I love this true story of a random act of peace. This is from Wikipedia.

The truce began on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1914, when German troops began decorating the area around their trenches in the region of Ypres, Belgium, for Christmas. They began by placing candles on trees, then continued the celebration by singing Christmas carols, most notably Stille Nacht (Silent Night). The British troops in the trenches across from them responded by singing English carols.

The two sides continued by shouting Christmas greetings to each other. Soon thereafter, there were calls for visits across the "No Man's Land" where small gifts were exchanged — whisky, jam, cigars, chocolate, and the like. The artillery in the region fell silent that night. The truce also allowed a breathing spell where recently-fallen soldiers could be brought back behind their lines by burial parties. Proper burials took place as soldiers from both sides mourned the dead together and paid their respects. At one funeral in No Man's Land, soldiers from both sides gathered and read a passage from the 23rd Psalm:

The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul. He leadeth me in the path of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.

The truce spread to other areas of the lines, and there are many stories of football matches between the opposing forces. The film Joyeux Noël suggests that letters sent home from both British and German soldiers related that the score was 3-2 in favour of the Germans.

John McDermott (formerly of The Irish Tenors) sings Christmas in the Trenches on his CD, Remembrance.  It's excellent & so is the rest of the CD.

Years ago, I heard John McCutcheon sing "Christmas in the Trenches" at a live concert at the Laurel Theatre in Knoxville, TN. Like you, Claire, I got shivers and goosebumps (along with a lump in my throat) as I listened to John sing that wonderful song in that wonderful space (the Laurel is a former Cumberland Presbyterian church turned into performance space and offices....) Now, no Christmas Day is complete for me unless I listen to that song at least once (thank you, Mr. Jobs, for the iPod!!)

Shalom,
Merrill

[QUOTE=RJMcElwain;138877][COLOR="Navy"]Roseann,

Of course, to learn from history, one has to actually read about it.  :([/COLOR][/QUOTE]

Or just read.  :eek:

Interesting. Richard