TODAY ON "NEWSWATCH" WE ARETRAVELING BACK TO THE EARLY1900S TO SHOW HOW THE SPIRIT OFCHRISTMAS OVERCAME BITTER

CONFLICTS OF WORLD WAR I PLUS... VERY FIRST AMERICANS TOCHRISTIANS THE PILGRIMS. OUR PAUL STRAND HEADS TO

MASSACHUSETTS.WHAT HE FOUND MIGHT SURPRISEYOU.AND WE ARE HEADING TO

WASHINGTON, D.C. FOR A BEHINDTHE SCENES LOOK AT HOW OURNATION'S CAPITAL IS CELEBRATINGCHRISTMAS.

THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR CBN"NEWSWATCH" I AM CAITLIN BURKE.IN THE CLASSIC NOVEL, CAUSINGANNIHILATION, FROM THE SAME

CONFLICT CAME A LEGENDARYCHRISTMAS CELEBRATION.THAT SHOWS AMAZING DEATH OFHUMANITY.

JOHN JOHN JESSUP HAS IF STORY. EACH YEAR A WREATH IS LAID ATRIBUTE TO THE GRANDFATHER HEBARELY NEW.

WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER? I REMEMBER AN OLD MAN THATSHOUTED A LOT.HE WAS DEAF HE LOST HIS HEARING

IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR.WHEN I READ HIS DIARIES, I WASAMAZED AT THE LIFE HE HAS BEENINVOLVED IN.

THIS ONE IS THE ORIGINAL ONEWHICH HE WOULD HAVE KEPT IN HISTOP POCKET. AS HAMILTON WRITES MEET AT

DAWN UNARMED HIS GRANDFATHERKEPT DIARIES FROM 1913 TO 1950,MOST YEARS FAIRLY MUNDANE WITHONE REMARKABLE EXCEPTION, 1914.

WEDNESDAY 5TH OF AUGUST,MOBILIZE AT 5:30 A.M. HAMILTON WAS PART OF THEINITIAL WAVE OF BRITISH TROOPS

IN WHAT CAME TO BE KNOWN AS THEFIRST WORLD WAR.THE FIGHTING WOULD BE OVER BYCHRISTMAS JUST ONE DAY EARLIER,

GERMAN TROOPS INVADED BELGIUMAND ENGLAND JOINED THE FIGHT.IRONICALLY, LEADERS OF OPPOSINGSIDES WERE FIRST COUSINS,

GERMANY AND KING GEORGE THE 5TH. THIS VERY RURAL AREA OFBELGIUM WAS ALMOST AT THE CENTEROF THE WORLD TENSION.

I GREW UP LISTENING TO STORIESOF ELDERLY PEOPLE IN MY VILLAGETHAT HAD TO DO WITH THE WAR. GERMAN TROOPS CUT A PATH OF

-- A STALEMATE ENSUED WITH BOTHSIDES DIGGING IN LITERALLY.TRENCH WARFARE ON WESTERN FRONTHAD BEGUN.

SEPTEMBER 18TH, SEVERAL MENKILLED AND WOUNDED BY SHELLFIRE.THIS WAS WITHOUT EXCEPTION THE

MOST MISERABLE NIGHT EVER SPENT.I STUD ALL NIGHT IN WATER UP TOMY ANKLES.THE RAIN POURING DOWN.

THIS IS ONE OF THE ORIGINALTRENCHES FROM MORE THAN 100YEARS AGO, TWO PARALLEL ZIGSAGGING LINES BUILT STRETCHED

450 MILES.SOME PLACES OPPOSING ARMIES ONLY50 YARDS A PART. BOTH PARTIES DUG IN.

THE COLDEST IS COMING IN.ALL THE SUDDEN, FIRST ENEMY ISNOT YOUR OPPONENT TO THE OTHERSIDE OF NO MADS LAND.

BY THE END OF NOVEMBER OVERONE AND A HALF MILLIONCASUALTIES ON THE WESTERN FRONT.AS THE STALEMATE CONTINUED, IT

BECAME CLEAR THE WAR WOULD NOTBE OVER BY CHRISTMAS.OUTSIDE WORLD PUSHED FOROFFICIAL CHRISTMAS TRUCE.

