EDITORIAL: A 'strange Christmas eve'
Dec. 22—This is a strange Christmas eve," Winston Churchill said in 1941.
A year before, Christmas 1940, Britain stood alone against "the mightiest conquerer Europe had ever known," according to Churchill biographer William Manchester.
In London, there was no ringing of bells, a Christmas tradition, because in 1940 it was feared they would signal an invasion had begun. There would be no lights. That Christmas, 1940, Churchill had refused to allow staff off, suggesting the time "be used not only for overtaking arrears but for tackling new problems in greater detail," according to Erik Larson's history, "The Splendid and the Vile."
But things had changed. By Christmas 1941, Britain no longer stood alone. Russia was battling Germany and its allies on the Eastern Front. And just a few weeks earlier, with the attack on Pearl Harbor, America had entered the war.
Churchill had risked crossing the Atlantic to come to Washington for a strategy meeting with President Franklin Roosevelt.
On Christmas Eve, continuing a 20-year tradition, the plans were to light the National Community Christmas Tree on the South Lawn of the White House. According to Larson, 30,000 people had gathered to watch.
Churchill that night gave a speech broadcast to those he called fellow "workers in the cause of freedom."
"Almost the whole world is locked in deadly struggle, armed with the most terrible weapons which science can devise, the nations advance upon each other. Ill would it be for us this Christmastide if we were not sure that no greed for the land or wealth of any other people, no vulgar ambition, no morbid lust for material gain at the expense of others, had led us to the field. Ill would it be for us if that were so. Here, in the midst of war, raging and roaring over all the lands and seas, creeping nearer to our hearts and homes, here, amid all the tumult, we have tonight the peace of the spirit in each cottage home and in every generous heart. Therefore, we may cast aside, for this night at least, the cares and dangers which beset us, and make for the children an evening of happiness in a world of storm. Here, then, for one night only, each home throughout the English-speaking world should be a brightly-lighted island of happiness and peace.
"Let the children have their night of fun and laughter. Let the gifts of Father Christmas delight their play. Let us grownups share to the full in their unstinted pleasures before we turn again to the stern task and the formidable years that lie before us, resolved that, by our sacrifice and daring, these same children shall not be robbed of their inheritance or denied their right to live in a free and decent world.
"And so ... in God's mercy, a happy Christmas to you all."
Then, the crowd joined in singing a Christmas carol that was originally composed in German, "Silent Night."
"Sleep in Heavenly Peace."
"Sleep in Heavenly Peace."
To all our readers, we pray that your lights always stay on, that the bells always ring, not out of warning but out of joy, and that our children, too, have their time of fun and laughter, and are robbed neither of their inheritance or their right to live in a free and decent world.
A happy Christmas to you all.
