I still get goosebumps when I think about the scene depicted in my scratchboard "The Christmas Truce of 1914." I've experienced war and conflict multiple times during my Army career. None of my experiences could have compared to those of the western front during WWI. Five months into the outbreak of war in Europe, the spirit of Christmas emerged from the horrific fighting. Unarmed German soldiers walked out from their trenches at dawn on Christmas morning and approached British lines. They then shouted out in English to their British enemies, "Merry Christmas!" British soldiers followed their lead and in a short time both sides were greeting each other, shaking hands, sharing cigarettes and plum pudding, and singing songs. German and British soldiers even held a friendly soccer match. This was the only time during the war that such an example of humanity occurred. I used a combination of tools on this piece. Sand paper was the primary tool but a tattoo needle and scalpel were also useful in spots.