5 Things to Know This Morning

— -- Your look at the five biggest and most buzz-worthy Christmas stories of the morning.

1. Mourners to Gather at Wake for Slain NYPD Officer Rafael Ramos

A wake will be held today for New York City Police Officer Rafael Ramos, one of two officers shot and killed while sitting in their patrol car in a Saturday ambush.

Ramos will be remembered with a wake at Christ Tabernacle Church, in the Glendale section of Queens, where he was a longstanding and deeply committed member, according to family and friends.

His funeral is scheduled to be held there on Saturday, and Vice President Joe Biden has said he will attend it.

2. Philadelphia Transit Officers Help Woman Deliver Baby on Train

It was quite a Christmas delivery.

Two transit officers in Philadelphia helped a woman deliver a baby Thursday while on board a train, reports ABC News station WPVI. The delivery happened on the Market-Frankford subway train.

3. Obamas Thank Military Families in Hawaii

The Obamas made the quick ride over to Marine Corps Base Hawaii Thursday (the site of POTUS' golfing, bowling, workouts and sometimes beaching) to say thank you to military families. The President has made this trip an annual event and he was joined by Mrs. Obama.

"So on a day when we celebrate the Prince of Peace and many of us count our blessings, one of the greatest blessings we have is the extraordinary dedication and sacrifices you all make," he told the troops. "We could not be more thankful. I know I speak for everyone in the entire country when I say, we salute you."

Obama pointed out that the war in Afghanistan is due to come to a close by year's end.

4. Inside Prince William and Duchess Kate's Christmas

In a sign that Prince William and Duchess Kate intend to do things their own way, Christmas was anything but traditional this year.

The couple arrived with Queen Elizabeth and the rest of the royal family to attend a Christmas service at St. Mary Magdalene in Sandringham, England, on Thursday, albeit without Prince George.

Kate apologized to well wishers, some of whom arrived at 5 a.m. to catch a glimpse of the nearly six-month pregnant Duchess.

"I'm sorry we didn't bring George but you would have heard him inside the church," she said, her bump barely visible under a long, brown tweed Moloh coat.

5. Capacity Crowds Pack Screenings of 'The Interview'

Critics and early viewers agree that "The Interview" is less than a masterpiece. But thanks to threats from hackers that nearly derailed its release, it has become an event.

Hundreds of theaters Thursday, from The Edge 8 in Greenville, Alabama, to Michael Moore's Bijou by the Bay in Traverse City, Michigan, made special holiday arrangements for the Seth Rogen-James Franco comedy depicting the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Sony Pictures had initially called off the release after major theater chains dropped the movie that was to have opened on as many as 3,000 screens.

But with President Obama among others criticizing the decision, Sony officials changed their minds. "The Interview" became available on a variety of digital platforms Wednesday afternoon, including Google Play, YouTube Movies, Microsoft's Xbox Video and a separate Sony website. Meanwhile, Sony and independent theaters agreed to release it in over 300 venues on Christmas.

"We are taking a stand for freedom," said theater manager Lee Peterson of the Cinema Village East in Manhattan, where most of Thursday's seven screenings had sold out by early afternoon. "We want to show the world that Americans will not be told what we can or cannot watch. Personally, I am not afraid."