INCLUDING POPE BENEDICT THE 4THWHO ASKED IF THE GUNS WOULD FALLSILENT AT LEAST ON THE NIGHT THEANGELS SANG.

THERE WAS AN DIRECTIVE SAYING ITDESTROYS OFFENSIVE SPIRIT. DECEMBER 24TH, WE MARCH UP TOOUR TRENCHES, DOWN HEARTED TO

SPEND CHRISTMAS DAY IN THEM. HE RECOUNTED HIS WAREXPERIENCES IN THE BOOK BULLETSAND BILLIETTS.

OBVIOUSLY KNOCKED ON THEHEAD. BUT THE GERMANS DIDN'T LETWAR STOP THEIR CELEBRATION.

THEY DISPLAYED CHRISTMAS TREESIN THEIR TRENCHES AND ONDECEMBER 23RD, HELD A CHURCHSERVICE IN A BOMBED OUT SUGAR

REFINERY.SCHOOL TEACHER SERVED 134REGIMENT.HE KEPT A DIARY.

WE SANG A SONG THIS IS THEDAY THE LORD MADE CELEBRATIONBROUGHT MANY TO TEARS.I THINK CHRISTMAS IN THOSE DAYS

WAS MUCH MORE AN IMPORTANTFESTIVAL IN THE GERMAN CULTURETHAN IT WAS IN FRENCH OR BELGIUMOR ANGELO SAXON COUNTRIES.

I ORDERED MY MEN ON CHRISTMASEVE AND CHRISTMAS DAY, NO SHOTSFIRED FROM OUR SIDE IF IT COULDBE AVOIDED.

SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARYHAPPENED. NO SOONER HAD WE SETTLED INTOTHE TRENCHES, WE AND BRITTS

TRIED TO DRAW ATTENTION TO EACHOTHER. SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS BEGAN TOPERMEATE AND TRIED TO PLOT WAYS

AND MEANS OF MAKING THE NEXT DAYCHRISTMAS DIFFERENT TO OTHERS. AN ENGLISHMAN CALLED OVER TOOUR TRENCHES, I WISH YOU A MERRY

CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TOWHICH I REPLIED, THANK YOU VERYMUCH, WISH THE SAME TO YOU. AFTER MONTHS THIS CAME AS A

WELCOME RELIEF TO THE DAILYANTAGONISM. CAITLIN: STAY WITH US, AFTERTHE COMMERCIAL BREAK, WE'LL SHOW

YOU WHAT HAPPENED ON CHRISTMASDAY.

CAITLIN: WE ARE BACK WITHPART TWO OF THE TRUE STORYDETAILING HOW ENEMIES BECAMEFRIENDS AFTER 48 HOURS ALONG A

27 MILE STRETCH IN WORLD WAR I,JOHN JESSUP CONTINUES THE STORY. ON CHRISTMAS MORNING, I WOKEEARLY, IT WAS A PERFECT DAY,

BEAUTIFUL CLOUDLESS DAY. DECEMBER 25TH DAY UNIQUE INTHE WORLD'S HISTORY.I MET THEIR OFFICER, WE ARRANGED

A LOCAL ARM CYST FOR 48 HOURS.AS FAR AS I CAN GATHER THISEFFORT EXTENDED ITSELFTHROUGHOUT THE WHOLE LINE AS FAR

AS WE COULD HEAR.THIS CHRISTMAS TIME SOLDIERSUNDER HIS COMMAND HAVE HAD AROTTEN TIME, HE WAS DEEPLY

CHRISTIAN HIMSELF.IT WAS NATURAL TO ALLOW IT TOHAPPEN. CELEBRATION OF LOVE AND

ENEMIES BECAME FRIENDS FOR ASHORT TIME. HERE THEY WERE, ACTUALSOLDIERS OF THE GERMAN ARMY.

THERE WAS NOT HATE ON EITHERSIDE THAT DAY. ALTHOUGH FIGHTING CONTINUED,UNAUTHORIZED TRUCE EXTENDED ON

ALL THE 27 MILE LENGTH OF THEBRITISH LINE BOTH SIDES HELPEDBURY THEIR DEAD, EXCHANGED GIFTSLIKE FOOD, TOBACCO AND BUTTONS

AND IN SOME SECTORS, THEY EVENPLAYED SOCCER IN NO MAN'S LAND. IT MAKES THEM HAPPY, THEYFEEL HUMAN AGAIN.

