The First Moon Journey
Watching TV on Christmas Day instead of joining family might not be the nicest thing, but back in 1968, many American families were glued to their screens on Christmas Day—and it’s easy to see why.
The moon landing was still on the horizon, but with the Soviet space program advancing fast, the Americans took a bold step: Apollo 8, the second manned mission in the Apollo program, became the first in history to head toward the Moon, even though a landing wasn’t planned yet.
On Christmas Day, Apollo 8 entered lunar orbit, with Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders circling the Moon for 20 hours. They broadcast live TV several times—a world first. Apollo 8 was the first to reach escape velocity, the first crew to orbit another celestial body, and the first to leave that orbit.
The crew were the first to see the Moon’s far side with their own eyes and the first to witness Earth as a whole planet. This mission tops the list of space programs with the most historic firsts.
During a Christmas night broadcast from lunar orbit, the astronauts read from the Bible to Americans back home, while Jim Lovell described the breathtaking, never-before-seen view: “From here, Earth is a vast oasis in the endless void of space…”
A Christmas Miracle in the World War
The spirit of Christmas can reach even the most unexpected places. In 1914, German, British, and French troops spent Christmas Eve together in trenches in Belgium, but no one wanted to shoot that day. According to stories, the Germans decorated their trench with pine branches and candles, then started singing “Silent Night.”
The British troops recognized the tune and responded with their own English version. Soon, soldiers from both sides—without orders—ventured into no man’s land, shaking hands with those they had been fighting just hours before.
The soldiers exchanged cigarettes, some alcohol, and other treats they had on hand, and even played a short soccer match. Eventually, they returned to their trenches, but some say those who took part in this “Christmas miracle” never wanted to shoot at each other again. When ordered to fire, they reportedly aimed their rifles skyward. The fighting eventually resumed, but this special Christmas story remains a powerful symbol of humanity for many.
Gorbachev’s Resignation
While we often tune out the news to focus on family during Christmas, something happened in 1991 that still had people glued to radios and TVs. On December 25, Mikhail Gorbachev, president of the Soviet Union, resigned. The hammer and sickle were replaced by the Russian flag atop the Kremlin, and the Soviet Union ceased to exist. That Christmas made it clear that the world and its power dynamics were changing forever, and something entirely new was beginning. And indeed, a new era had begun...
The Internet Takes Off
It’s hard to imagine a time without it, but the internet is actually a relatively recent invention. While its impact on humanity is endlessly debatable, one thing’s certain: it changed our lives. On Christmas 1990, Tim Berners-Lee tested his new system connecting computers, so the very first website on the very first web server was accessed for the first time on Christmas using the very first web browser.
Berners-Lee spent the following year traveling the world, encouraging people to join the web—or as we say, “get on the internet.” On that Christmas, he probably sensed he’d created something huge and world-changing, but it was hard to imagine just how quickly it would turn the world upside down.
