Let the children have their night of fun and laughter. Let the gifts of Father Christmas delight their play. Let us grown-ups share to the full in their unstinted pleasures before we turn again to the stern task and the formidable years that lie before us, resolved that, by our sacrifice and daring, these same children shall not be robbed of their inheritance or denied their right to live in a free and decent world." Winston Churchill Christmas Eve Message, 1941 as printed in "In the Dark Streets Shineth. David McCullough
About This Quote

In 1941, Winston Churchill was asked to give his thoughts on the future of the world. He had been a member of parliament for more than 40 years and seen firsthand the horrors of war. In his speech on Christmas Eve, he spoke of the terrible things that lay ahead of Britain and the rest of the world. However, he also spoke of a brighter future where the children would be free from hunger and want and where they would have a future that was not defined by war.

He spoke of a world that would be free from tyranny and exploitation, a world where people could simply live without having to worry about their place in society or whether they were born in poverty or wealth. It is impossible to predict what will happen tomorrow in our world, but it is possible to predict that these things will happen when we focus on what is truly important.

Source: In The Dark Streets Shineth: A 1941 Christmas Eve Story

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