WHEREAS THE INDUSTRIAL WARFAREOFTEN REDUCES THEM TO KILLINGMACHINE. THIS WAS ALL SO BEAUTIFUL YET

STRANGE.I WILL NEVER FORGET THISCHRISTMAS CELEBRATION. LAST I SAW THIS LITTLE AFFAIR

WAS A VISION OF ONE OF MYMACHINE GUNNERS IN CIVIL LIFECUTTING THE UNNATURALLY HAIR. A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A

MOST EXTRAORDINARY ONE BUT IDOUBLE THE CENTURIES AFTERMIDNIGHT. THERE WOULD BE THREE MORE

CHRISTMAS ON THE WESTERN FRONTBEFORE THE WAR CAME TO AN END.NOTHING QUITE LIKE THIS WOULDEVER HAPPEN AGAIN.

SIR ARTHUR DOYLE DESCRIBED ONEHUMAN EPISODE AMID ALL THEATROCITIES.JOHN JESSUP, CBN NEWS, REPORTING

IN FLANDERS, BELGIUM. CAITLIN: UP NEXT, ONE OF THEFIRST GROUPS TO WAGE WAR ON THECELEBRATION OF CHRISTMAS.

CULPRITS MIGHT SURPRISE YOU.já @

CAITLIN: DO YOU TEND TO THINKONLY ATHEIST AND SECULARISTDISRESPECT CHRISTMAS?YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED ALSO SOME

OF THE MOST FAMOUS CHRISTMAS.PAUL STRAND TELLS US MORE FROMPLYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS. PAUL: WHO IS HAPPY HOLIDAY

INSTEAD OF MERRY CHRISTMAS?WHO IS DISRESPECTING THE SPECIALDAY?SOME OF THE FIRST AMERICANING

WERE SOME OF THE MOST PIE ICAN'T SAY CHRISTMAS.EDWARD WINCELO TELLS CBN NEWS. CHRISTMAS IS NOT REVEALED

UNTO US WHEN OUR LORD DID COMEAND GO. PAUL: THEY THOUGHT IT WASSACK RELIGIOUS THEY DECIDED TO

PLACE THEM TO PAGAN RITUALS.PILGRIMS CAME TO AMERICA ON THEMAYFLOWER NOT ALL THAT LONGAFTER THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION

REFORMATION.PILGRIMS WANTED LITTLE TO DOWITH ANYTHING THAT HAD A WHIP OFCATHOLICISM INCLUDING CHRISTMAS

AND EASTER THE CATHOLICSEMBRACED. THEY DON'T FOLLOW THECORRUPT, ALL THOSE THINGS NOT

DETERMINED IN THE WORD OF GOD. PAUL: PILGRIMS WERE KNOWN ASSEPARATISTS.THEY WANTED TO SEPARATE

THEMSELVES FROM CHURCH OFENGLAND WHICH ALSO LOVED ACHRISTMAS OR EASTER HOLIDAY.WHY THE PILGRIMS WANTED TO

SEPARATE FROM THE ANGLICANCHURCH OF ENGLAND. IT WAS EXTERNAL CHURCH, ROBESAND POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE.

THIS WAS OFFENSIVE. PAUL: I RECEIVED QUITE ATONGUE LASHING FOR CALLING THEPILGRIMS SEPARATISTS.

I THINK YOU DIDN'T MEAN TOINSULT ME. PAUL: THEY CALL THEMSELVESREFORMERS.

WE HAVE REFORMER IN THECALENDAR. PAUL: PILGRIMS WORKED THROUGHTHEIR FIRST CHRISTMAS.

AND A WORK PARTY ON THE SECONDCHRISTMAS. NEW GROUP OF WORKERS ASKED TOBE EXEMPT.

THIS GROUP SAID WE NEED TOCELEBRATE THIS HOLIDAY. PAUL: WHEN THE WORKERSRETURNED, THE NEWCOMERS OUT

PARTYING. THEY WERE PLAYING STOOL BALLAND RUNNING RACES AND WE ARELIVING AND WORKING.

