A Christmas Truce

Each year during the month of December something special happens all over the world. Christmas, the celebration of the birth of Jesus changes all of us. It seems to me that this is the only time of the year when “Peace on Earth and Goodwill toward Men” is a real possibility… At least temporarily.

Imagine a world where people are constantly focused on giving gifts to others to make them happy. Imagine the children of the world filled with the joy, anticipation and wonder of Christmas every day, trying to please their parents and the mystical “Santa” that brings those gifts.

The mothers and fathers of the world would be so happy to be able to look forward to having their families together regularly, and to be able to share the love that only families share. Many of the conflicts of daily life could be mitigated by the sheer proximity and the ability to simply talk to each other.

I love to go out and be among people during the holiday season. People are just friendlier. They are more likely to smile and talk to you. People are more willing to help you. They are more likely to tell you to enjoy the holidays and really mean it.

Although our economy has found a way to profit from our almost universal celebration, even the vast majority of the merchants shut down on Christmas Day. They call a truce, go home to be with their families, and allow their employees to do the same. The schools close, as well as the government. The Congress goes home, and the President too. The soldiers, airmen, sailors, and marines go home too, (if they can get a pass).

For many people, Christmas is one of two times each year when they acknowledge that there may be something of this world greater than themselves. (The other time is Easter Sunday). Many will go to church, and some will simply think of the Nativity story they have heard since their own birth, listen to the ubiquitous carols, and quietly consider the wonder of it all.

Thankfully, the national news channels will take a break from the political and ideological wars. We will probably hear little about police brutality, immigration, Cuba, ISIS, the 2016 Presidential election, or North Korea. Lead stories on local news broadcasts might, just might, not be about the most frightening thing they can find or invent.

It is true, as the song says, “It’s the most……wonderful time of the year.”

In December of 1914, Pope Benedict XV, suggested a temporary Christmas truce during World War I. The leaders of the countries involved in the heaviest fighting, France, Germany, and Great Britain ignored him. The soldiers doing the actual fighting in the muddy, filthy, bloody, disease infected, miserable trenches had other ideas. On Christmas Eve the troops “started to sing Christmas carols to each other across the lines… At the first light of dawn on Christmas Day, German soldiers emerged from their trenches and approached the British lines across no-man’s land, calling out ‘Merry Christmas’ in their native tongues. At first the Allied soldiers thought it was a trick, but seeing that the Germans were unarmed they too climbed out of their trenches and shook hands with their enemies. The men exchanged presents of cigarettes and plum puddings and sang carols together. Some of the soldiers even played a good natured game of soccer. Some of the soldiers used this time for the retrieval of the bodies of fellow soldiers who had fallen within the no-man’s land between the lines.”

On the next day, they went back to killing each other.

Nevertheless, Christmas has so much appeal to man’s humanity that it could literally push the pause button on a world war.

Last night my wife and I met with four of our friends in a restaurant in Silver Spring, Maryland. We have known each other for 30 years. We have worked together, worshipped together, and watched our children grow up together. We laughed, smiled, hugged, kissed, and reminisced. We took pictures, discussed the pros and cons of a digital world, solved some of the world’s problems, and admitted defeat on some of the others. We looked at each other and made mental notes of the changes the years have brought, while acknowledging how kind the years have been to each of us physically and mentally. We spoke of our love for each other, but more importantly, we felt our love for each other. The food was wonderful, but being together again was better.

Christmas, made us do it. Christmas was the reason we decided to call a truce in our busy lives and take the time to be with each other, to love each other, and promise to do it again, soon, and more often than we did in the previous year.

Of course, if we forget, Christmas will remind us…. Next year.