One of the most famous Christmas carols is undoubtedly Silent Night (‘Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!’). It was written in 1816 and first performed on Christmas Eve in 1818 in a small Austrian village. This carol became hugely popular and has since been sung by many artists across many different music genres. Silent Night has been translated into over 300 languages and dialects over the years, and was even sung by French, British and German troops during the 1914 Christmas truce of the First World War, as it was the one Christmas carol that soldiers on both sides of the frontline knew. Christmas of 1914 was the only time when the soldiers stopped fighting and put down their weapons to celebrate a day of peace. The soldiers shared not only Christianity, they shared Christmas and its carols, and for one day were able to remember that Christmas is a time for peace to all men.
May this Christmas be a peaceful time for you, whatever your background, and may you enjoy a special time with your loved ones as 2013 draws to an end. I look forward to sharing more posts with you in the New Year!