BRADFORD TOOK AWAY THEIRGAMES BECAUSE OF CONSCIENCE, ICANNOT LET YOU PLAY WHILEEVERYBODY ELSE IS WORKING.

ALMOST LIKE YOU CORRECTED ATROUBLESOME CHILD, HE TOOK AWAYALL OF THEIR EQUIPMENT AND THISWOULDN'T BE HAPPENING AGAIN.

THAT WAS THEIR LAST CHRISTMAS.THEY BANNED CHRISTMAS AND STAYEDILLEGAL FOR TWO DECADES.THEY WOULD FIND MODERN EVENTS

FOR PHILADELPHIA'S RACING OF THESANTAS OUTRAGEOUS. THEY WOULD SAY SEE, SEE WHATHAPPENED?

YOU CAN'T CELEBRATE THESE PAGANHOLIDAYS. CHRISTMAS SEASON MIGHT HAVEBEEN ROWDIER.

CHRISTMAS IS A TIME OF REGRETIN ENGLAND.MUCH USE OF SPIRIT AND MUCHMAKING OF PARTIES.

SORT OF A MARDI GRAS ONSTEROIDS. IT IS NOT I AM AGAINST JOYBUT FOR A SOBER CHRISTIAN

CHEERFULNESS. WHEN SIR EDWARD ANDREWS TOOKOVER IN 1686 HE PUT ON ACHRISTMAS SERVICE IN BOSTON AND

SO IN FEAR THEY FELT THEY HAD TOSURROUND THEMSELVES WITH BRITISHSOLDIERS AS THEY MET.MY HOW THE TIMES HAVE CHANGED.

DURING THE NOVEMBER PARADE INPLYMOUTH, THERE IS SANTA CLAUSCHEERED JUST AS MUCH IF NOT MORETHAN THE PILGRIMS WHO LOATHED

CHRISTMAS.THE VERY MASSACHUSETTS THATBANNED THE HOLIDAY FOR DECADESIN THE 1600S.

PAUL STRAND, CBN NEWS, REPORTINGFROM PLYMOUTH. CAITLIN: THANKS, PAUL, LOOKSLIKE THE WAR ON CHRISTMAS IS

NOTHING NEW.STAY WITH US, WE'LL BE RIGHTBACK.

CAITLIN: WASHINGTON, D.C.MAYBE ONE OF THE MOST FESTIVEPLACES IN THE NATION.NEARLY 70,000 PEOPLE EXPECTED TO

VISIT THE WHITE HOUSE ALONE THISCHRISTMAS SEASON.WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTJENNIFER WISHON SHOWS US THE

SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF OUR CAPITALCITY.♪♪♪ THIS TIME OF YEAR ALL THE

TRIMMINGS COME TO LIFE IN OURNATION'S CAPITAL.♪♪♪WHAT BETTER PLACE TO BEGIN THAN

AMERICA'S MOST RECOGNIZABLEHOME, COME ON INSIDE. PROBABLY OVER 7,000 ORNAMENTSIN THE ROOM.

REPORTER: 89 VOLUNTEERS DOMOST OF THE DECORATING.MARY TRAVELED FROM ILLINOIS.IT IS HER FIRST TIME VISITING

THE WHITE HOUSE. REWARDING AND UNBELIEVABLEEXPERIENCE.I AM SO BEYOND THE MOON.

REPORTER: NEAR THE VISITOR'SENTRANCE FIRST DOGS BEAU ANDSUNNY GUARD THEIR OWN PERSONALCHRISTMAS MADE OF TENNIS BALLS.

VISITORS TO THE WHITE HOUSE AREENCOURAGED TO SEND SERVICEMEMBERS HANDWRITTEN NOTES THISYEAR THEY CAN SEND A DIGITAL

MESSAGE USING IPADS.THEY GET THE FIRST PEEK@ghú@vIN THEú MIDDLE OF THE BLUEúúúúTHIS YEAR'SP?PPX TREE GROWN

PENNSYLVANIA.MRS. OBAMA HELPED MILITARY KIDSMAKEññññ CHRISTMAS CRAFTS. SEASON IS ABOUT SO MUCH MORE.

IT IS ABOUT GIVING MORE THAN WERECEIVE, RIGHT?GUYS, IT IS ABOUT SERVINGOTHERS.

