Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. – Luke 2:14, KJV

Bullets were flying from trench to trench, and during the months since the war began, nearly 1 million lives had perished. Though many had thought the war would last only a few weeks, most understood by December 1914 that World War 1 was going to be a long slog.

But on December 24, 1914, something remarkable happened. Much of the fighting on the Western Front stopped, and in its place arose peace and good will toward men. As the New York Times reported on December 25, 2005, journals and letters written by men on the Western front give us glimpses into how Christmas cheer stopped World War 1 for a day:

It was a beautiful moonlit night, frost on the ground, white almost everywhere; and about 7 or 8 in the evening there was a lot of commotion in the German trenches and there were these lights -I don’t know what they were. And then they sang “Silent Night” – “Stille Nacht.” I shall never forget it, it was one of the highlights of my life. I thought, what a beautiful tune. – Pvt. Albert Moren of the Second Queens Regiment, Christmas Eve, near the French village of La Chapelle d’Armentières

Then suddenly lights began to appear along the German parapet, which were evidently make-shift Christmas trees, adorned with lighted candles, which burnt steadily in the still, frosty air! … First the Germans would sing one of their carols and then we would sing one of ours, until when we started up “O Come, All Ye Faithful” the Germans immediately joined in singing the same hymn to the Latin words Adeste Fideles. And I thought, well, this is really a most extraordinary thing – two nations both singing the same carol in the middle of a war. – Rifleman Graham Williams of the Fifth London Rifle Brigade

We shook hands, wished each other a Merry Xmas, and were soon conversing as if we had known each other for years. We were in front of their wire entanglements and surrounded by Germans – Fritz and I in the center talking, and Fritz occasionally translating to his friends what I was saying. We stood inside the circle like street corner orators. … What a sight – little groups of Germans and British extending almost the length of our front! Out of the darkness we could hear laughter and see lighted matches, a German lighting a Scotchman’s cigarette and vice versa, exchanging cigarettes and souvenirs. – Cpl. John Ferguson of the Second Seaforth Highlanders

Eventually the English brought a soccer ball from their trenches, and pretty soon a lively game ensued. How marvelously wonderful, yet how strange it was. The English officers felt the same way about it. Thus Christmas, the celebration of Love, managed to bring mortal enemies together as our friends for a time. – Lt. Kurt Zehmisch of Germany’s 134th Saxons Infantry Regiment

Indeed, Christmas is a celebration of Love, and the reason for the season – Jesus Christ – always intended to bring mortal enemies together as friends. The enemies He came to reconcile, however, were not warring men. The enemies He came to reconcile were men and women, boys and girls who were, are, and will be warring against God. But:

…God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. – John 3:16, KJV

and through His wonderful gift, we can have peace between God and mankind. When we have His peace, then we can experience peace with other people, making miracles like the Christmas Truce of 1914 an everyday event.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Shop hundreds of Christian-themed products at our new store! A portion of each purchase goes to support the work of Today’s Quote From God. To visit the Today’s Quote From God Store, please click here.