christmas

"I think on Christmas Eve, we'd been singing carols and this that and the other, and the Germans had been doing the same. And we’d been shouting to each other, sometimes rude remarks more often just joking remarks. Anyway, eventually a German said, "Tomorrow you no shoot, we no shoot." And the morning came and we didn’t shoot and they didn’t shoot. So then we began to pop our heads over the side and jump down quickly in case they shot but they didn’t shoot. And then we saw a German standing up, waving his arms and we didn’t shoot and so on, and so it gradually grew."

"We are having the most extraordinary Christmas Day imaginable. A sort of unarranged and quite unauthorized but perfectly understood and scrupulously observed truce exists between us and our friends in front. The funny thing is it only seems to exist in this part of the battle line—on our right and left we can all hear them firing away as cheerfully as ever. The thing started last night—a bitter cold night, with white frost—soon after dusk when the Germans started shouting 'Merry Christmas, Englishmen' to us. Of course our fellows shouted back and presently large numbers of both sides had left their trenches, unarmed, and met in the debatable, shot-riddled, no man's land between the lines. Here the agreement—all on their own—came to be made that we should not fire at each other until after midnight tonight. The men were all fraternizing in the middle (we naturally did not allow them too close to our line) and swapped cigarettes and lies in the utmost good fellowship. Not a shot was fired all night."

"We got orders come down the trench, "Get back in your trenches every man", by word of mouth down each trench; "Everybody back in your trenches", shouting. The generals behind must've seen it and got a bit suspicious so what they did, they gave orders for a battery of guns behind us to fire, and a machine gun to open out and officers to fire their revolvers at the Jerries. 'Course that started the war again. Ooh we were cursing them to hell, cursing the generals and that, you want to get up here in this stuff never mind your giving orders, in your big chateaux and driving about in your big cars."

"The armistice was an event of significance for those involved, even if its contemporaneous meaning was not the defiant moral that was imposed on it long afterward. The truce meant time off for weary soldiers, providing them with an opportunity to move about in the lines without fear of snipers, rebuild their trenches, and enjoy Christmas as best they could under the circumstances, as well as a chance to satisfy their curiosity about the enemy and write home about something besides the endless mud and shelling. The holiday cease-fire became a valued memory for the participants, as demonstrated by the way it was discussed in letters written by the soldiers, fondly recalled years later in interviews and memoirs describing their service, and featured in many regimental histories."

"It remains one human episode amid all the atrocities which have stained the memory of the war."

"[A] ball appeared from somewhere, I don’t know where, but it came from their side… They made up some goals and one fellow went in goal and then it was just a general kickabout. I should think there were a couple of hundred taking part. I had a go at the ball. I was pretty good then, at 19. Everybody seemed to be enjoying themselves. There was no sort of ill-will between us…. There was no referee and no score, no tally at all. It was simply a mêlee—nothing like the soccer that you see on television. The boots we wore were a menace—those great big boots we had on—and in those days the balls were made of leather and they soon got very soggy."

"'Twas in the moon of winter-time When all the birds had fled, That mighty Gitchi Manitou Sent angel choirs instead"

"It was he who, in living flesh and blood, a great sheepskin coat covering him and an immense white beard bushing his stern old face, appeared on Christmas eve in the old town and gave the children their Christmas gifts, unless they had been very very naughty."

"As a new minister, I wanted my first holiday services to be both attractive and meaningful. The Christmas Eve service included a candle lighting ceremony in which each congregant lit a candle from his neighbor's candle. At the conclusion of the ceremony, the congregation sat hushed, pondering the beauty of the moment. I rose to announce a hymn and was taken completely by surprise when laughter broke out in response to my invitation ‘Now that everyone is lit, let us sing joy to the world."

"Oh, joy, Christmas Eve. By this time tomorrow, millions of Americans, knee deep in tinsel and wrapping paper, will utter those heartfelt words. “Is this All I got?”"

"In Spanish and Latin countries, Midnight Mass is referred to as the Mass of the Rooster, after the legend that says the only time a rooster ever crowed at midnight was at the moment of Christ’s birth.. The Polish Midnight Mass is called Mass Pasternak (Mass of the Shepherds), in commemoration of the shepherds present in accounts of the first Christmas."

"Why does Santa Claus come down the chimney on Christmas Eve? Because it soots him."

