The Christmas Truce of 1914

Some of the most interesting stories come from war.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote about the amazing Christmas Truce of 1914. The British, French, and other allies were at war with Germany—it was World War I. Although both sides thought the war would be over quickly, neither was able to penetrate the other’s defenses. The fighting eventually bogged down into cold, wet and muddy, trench warfare. But something peculiar occurred in the evenings leading up to Christmas. Soldiers on both sides sang hymns!

By Christmas Eve, the combatants had decked their trenches with Christmas symbols. The Brits had their sprays of holly, while the Germans, in certain places, hung paper lanterns at the top of their trenches. For mile after mile along the front, groups of soldiers ventured out into “no man’s land,” singing Christmas carols as they recovered their dead or wounded.

And then came Christmas morning. It was cold and frosty at first light—and very quiet. Absent were the sounds of planes and bombs, cannon and rifle fire. Even though a cease fire had not been ordered, a Christmas truce was in effect. All up and down the line, enemy soldiers were meeting in the middle to shake hands and even exchange Christmas gifts. On the outskirts of Frelingheim, Germans rolled over a barrel of beer and the English brought along some plum pudding. Near Le Touquet, the Germans defeated the English—in a game of football.

Oh, that Americans should enjoy such a truce at Christmas. Imagine sharing hymns at public schools, displaying a crèche in public places without a court order, or finding sales clerks who are encouraged by management to say “Merry Christmas.”

A little tongue-in-cheek you say? Of course. But the increasing intolerance towards things that point to Christ during the “holy days,” should serve to remind us that there is a war, and we are Christian soldiers. We are not fighting for a temporary truce, however. Our Commander-in-Chief demands total surrender! At the moment of His return, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD.

Merry Christmas to you, and yours.