Christmas is for Sharing, Even During War!
Christmas is a very special and magical time. It is all about spending time with our family and sharing special moments together. Unfortunately not all our family members can be with us, maybe because of the distance, or some might already be in heaven.
Sadly many people might not get the opportunity to spend Christmas with their loved ones, perhaps they volunteered for the war and never returned home. This year marks the centenary of the start of the First World War, I have recently visited the Imperial War Museum and went to see War Horse at the theatre, and I have learnt a lot about the Great War.
At the start of the war, people cheered, waved flags and sang patriotic songs on their way to join the army and fight for their country. They expected the war to be over by Christmas, with a glorious victory for their own nation, however the reality was very different. None of them knew that they would be stuck in the trenches for the next four years.
Unfortunately for the soldier and their families, the war wasn’t over by Christmas as everyone had hoped. However on Christmas Day, 25th December 1914, an extraordinary event happened.
For one day only, the guns fell silent and two armies met in no-man’s land, British and German troops carefully emerged from their trenches to greet each other. Some played football, while others chatted, joked and even exchanged gifts.
Sainsbury’s latest Christmas ad, made in partnership with The Royal British Legion, was inspired by real events from 100 years ago. It captures this beautiful moment based on historical facts, diary entries and interviews with relatives of soldiers that took part in the war.
It is a very emotional ad, I’ve watched it several times, and it makes me really sad to think that most soldiers had no idea they wouldn’t be able to spend Christmas with their families. The majority of them never returned home.
As sad as it is, the ad still shows that no matter how dreadful the situation may be, even in the heat of the First World War, in the toughest of times, you can still find small moments of humanity and charity.
On Christmas Day, the British Expeditionary Force and German troops exchanged greeting and gifts, including tobacco, chocolate, schnapps, shoulder bags and many other things. The vintage chocolate bar featured in the ad is on sale now at Sainsbury’s. All profits (50p per bar) will go to The Royal British Legion and will benefit our armed forces and their families, past and present.
This post was written in collaboration with Sainsbury’s, however the opinions expressed are honest and my own.