George VI of the United Kingdom

“ You are most of you now sitting at home among your families, listening to me as I speak from mine. At Christmas we feel that the old simple things matter most. They do not change however much the world outside may seem to do so.
When we say that Christmas brings good cheer we do not only think of material things, we think more of the feelings of friendliness and comradeship we have one for the other; and I think that, among all the blessings which we may count to-day, the chief one is that we are a friendly people. We do not all think alike, of course. ”

“ Though we live in hard and critical times Christmas is, and always will be, a time when we can count our blessings - the blessings of home, the blessings of happy family gatherings, and the blessing of the hopeful message of Christmas. ”

“ We are living in an age which is hard and cruel, and if there is anything that we can offer to the world to-day, perhaps it is the example of tolerance and understanding that runs like a golden thread through the great and diverse family of the British Commonwealth of Nations. ”