Christmas in the Trenches

The outbreak of war in 1914 was greeted with euphoria by many in Europe, and it was widely believed that the conflict would be "over by Christmas." In the event, millions of men were destined to spend the first of four seasons away from their families and loved ones. Amid the shortages, tedium, and dangers of life in the trenches, those at "the sharp end" remained determined to celebrate Christmas as a time of comradeship and community, a time when war could be set aside, if only for a day. Unli