"Who is the good natured, plump man who goes all over the world on Christmas Eve working miracles?” Our ten year old son answered, “Henry Kissinger!” —"

"Two or three boys of the community where she lived, would dress up in the oldest rags they could find on Christmas Eve. They would also blacken their faces, get a big stick or whip, and then with their pockets full of nuts and candy they would roam from house to house in the community on Christmas Eve"

"On Christmas Eve, a young boy with light in his eyes Looked deep into Santa’s, to Santa’s surprise And said as he sat on Santa’s broad knee, "I want your secret. Tell it to me." He leaned up and whispered in Santa’s good ear "How do you do it, year after year?" "I want to know how, as you travel about, Giving gifts here and there, you never run out. How is it, dear Santa, that in your pack of toys You have plenty for all of the world’s girls and boys? Stays so full, never empties, as you make your way From rooftop to rooftop, to homes large and small, From nation to nation, reaching them all?" And Santa smiled kindly and said to the boy, "Don’t ask me hard questions. Don’t you want a toy?" But the child shook his head, and Santa could see That he needed the answer. "Now listen to me," He told that small boy with the light in his eyes, "My secret will make you sadder and wise. "The truth is that my sack is magic inside It holds millions of toys for my Christmas Eve ride. But although I do visit each girl and each boy I don’t always leave them a gaily wrapped toy. Some homes are hungry, some homes are sad, Some homes are desperate, some homes are bad. Some homes are broken, and the children there grieve. Those homes I visit, but what should I leave? "My sleigh is filled with the happiest stuff, But for homes where despair lives toys aren’t enough. So I tiptoe in, kiss each girl and boy, And I pray with them that they’ll be given the joy Of the spirit of Christmas, the spirit that lives In the heart of the dear child who gets not, but gives. "If only God hears me and answers my prayer, When I visit next year, what I will find there Are homes filled with peace, and with giving, and love And boys and girls gifted with light from above. It’s a very hard task, my smart little brother, To give toys to some, and to give prayers to others. But the prayers are the best gifts, the best gifts indeed, For God has a way of meeting each person’s need. "That’s part of the answer. The rest, my dear youth,Is that my sack is magic. And that is the truth. In my sack I carry on Christmas Eve day More love than a Santa could ever give away. The sack never empties of love, or of joys `Cause inside it are prayers, and hope. Not just toys. The more that I give, the fuller it seems, Because giving is my way of fulfilling dreams. "And do you know something? You’ve got a sack, too. It’s as magic as mine, and it’s inside of you. It never gets empty, it’s full from the start. It’s the center of light, and love. It’s your heart. And if on this Christmas you want to help me, Don’t be so concerned with the gifts `neath your tree. Open that sack called your heart, and share Your joy, your friendship, your wealth, your care." The light in the small boy’s eyes was glowing. "Thanks for your secret. I’ve got to be going." "Wait, little boy," said Santa, "don’t go. Will you share? Will you help? Will you use what you know?" And just for a moment the small boy stood still, Touched his heart with his small hand and whispered, "I will"."

"The shortest night of the year is Christmas Eve — from sundown to sun up."

"When I first began having children, I was one of those moms who had the matching outfit family w:Christmas cardChristmas card pictures, the matching pajamas for Christmas Eve, and thought that if it all looked perfect, that would be the memories my children..."

"Sicilians traditionally celebrate Christmas Eve with a "Feast of Seven Fishes" which was historically served after a 24 hour fasting period. Although pre-Christmas fasting is not a popular custom still practiced by Italian-Americans, many still enjoy a meatless Christmas Eve feast."

"According to an ancient Sardinian legend, the bodies of those who are born on Christmas Eve will never dissolve into dust but are preserved until the end of time."

"After Christmas, after everyone had gone, he sat down in Helens study and reread the first chapter of Philosophy Made Simple. He was trying to figure out what had happened to him on Christmas Eve. He was looking for a passage in which Uncle Siva –TJ’s uncle Siva – quote Socrates comparison of the soul to a bird, and when he found it: he underlined it, for man who beholds the beauty of this world will sometimes be reminded of true beauty, and his wings will begin to grow and he will desire to spread his wings and fly upward, and because he gazes upward, like a bird, and cares nothing for the world below, he will be considered mad."

"Christmas Eve . . . eat only fish."

"A Visit from St. Nicholas Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there."

"Finally, on Christmas Eve, the fifth candle is lit, representing Christ, the light of the world."

"Christmas Eve is a time when families begin to gather to celebrate Christmas Day often traveling to be with each other, and enjoying a Christmas Eve supper together. Historically, it was also the day when Christmas trees and decorations were set up; however, the festive garlands are now often in place weeks beforehand."

"One snowy, stormy Christmas Eve, this perfect couple was driving their car along a winding road when they noticed someone at the side of the road in distress. Being a perfect couple they stopped to help. There stood Santa Claus with a huge bundle of toys. Not wanting to disappoint any children on the eve of Christmas, the perfect couple loaded Santa and his toys into their vehicle. Soon they were driving along delivering the toys. Unfortunately, the driving conditions deteriorated and the prefect couple; and Santa had an accident. Only one of them survived. Question: Who survived? The perfect woman survived. She is the only one who existed in the first place. Every one knows that there is no Santa Claus and there is no such thing as a perfect man."

"In preparation for a Christmas Eve performance, some of the members of our church were rehearsing a group of carols. All went well except for one song, which sounded slightly off. After listening carefully I finally located the source of trouble. One girl, who came from the Deep South, had been singing: “O lil' ol' town of Bethlehem..."

