling to find anything new or 'out of the box'. As I was standing next to the bin where they put all the stuffed animals, I heard a small voice asking me, 'what's that hole for?' and I looked down at three-year-old Adain who was standing next to me pointing at a random hole at the bottom of the box. I shrugged and answered with 'maybe so the stuffed animals can see out?' and that's when he dropped to his knees to investigate the mysterious hole in the box which I thankfully had a view of from the top of the box."

December 4

Desert bighorn sheep were released in Franklin Mountains State Park as part of a reintroduction of bighorns into the mountain range by the Texas Parks and Wildlife in El Paso, Texas.
Desert bighorn sheep were released in Franklin Mountains State Park as part of a reintroduction of bighorns into the mountain range by the Texas Parks and Wildlife in El Paso, Texas.

December 5

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), center left, hosts Elon Musk, left, carrying his son X, and Vivek Ramaswamy, center right, as the co-leads of the newly established Department of Government Efficiency arrive for meetings at the US Capitol in Washington.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), center left, hosts Elon Musk, left, carrying his son X, and Vivek Ramaswamy, center right, as the co-leads of the newly established Department of Government Efficiency arrive for meetings at the US Capitol in Washington.

December 10

Three-year-old Adain Clark peeks through an opening of a box that was beginning to be filled with stuffed animals donated to Toys For Tots set up in Kitsap County, WA.
Three-year-old Adain Clark peeks through an opening of a box that was beginning to be filled with stuffed animals donated to Toys For Tots set up in Kitsap County, WA.
Families play in the faux snow during the Town of Pike Road Christmas Spectacular in Pike Road, AL.
Families play in the faux snow during the Town of Pike Road Christmas Spectacular in Pike Road, AL.

December 14

Karen Shore leans over her husband's grave during at Wreaths Across America event at Cape Canaveral National Cemetery in Mims, Fla.
Karen Shore leans over her husband's grave during at Wreaths Across America event at Cape Canaveral National Cemetery in Mims, Fla.
Santa arrives in a helicopter during Santa's Fly-In at the Augusta Regional Airport in Augusta, GA. Hosted by the airport, the Richmond County Marshal's Office, and Augusta Partnership for Children, Inc., 144 children received presents from Santa during the event.
Santa arrives in a helicopter during Santa's Fly-In at the Augusta Regional Airport in Augusta, GA. Hosted by the airport, the Richmond County Marshal's Office, and Augusta Partnership for Children, Inc., 144 children received presents from Santa during the event.

December 15

The last full moon of 2024 is seen with the holiday lights illuminating the Eustace mansion on Hutchinson Island, Fla.
The last full moon of 2024 is seen with the holiday lights illuminating the Eustace mansion on Hutchinson Island, Fla.

December 17

Several hundred people attended a vigil for victims of the Abundant Life Christian School shooting in Madison, Wisconsin.
Several hundred people attended a vigil for victims of the Abundant Life Christian School shooting in Madison, Wisconsin.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The best photos of December 2024: USA TODAY's month in review

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