It’s easy to forget that history—especially wartime history—was lived one moment at a time. That even in the trenches, soldiers were humans first. They got cold. They missed home. They celebrated holidays with whatever scraps of familiarity they could find. I’ve always been drawn to those quiet, often overlooked moments when the headlines take a pause, and what remains is something far more human than heroic.
One of the most compelling examples of this is what unfolded in Europe on Christmas Eve, 1914. And while the most famous story from that night involves British and German troops calling an informal truce, exchanging gifts, and even playing football in No Man’s Land, there’s a common question I’ve come across more than once: Where were the Americans in all of this? What did U.S. soldiers experience during the holidays in the First World War? Did they find any version of Christmas in the mud and fire?
That question—like most history questions—isn’t as simple as it seems. But the answer is absolutely worth unpacking.
Setting the Record Straight: U.S. Troops in 1914
First, let’s address the timeline. The United States didn’t officially enter World War I until April 6, 1917—more than two years after the famous “Christmas Truce” of 1914. So while Christmas Eve that year brought unexpected quiet across sections of the Western Front, U.S. soldiers were not yet involved in combat at that time.
However, that doesn’t mean American troops missed out on experiencing wartime Christmas altogether. Once the U.S. entered the war, troops deployed overseas found themselves facing many of the same brutal winter conditions—and the same longing for a holiday that felt like home.
What’s fascinating (and often overlooked) is how U.S. servicemen improvised Christmas traditions on the front lines in the years after 1914. And how, despite limited resources, homesickness, and the realities of war, they found a way to carve out something meaningful on December 25th.
How U.S. Soldiers Celebrated Christmas at War (1917–1918)
Once American troops landed in Europe in 1917, they were quickly thrust into harsh and unfamiliar territory. But as December rolled around, many units were determined to find a way to mark the season. Not just for morale, but for a sense of identity—something to hold onto when everything around them felt temporary or terrifying.
So how did they do it? In small, grounded, and surprisingly clever ways. Let’s walk through some of the real accounts and facts.
1. Christmas Mail Became Sacred
For soldiers in the trenches, nothing beat the emotional power of a letter or care package. Mail delivery around the holidays wasn’t just a morale booster—it was a lifeline. Troops wrote back to their families describing what it meant to get a letter postmarked with a holiday date.
Many soldiers received packages filled with homemade treats, knitted socks, and handwritten notes. The U.S. government and Red Cross also played a significant role, coordinating shipments of food, toiletries, and small comforts. One report from 1917 notes that more than 200,000 Christmas packages were sent to American soldiers overseas that season.
The army even issued guidelines for families to send parcels early—by November 20th—to ensure they arrived in time. Delays were common, but the anticipation was often more powerful than the actual gift.
2. Units Recreated Holiday Meals—With Rations
Field kitchens went into overdrive on December 24 and 25. While conditions varied widely depending on location and resources, many U.S. units were able to piece together a meal that at least resembled Christmas dinner. Turkey was often a luxury, but soldiers remember eating roast pork, canned plum pudding, mashed potatoes, and even pie if supplies allowed.
In the letters and memoirs I’ve read, there's a common thread: the effort mattered more than the food. Just the idea of sitting down—even in muddy uniforms, even on folding crates—and sharing a hot meal gave soldiers something real to hold onto. In many ways, it mirrored how families back home were gathering around tables at the same time.
3. Chaplains and Makeshift Services Offered Emotional Shelter
Religious services became one of the few sources of calm. Military chaplains often held candlelight services—sometimes in barns, tents, or partially bombed-out churches. Soldiers gathered shoulder to shoulder, many of them muddy, exhausted, and silent, just to hear a familiar hymn or a reading of the Nativity story.
These weren’t formal affairs. But they provided something intangible: a way to step out of soldier mode and remember themselves as sons, husbands, brothers, and human beings.
Even soldiers who didn’t consider themselves religious at home often showed up, not necessarily for the ritual, but for the brief moment of peace it offered.
Beyond the Trenches: U.S. Troops Stationed Elsewhere
It’s worth noting that not all American troops were in the thick of battle at Christmas. Some were stationed at ports, others in hospitals or supply chains, and many were recovering from injuries. For those not actively fighting, Christmas looked different—but still carried weight.
For example:
- In base hospitals, nurses and Red Cross volunteers decorated makeshift trees with paper ornaments and tinsel made from tin foil packaging.
- Soldiers stationed in Italy or Britain sometimes attended local town celebrations or were invited into homes of allied civilians.
- On transport ships, troops en route to France sometimes held talent shows or sang carols on deck, despite seasickness and freezing temperatures.
These moments didn’t make headlines, but they filled a very real emotional gap during the war.
What About the Spirit of the 1914 Christmas Truce?
The most famous Christmas event of the war—the 1914 truce—wasn’t something American troops were part of directly. But its story carried forward through the ranks for years. Soldiers heard about it, talked about it, and for many, it became a symbol of what could have been.
That spontaneous ceasefire on Christmas Eve 1914—mainly between German and British forces—has been heavily documented, often romanticized, but remains a powerful example of humanity breaking through the horror of war.
For U.S. troops who came later, that story was both inspiring and sobering. It reminded them that, even in a world conflict, people were still people. And sometimes, that reminder was all they had.
Curiosity Corner 💡
- American troops didn’t fight in 1914—they joined the war effort in 1917, years after the famous Christmas Truce.
- Holiday mail was sacred—over 300,000 packages were sent in one season alone, often arriving late but welcomed like gold.
- Field kitchens recreated Christmas dinner using rations and improvisation—meals weren’t perfect, but the effort meant everything.
- Chaplain-led services offered a sense of calm, giving soldiers emotional room to breathe, even in war zones.
- Homemade traditions emerged from scarcity, showing that the holiday spirit often thrives in unexpected, make-do moments.
A Holiday That Didn’t Need Wrapping Paper to Matter
There’s something deeply grounding about learning how soldiers—underfed, overworked, and often terrified—still made space for Christmas. Not as escapism, but as memory, as meaning, and sometimes just as a break from the endless noise.
No garlands. No formal gifts. Just letters from home. A warm meal. A quiet prayer or a bad joke shared under a sky that didn’t look any different, but somehow felt like Christmas.
These weren’t sweeping gestures. But they were deliberate ones. And they remind us that connection, even in pieces, matters more than ceremony. That we can make something sacred out of next to nothing, just by showing up for each other—and ourselves—with what we’ve got.
That might be the most honest version of Christmas there is.
