One of my favorite Christmas stories is that of the Christmas Truce, 24-25 Decembre, 1914, where those battling in WWI ceased fire, in direct contradiction to their orders, to eat, celebrate mass {some of them} and sing together. The story always brings tears. The Hollywood version, Silent Night: the Story of the WWI Christmas Truce, had two men from opposing armies eating together only to discover that one had spent his honeymoon in the hometown of the other. They realized in that moment {Hollywood style of course} that they could not go on fighting. The men brgan to exchange correspondences, so that families on each side of occupied borders would have news of their loved ones.

Thank you for this. I did not enjoy the book, Jamaica Inn,...but the concept of gathering together to honor similarities rather than battling over differences resonates so much! Merci!