90 years ago.........

[Shammu]

On Christmas Eve, in the section where the British opposed the Germans, the British gathered holly, and the Germans set up small Christmas trees which they lit up. It was an unofficial “truce”. German soldiers started to sing “Stille Nacht”, and the British joined in the carol in English “Silent Night”.

An English soldier later wrote: (Albert Moren, a Private in the 2nd Queen’s Regiment,)  “It was a beautiful, moonlit night, frost on the ground, white almost everywhere, About 7 or 8 in the evening, there was a lot of commotion in the German trenches, and there were lights. And then they sang ‘Stille Nacht - Silent Night’. I shall never forget it as long as I live. It was one of the highlights of my life.”

The soldiers shook hands with their enemies, exchanged small gifts, and even played football!

"Silent Night"

silent night, holy night
all is calm, all is bright
round yon virgin mother and child
holy infant so tender and mild
sleep in heavenly peace
sleep in heavenly peace

silent night, holy night
shepherds quake at the sight
glories stream from heaven afar
heavenly hosts sing alleluia
Christ the savior is born
Christ the savior is born

silent night, holy night
son of god
love's pure light
radiant beams from thy holy face
with the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus lord at thy birth
Jesus lord at thy birth

Jesus lord at thy birth
Jesus lord at thy birth

sleep in heavenly peace
sleep in heavenly peace

[Bern]

Then wrent back to shooting each other the next day.

[Shammu]

Then wrent back to shooting each other the next day.

I was going to post that later.  A full day of not fighting, they put aside their differences. The point is, even in war, they could celebrate Christmas.

[Symphony]

Yes, I've heard of this.  I think it's depicted in a movie.

'Funny how you can look at it two opposite ways:

Thankful for a truce and fellowship, or

Critical, b/c then they went back to shoot each other (thus hypo-critcal)

I tend to see it the latter way.

What am I doing one moment shaking hands with a man, and the next, shooting him?

I tend to see it the latter way.  Very confused, hypocritcal, mixed up.

A reflection of our general human life:  Confused, hypocritical, mixed up.

...singing Silent Night, and then shooting each other.

Men behaving as hypocritical beasts.

This is just how it seems to me.

And I'm a man.