"Clay: What's the FBI doing here on Christmas Eve? Parrish (Chuckling, opening the briefcase, taking out papers.): I could ask that, too. At seven o'clock tomorrow morning, one hundred and eighty-five miles from here, four children — all under the age of twelve — expect me to come down a chimney."

"We have frequently seen gangs of young fellows parading the streets of a Christmas eve, with their shirts outside of their lower garments, and their faces blackened.over.They would visit homes, and after going through a series of “mumming” as it was called thay would put the master of the place under contribution of money or drink and go somewhere else to go through the same foolery."

"This antipathy to Christmas coupled with the custom of playing cards and chess on Christmas Eve continued unabated in the United States by many Hasidic groups, who brought with them from Europe longstanding attitudes towards Christmas Eve."

"...one of those scenes that Christmas eve alone presents. The general jollity, indeed, was of a character that on no other night would be tolerated. Not that the scene was one of disorder, but that the boisterous jocundity manifested by the people in the streets was such as on any other occasion would have been out of place Calathumpian bands and masquerades were moving about during the whole evening, and the clock struck twelve considerably before the streets were quiet."

"It's a good idea to send the kids to bed early on Christmas Eve. It gives fathers a few more hours to play with their toys."

"A government snooper in my house on Christmas Eve! I could spit! This is my property! I have a deed! I have something that says! CLAY. Are you going to put Mike through to New Zealand? CHRIS. What is it? Did Mike say something on the Radio."

"...the night of Christmas Eve is also when Santa Claus and his many variants are believed to travel the world, leaving behind presents. Although in many countries people open presents on Christmas morning, some open them on Christmas Eve—this includes Canada's Quebec province, as well as [[Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Portugal."

"The story had held us, round the fire, sufficiently breathless, but except the obvious remark that it was gruesome, as, on Christmas Eve in an old house, a strange tale should essentially be...”"

"The grate had been removed from the wide overwhelming fireplace, to make way for a fire of wood, in the midst of which was an enormous log glowing and blazing, and sending forth a vast volume of light and heat; this I understood was the Yule-log, which the Squire was particular in having brought in and illumined on a Christmas eve, according to ancient custom."

"Christmas Eve: The day before Christmas Day is one of great anticipation, and is marked in many countries and cultures. The most popular Christmas Mass for Roman Catholics is the Midnight Mass, a tradition that began in the early 400s. Midnight mass is traditionally held at midnight, as Christmas Eve becomes Christmas Day, because it believed that Jesus was born at midnight. In today’s churches, both Catholic and Protestant, services may be held at midnight or earlier, incorporating carols and the Nativity."

"Buying the Christmas tree. ... Why can't they make Christmas presents to fit the wrapping paper? BEN. ... Mr. Hertzog and his wife are checking up on an old economic theory that on Christmas Eve you can buy any tree in town for a dollar."

"Christmas Eve was a night of song that wrapped itself about you like a shawl. But it warmed more than your body. It warmed your heart... filled it, too, with melody that would last forever."

"Christmas Eve Prayer: Give us, O God, the vision which can see Your love in the world in spite of human failure. Give us the faith to trust Your goodness in spite of our ignorance and weakness. Give us the knowledge that we may continue to pray with understanding hearts. And show us what each one of us can do to set forward the coming of the day of universal peace."

"The office was closed in a twinkling, and the clerk, with the long ends of his white comforter dangling below his waist (for he boasted no great-coat), went down a slide on Cornhill, at the end of lane of boys, twenty times in honour of its being Christmas-eve, and then ran home to Candem Town as hard as he could pelt, to play at blindman's-buff"

"I watched the tall plain trees that ring three sides of it being pruned in what seemed a crazily brutal way .... Then, magically, for Christmas Eve and the formal opening with its speeches and music, the tall trees turned into arbres-de-Noel, twinkling with thousands of little lights the color of champagne."

"So fair a fancy few would weave In these years! Yet, I feel, If someone said on Christmas Eve, Come see the oxen kneel In the lonely barton by yonder comb Our childhood used to know Hoping it might be so."

"Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world. You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, , in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding. No Santa Claus! Thank ! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, , nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood."

"Yes, , there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy."

"Santa Claus: I have watched over you all your lives. I've taken care of you from Christmas to Christmas."

"Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no . There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished."

"They err who think Santa Claus enters through the chimney. He enters through the heart."

"Santa Claus is anyone who loves another and seeks to make them happy; who gives himself by thought or word or deed in every gift that he bestows; who shares his joys with those who are sad; whose hand is never closed against the needy; whose arm is ever outstretched to aid the week; whose sympathy is quick and genuine in time of trouble; who recognizes a comrade and brother in every man he meets upon life's common road; who lives his life throughout the entire year in the Christmas spirit."

"To say there is no Santa Claus is the most erroneous statement in the world. Santa Claus is a thought that is passed from generation to generation. After time this thought takes on a human form. Maybe if all children and adults understand the symbolism of this thought we can actually attain Peace on Earth and good will to men everywhere."

"I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus"