Happy Hearth's Warming · 3:52pm Dec 24th, 2014
Well, it's that time of year once again, so let me tell you a story.
A long time ago, two vast armies stood facing each other, each side defending themselves with trenches, barbed wire and machine guns the likes of which had never before been seen. The war between their two nations had been going on for several months now, and this would be the first Christmas on the front line. The war was supposed to be over by now. It was biting cold, and snow and frost lay on the ground.
On one side of the lines, a soldier is on watch, looking for any activity by the enemy. As he looks through the small periscope that allows him to see into No Man's Land, he sees strange lights coming from the enemy's line. They are quite large, each spot of light about the size of a man, they sway in the cold night wind. As he looks on, a strange sound begins to drift over the trenches. As the men stopped to listen, they realised; it was singing, Christmas carols to be more precise. In an effort to raise their own spirits on the cold night, they too begin singing, despite the protests of their officers. This continues through the night.
On Christmas morning, it is still peaceful. Looking over the lines, the strange lights from the previous night are now revealed to be Christmas trees, all planted in the ruined, muddy ground. One young man looks over at the strange display. 'It is Christmas,' he thinks to himself. 'A time of peace and goodwill to all men.' The usual sounds of conflict have become silent, you would never even guess there was a war on. A mad idea enters his head.
Slowly but carefully, he begins to climb up the trench ladder, 'over the top'. In a moment he will be in full view of the enemy guns. His friends and comrades rush to stop him, begging him not to go out. But he does, he climbs out into No Man's Land, possibly to meet his end. Just metres away, the enemy too see him, rushing to their positions, they prepare to repel the assault. In desperation and fear, the young man throws up his hands; a gesture of surrender. At the last second the order to hold fire is given.
The young man stays where he is, his hands above his head, terrified of what might happen next. Across the way, in the enemy's trench, another young man looks on. Perhaps a reciprocating gesture will put everyone at ease? He too, slowly climbs out and into No Man's Land. The two men steadily walk to each other, neither wanting to make any sudden moves. Eventually they meet, right in the middle of the battlefield.
And they shake hands. They become friends.
It may not have lasted, it may not have prevented conflict in the future. But for one beautiful, shining moment, in the midst of one of the bloodiest wars in our history, what the ponies of Equestria called the Fire of Friendship blazed brightly. And I believe if we can just keep that flame alive, even if it is just a little flicker, then perhaps all is not lost.
Merry Christmas everyone. And a Happy Hearth's Warming everypony.
MERRY CHRISTMAS, TO ONE AND ALL!! AND TO A HAPPY HEARTH’S WARMING TO PONYKIND!