Not every image of Christmas is of warm meals and families smiling in front of decorated mantles with a fire softly glowing. Washington’s attack with 2400 troops on Trenton, NJ is only one of many battles that occurred during the holiday. While the truce in Flanders in 1914 is famous it is so because it was so out of sync with the rest of the front and, in fact, the rest of the war. Raids were often conducted over Christmas during the Civil War and Germany tried to take advantage of the season on more than one occasion.
The Wreaths Across America project provides a natural wreath for every grave in our National Cemeteries. This shot from 2011 is from Arlington. Walking among the graves there is always a moving event, more so with the wreaths on display. They are placed the weekend before Christmas and are there for two weeks. There are National Cemeteries in every state across America and more locations overseas. You ought to visit one near you this year and take a different kind of Christmas photo.
Learn more about the organization here: www.wreathsacrossamerica.org