IT IS ABOUT TOYS, TOO.BUT IT IS ABOUT FINDING WAYS TOLIFT UP OUR COMMUNITIES EVERYDAYIN EVERY SEASON.

REPORTER: 90% OF THEDECORATIONS RECYCLED FROMPREVIOUS YEARS. I CAN'T EXPLAIN THE

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SEEING THEDECORATIONS IN UNIFORM AND COMEBACK AND BE A PART OF THEDECORATION.

REPORTER: STATE DINING ROOM@BESTf@@ñ CAPTURES THIS YEAR'S TA TIMELESS TRADITION.GIANT TEDDY BEAR WITH@ THOUSAND

OF GUM BALLS AND CANDYp CANES,ANNUAL WHITE HOUSE GINGER@D BREHOUSE, 250 POUNDS OF GINGERBREAD DOUGH.

THERE ARE úú2700 BOOKS THAT TELAMERICA'S STORY, KNOWLEDGE OFPOWER.FINALLY, DOWN THE HALL TO THE

EAST ROOM WHERE VISITORS CAN SEETHE REASON FOR THE SEASON.A SPECIAL NATIVITY SCENE MADE OFTERRA COTTA AND CARVED WOOD.

IT HAS BEEN DISPLAYED IN THEEAST ROOM SINCE THE 1960S. PRESIDENT OBAMA: FIVE, FOUR,THREE, TWO, ONE.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]♪♪♪ MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYBODY. REPORTER: STAR STUDDED

NATIONAL CHRISTMAS LIGHTINGFEATURED THESE TALENTEDMUSICIANS.ON THE OTHER END OF PENNSYLVANIA

AVENUE, CAPITAL CHRISTMAS TREELIT BY AMERICA'S NEW SPEAKER OFTHE HOUSE. NOTHING CAPTURES THE

CHRISTMAS SPIRIT MORE THAN THATOVERWHELMING SENSE OF GRATITUDE.FOR THOSE OF US THAT ARECHRISTIANS, HE GAVE US HIS ONLY

SON. REPORTER: SPEAKER RYAN SAYSWE SHOULD TREAT EVERYDAYñEVERY PERSON AS A?@?@0 GI0

ONE OF THE000 JOYS IS SPENDING EWITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS ANDWATCHING OTHERS ENJOY THESEASON.

REPORTER

ICE SKATING IS OPEN THROUGHMARCH.

EVEN THE NATIONAL ZOO CELEBRATESTHE SEASON, 500,000 LIGHTS USEDTRANSFORM THE TREASURE INTO AWILD WINTER WONDERLAND.

REPORTER: VISITORS CAN SEEREAL ANIMALS IF THEY HAVEN'TTURNED IN.RIDE AROUND THE CAROUSEL AND

TRIP AROUND THE GIANT SLIDECOMPLETES THE NIGHT.SOME COUPLES SAY IT IS THEIRMOST ROMANTIC NIGHT OUT ALL YEAR

AND ONE OF THE FEWxxx<<<<<<í TISIN WASHINGTON PUT ASIDE THEIRPOLITICAL DIFFERENCES TOCELEBRATE THE SEASON.

I AM JENNIFER WISHON, MERRYCHRISTMAS FROM WASHINGTON, D.C. CAITLIN: WASHINGTON, D.C.SUSPECT THE ONLY PLACE WHERE

CHRISTMAS CHEER IS ON DISPLAY.WE ASK YOU TO POST PICTURES OFYOUR FOUR LEGGED FRIENDS.THIS IS FROM CRYSTAL LEE AS YOU

CAN SEE, ROXY AND DIESEL ARE ALLDECKED OUT IN RED, WHITE, ANDGREEN.THIS IS GINGER, MONICA SAYS

GINGER IS CELEBRATING SECONDCHRISTMAS IN THIS PLAID SWEATER.MEET MY DOG ROWAN.SHE WANTED TO WISH YOU ALL A

MERRY CHRISTMAS.THAT IS IT FOR NOW ON CBN"NEWSWATCH" YOU CAN FIND MOREEXCLUSIVE

TELL US YOURSTORIES YOU HAVE SEEN HERE.HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT DAY ANDMERRY CHRISTMAS.