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WHAT REALLY HAPPENED DURING THE CHRISTMAS TRUCE OF 1914?

Thursday, December 21, 2023

In today’s newsletter, we revisit WWI's Christmas Truce, learn about the power of cobalt, discover how Paul the Apostle's belief in Christianity gave a boost to the world's largest religion ... and take a peek at the first day of winter.

In the early months of World War I, German soldiers decorate their trench with Tannenbäume, or fir trees.

PICTORIAL PRESS LTD/ALAMY

Christmas during WWI: When fighting raged into Christmas in 1914, those in the combat zones celebrated as best they could. Some decorated the freezing trenches of western Europe (above, German soldiers brighten their trench with Tannenbäume, or fir trees).

Others exchanged gifts. At hospitals, staff made sure the wounded were showered with a little Christmas spirit. And—most astonishing—spontaneous truces broke out between enemy soldiers. Here's what historians say really happened.

CHRISTMAS TRUCE

STORIES WE’RE FOLLOWING

blue and grey cobalt on a black background

PHOTOGRAPH BY RHJ, GETTY IMAGES

Cobalt (pictured above with its bright blue pigment) powers our lives. What is it – and why is it so controversial?

Iceland's eruption of the millennium

The age-old search for the Holy Grail

What to feed your body when it's sick

Why we'll never find Noah's Ark

This fungus can transform into a carnivorous predator

Childbirth in the time of Jesus

Trying to find this 40-foot ancient Wonder of the World

This extremely pricey coffee has a surprising ingredient that may require greater scrutiny

Do you travel? Go walking? Like maps? These last-minute gifts may be for you

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

The arrest of St. Peter and St. Paul is depicted in a polyptych of scenes from their lives by Hans von Kulmbauch.

IMAGE COURTESY OF GALLERIA DEGLI UFFIZI, FLORENCE, ITALY/BRIDGEMAN IMAGES

In the early days, Christianity struggled to grow. Until Paul the Apostle, a skeptic, became a believer. His conversion was a watershed moment in Christianity. Paul was arrested several times by the Romans and imprisoned twice in Rome. (Above, the arrest of St. Peter and St. Paul is depicted in a polyptych of scenes from their lives by Hans von Kulmbauch.)

Here’s how Paul the Apostle's efforts to spread the faith jumpstarted what is now the world’s largest religion.

READ THE FULL STORY

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Six-year-olds practice ski jumps with gusto in Lac Beauport, Quebec, Canada.

PHOTOGRAPH BY KATHLEEN REVIS, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

It's the first day of winter! To celebrate, we reached into our archives to share the above photograph of six-year-olds practicing ski jumps with gusto in Lac Beauport, Quebec, Canada. The photograph was originally published in the January 1958 issue of National Geographic.

Oh, and it's also World Snowboard Day. Interesting tidbit: the sport was once called “snurfing.”

Related: What is the winter solstice? Here’s what you need to know.

LAST GLIMPSE

a red-shanked douc sitting in a tree

PHOTOGRAPH BY RICHARD MCMANUS, GETTY IMAGES

High at the forested tip of Da Nang's peninsula lies a haven largely untouched—a 6,400-acre nature reserve called Son Tra, or Monkey Mountain. It is a last refuge for the critically endangered red-shanked douc (pictured above), known for its colorful maroon “stockings” that stretch from the ankles to the knees. The habitat is a unique refuge for a species that is otherwise unable to adapt to urban environments.

Today’s soundtrack: Daydream Believer, The Monkees

We hope this newsletter brightened your Thursday! It was curated and edited by David Beard, Nancy San Martín, Jen Tse, and Nishita Naga. Know someone who might want our newsletter in their inbox? Here’s the signup. See you tomorrow!

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