“We don’t want to fight today…”

This Christmas Eve, my thoughts turn to our troops as they wage war on foreign battlefields. For those, seeing little reprieve in conflict with our current enemy – Islamic extremists – the joy of the season must be tinged bittersweet as they think of their loved ones, keeping the hearth fires warm, waiting for their return. I thought, then, of another war where the unimaginable happened… voluntary and unofficial truces all across Europe on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day during WWI in 1914. While the stories that have passed thru the years may have morphed almost into myth, they are, indeed, true.

“We don’t want to fight today…. we will send you some beer”.

The website, The First World War, notes the reality of this unofficial truce was less romantic than it was just a down to earth simple story of a shared misery, and a longing for home. The enthusiasm for war had waned, and both sides knew it would be a long time before they marched for home…. and that many would never see home again. The frontlines were still in view of nearby villages and civilization, and conditions for both sides were equally hard.

As Christmas approached the festive mood and the desire for a lull in the fighting increased as parcels packed with goodies from home started to arrive. On top of this came gifts care of the state. Tommy received plum puddings and ‘Princess Mary boxes’; a metal case engraved with an outline of George V’s daughter and filled with chocolates and butterscotch, cigarettes and tobacco, a picture card of Princess Mary and a facsimile of George V’s greeting to the troops. ‘May God protect you and bring you safe home,’ it said.

Not to be outdone, Fritz received a present from the Kaiser, the Kaiserliche, a large meerschaum pipe for the troops and a box of cigars for NCOs and officers. Towns, villages and cities, and numerous support associations on both sides also flooded the front with gifts of food, warm clothes and letters of thanks.

The Belgians and French also received goods, although not in such an organised fashion as the British or Germans. For these nations the Christmas of 1914 was tinged with sadness – their countries were occupied. It is no wonder that the Truce, although it sprung up in some spots on French and Belgian lines, never really caught hold as it did in the British sector.

With their morale boosted by messages of thanks and their bellies fuller than normal, and with still so much Christmas booty to hand, the season of goodwill entered the trenches. A British Daily Telegraph correspondent wrote that on one part of the line the Germans had managed to slip a chocolate cake into British trenches.

Even more amazingly, it was accompanied with a message asking for a ceasefire later that evening so they could celebrate the festive season and their Captain’s birthday. They proposed a concert at 7.30pm when candles, the British were told, would be placed on the parapets of their trenches.

The British accepted the invitation and offered some tobacco as a return present. That evening, at the stated time, German heads suddenly popped up and started to sing. Each number ended with a round of applause from both sides.

The Germans then asked the British to join in. At this point, one very mean-spirited Tommy shouted: ‘We’d rather die than sing German.’ To which a German joked aloud: ‘It would kill us if you did’.

The accounts across the various skirmish sites are varied… from tales of the soccer games to singing contests, shared meals, and banners with greetings messages raised on bayonets. Others used the time to recover the bodies of the fallen, and many joint burial ceremonies were held. For a few hours, on a day held holy by many, enemies shared all they both held dear… life, and a longing for home, families and peace.

This spontaneous breaking out in peace has been honored both in song (Paul McCartney, Garth Brooks, and folk singers John McCutcheon and Mike Harding) and modest memorials. Below are two descendents of WWI – Peter Knight and Stefan Langheinrich – reenacting the truce in 2008 during the unveiling of the Truce Memorial at Frelinghien… a village on the border of Belgium and France.

And to the right, the Khaki Chum’s Christmas Truce Memorial near Ypres, Belgium. The text reads: 1914 – The Khaki Chum’s Christmas Truce – 1999 – 85 Years – Lest We Forget.

To our troops everywhere, and our own Old Trooper… stashed somewhere not far from these memorials… a Merry Christmas. Plus a prayer that all our warriors will find themselves in moment of quiet and joy this holy day. And to all of you in the FA forum, may the joys of Christmas, and optimism of the New Year live in your hearts forever.

UPDATED: Also recalling the events of the 1914 Christmas Truce is Oliver North in his article today, A Christmas Wish for our Troops. He, too, realizes that such an event – already rare in history – would never happen with our current enemy.

Five years ago, as I prepared to leave Iraq so I could be home for Christmas, a young Marine approached me with a question I’ll remember this year and every Christmas as long as I live. “What do you want for Christmas?” he asked.

I told him, “I want you to get home safely.” That was my Christmas wish then and will remain my wish until the War on Terror is won.

But I have another wish. It’s said today only 2 percent of Americans know the name of someone serving in the armed forces. My second wish this Christmas is that the men and women who comprise our armed forces – the bravest, most-committed, and most selfless young people I’ve ever known – will receive the recognition and thanks they deserve.

I’ve made it a goal to spread their stories through my Fox News Channel show and my book, “American Heroes in Special Operations.” I hope you’ll join me during this season of joy in giving thanks for – and to – our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Guardsmen, and Marines.