Join us as we take a look back through Christmas history at three events you didn’t know happened on the Christmas holiday.
For most people, the month of December, means the end of the calendar year, colder nights, and most importantly, Christmas!
The holiday season is my favorite time of year because it brings both love and warmth to my heart. This joyous celebration allows me to spend precious time with my family, eat great food, and of course, open presents.
However, most of us might not know that the “most wonderful time of the year” has also been home to some of history’s most famous events. Join me as I take you back in time to explore three historical events you didn’t know happened on Christmas.
George Washington And The Continental Army Cross The Delaware River
As many of you might remember, the Revolutionary War looked all but over for colonial forces after a series of defeats by the British army. These defeats had depleted colonial forces and left many soldiers to desert the army altogether. However, on Christmas Day 1776, General George Washington, desperate for victory, led 2,400 soldiers on a treacherous nighttime crossing of the cold and icy Delaware River toward New Jersey.
On December 26, 1776 the Continental Army had finally reached Trenton, NJ, and launched a surprise attack on the Germans (also known as Hessians), who were still disoriented from the previous night’s holiday party. General George Washington’s gamble paid off, as colonial forces took down the mighty Hessians with minimal bloodshed. This was a critical victory for the Continental Army which helped to turn the tide of the Revolutionary War in favor of the colonials.
Apollo 8 Orbits The Moon
On Christmas Eve, 1968, astronauts Frank Borman, James A. Lovell Jr., and William A. Anders manned the space mission known as Apollo 8, which reached the moon’s orbit. The Apollo 8 mission was the first piloted space rocket to break free from Earth’s orbit and circle around the moon. Their original mission was to test the lunar module (space vehicle) in Earth’s orbit which was later used in the Apollo 11 mission. When work fell behind on the lunar module, NASA changed the mission to a lunar voyage.
The Apollo 8 astronauts become the first men to orbit the moon, to see the moon’s dark side, and to view all of Earth from space. However, the Apollo 8 mission is best remembered today for the broadcast of the astronauts as they entered the moon’s orbit on Christmas Eve. The broadcast became one of the most watched television events in history.
The Christmas Truce Of World War I
User: Riottoso / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA-4.0
One of the most amazing historical events to ever happen on Christmas Day came in one of the most unlikely of places amidst the war torn battlefields of WWI. Starting on Christmas Eve, 1914, members of the German, British, and French forces located in Belgium had a temporary holiday ceasefire.
What makes this one of history’s most unusual events is that these men had been slaughtering each other for days prior to this ceasefire. It is said that the truce was initiated by German soldiers who embellished their war torn trenches with candles and Christmas greens, and began singing carols to help lighten the mood. Many soldiers even took part in a pick-up game of soccer before the men were called back to resume fighting. The World War I Christmas Truce is considered by many to be one of the most extraordinary examples of peace that any war has ever seen.
For more information on each of these three historical events, please visit the History.com blog on 7 Historical Events That Took Place On Christmas.
Which historical event that happened on Christmas surprised you the most? Do you know of any other world events that happened during the Christmas holiday? I’d love to hear your answers in the comments section below!