A Very Scary Christmas

Soldiers on in the battlefield prior to the World War I Christmas Truce

CC0

Listen now  Download file 
Embed player
Original Air Date: 
December 16, 2001

On Christmas Eve of 1914, German soldiers in the Flanders trenches lit candles on small Christmas trees.  British, French, Belgian and German troops serenaded each other with songs.  Soon enemy soldiers broke bread with each other and exchanged letters.  In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, historian Stanley Weintraub shares the story of the World War I Christmas Truce.  And we’ll explore the cultural history of the festive season. 

Mark Connelly on "Christmas at the Movies"

To The Best Of Our Knowledge
Audio

Mark Connelly tells Steve Paulson that Christmas gives people the same kind of emotional satisfaction they seek from the movies, so it’s a perfect match.

Stanley Weintraub on the World War I Christmas Truce

The Illustrated London News's illustration of the Christmas Truce
Sonic Sidebar

In 1914, over the week leading up to Christmas day, the opposing troops sang carols to each other, played ball and exchanged gifts, in spite of their generals’ wishes. Historian Stanley Weintraub says that the Christmas Truce was a one-time-only event.

Length: 
7:31

Brian Smith on Recycled Christmas

To The Best Of Our Knowledge
Audio

Brian Smith tells Jim about his family’s “Recycled Christmas.” None of the gifts could be new, and the only gift wrap allowed was old newspaper. He says that Christmas was one of his best ever.

Karal Ann Marling on Christmas in America

To The Best Of Our Knowledge
Audio

Karal Ann Marling tells Anne Strainchamps that American Christmas traditions led to an improvement in the status of women and helped nurture manufacturing industries from candy to cardboard.

Show Details 📻
Airdates
December 16, 2001
December 15, 2002
Guests: 
To The Best Of Our Knowledge

Mark Connelly

Historian

Stanley Weintraub

Historian (1929-2019)
To The Best Of Our Knowledge

Brian Smith

Essayist
poormojo.org

Karal Ann Marling

Professor of Art History
Categories: 
Politics and History
Last modified: 
December 02, 2020