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Why
do the children in England hang up christmas stockings?
From 1870 children have hung up Christmas stockings at the ends
of their beds or along the mantelpiece above the fireplace.
Father Christmas once dropped some gold coins while coming down
the chimney.
The coins would have fallen through the ash grate and been lost if
they hadn't landed in a stocking that had been hung out to dry.
Since that time
children have continued to hang out stockings in hopes of finding them filled
with gifts.
Christmas Eve during the First World War
On the stroke
of midnight on Christmas Eve
1914, firing from the German trenches suddenly
stopped.
A German brass band began playing Christmas carols.
On Christmas morning, the German soldiers came out of their trenches, approaching the allied
lines, calling "Merry Christmas".
At first the allied soldiers thought it was a
trick, but they soon climbed out of their trenches and shook hands with the
German soldiers.
The truce lasted a few days, and the men exchanged presents of
cigarettes and plum puddings, sang carols and songs. They even played a game of
Soccer.
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