merry christmas to everybody. watching wish and everybody a blessed and merry, merry christmas. and to all a good night. have a merry, merry christmas. come on everybody. [♪] >> welcome to fox news chance west point holiday show. i'm sandra smith coming to you from the grounds of the united states it in academy, west point, new york. it's one of our oldest military posts at one of america's most fabled universities. the west point band is one of

america's finest american musical organizations. we'll hear the musicians on stage as they perform in their annual holiday con certain. but first a look at how west point played a crucial role in our nation's independence before it became the press i juice military academy we know today. [♪] the academy sits on a plateau overlooking new york's hudson river. the location chosen in 1778 by george washington is no accidents. he thought west point was the strategic key to its defense by stopping the british advancements during the revolutionary war.

12 years later the college was established, dedicated to training professional leaders in warfare. in 1817 known as the father of west point. the general boost academic standards. with the country just a few years old at the time. there was an emerging need for engineers. west point catered to that need becoming the first engineering school in the united states. graduates would build much of the nation's early infrastructure. after world war i the curriculum focused on signs and technology with a fitness program. the academy produced some of america's most famous leaders

including robert e. lee. youlysses s. grant. george patton and buzz aldrin. the list of notable graduates are just as impressive as the architectural on campus. it was the first institution in the nation to adopt the gothic style of architecture. four buildings forming anne a fortress, among them the ex question set cadet chapel which resembles a medieval fortress. immigrants were told they would get citizenship if it was completed in five years. they completed it in 19 months.

one of the graduating class from 1802 to 1976. tradition remains a big part of the academy. as soldiers wear the same style gray uniforms as those in 1802 as a badge of honor while living out the motto, duty, honor and country. the holiday season would not be complete without the annual west point holiday concert that takes place at the academy's eisenhower hall. named for a class of 1915 graduates, general and later

president, dwight d. eisenhower. it's one of the largest theaters in america designed to hold the entire corps of cadets. here is the west point band performing the christmas classic "up on the house top" and west point theme. [♪]

snoavment here we go, say hello. it's the west point holiday show. shopping has begun. [♪] let it snow ♪ ♪ it's the west point holiday show ♪ ♪ memories of the seasons throughout the year ♪ ♪ the memories we hold dear.

♪ here we go to the west point holiday show. it's the west point holiday show ♪ [♪] ♪ here comes santa claus, here he comes. ♪ up on the house top reindeer fall ♪ out jumped santa claus ♪

♪ he wants a guarantee ♪ ♪ ho-healthcare o-o. p up on the house top, click chic click, down through the chimney with old saint nick ♪ ♪ here comes santa claus, ♪ here he comes. ♪ give him a basket three people t tall. ♪ up on the house top click chic click down through the chimney

with old st. nick ♪ ♪ up on the house top click click click, down through the chimney with old st. nick ♪ ♪ up on the house top click click click down through the chimney with old st. nick ♪

♪ up on the house top click click click ♪ sandra: we'll have much more of the west point holiday show when the special continues, including the band's rendition o

sandra: our west point holiday show continues. let's join the men and women of the west point band as it performs a field music christmas. >> look, everyone it's santa. >> hello, west point band and hello to all of you. >> we are so glad you can make it to our west point holiday show this year. off course, i wouldn't miss this for the world. this has always been my favorite place to celebrate the holidays right here with this wonderful audience. don't tell navy, but i have

always been an army fan. merry christmas and happy holidays, ho, ho, ho. [drums beating] [♪] ♪ instrumental music kno ♪

[♪]

[drums beating] [♪] [banding joy to the world]

sandra: amazing performance. we'll have plenty more from the west point holiday concert as we continue. ♪ you better watch out, you

better not pout,

the year. now back to the west point holiday show. sandra: welcome back. we are so glad you are here with us for the west point holiday

show. i'm sandra smith at the cadet challenge. we are bringing you the amazing sounds of the west point band. here are the soldiers performing "the 12 days of christmas." >> this is the moment you have been waiting for so let's here you loud and strong. >> on the first day of christmas my true love gave to me a partridge in a pear tree. on the second day of christmas my true love gave to me two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree. on the third day of christmas my crew love gave to me three french hens, two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree. on the fourth day of christmas my true love gave to me four calling birds, three friend

hens, two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree. on the fifth day of christmas my true love gave to me five golden rings. four calling birds, three french hens, two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree. on the sixth day of christmas my true love gave to me, six geese a laying. five golden rings. four calling birds, three french hens, two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree. on the receive even 7th day of y true love gave to me seven swans a swieming. six geese a laying, five golden

rings. four calling birds, three french hens, two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree. on the eighth day of christmas my true love gave to me, 8 made a milking, seven swans a swimming, six geese a laying, five golden rings. four calling birds, three french hens, two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree. on the 9th day of christmas my true love gave to me, 9 ladies dancing, 8 made a milking, six geese a laying, five golden

rings. four calling birds, three french hens, two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree. on the tenth day of christmas my true love gave to me 10 lords a leaping, 9 ladies dancing, seven swans a swimming, six geese a laying, five golden rings. four calling birds, three french hens, two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree. on the 11th day of christmas my true hoff gave to me 11

pipers piping, 10 lords a leaping. seven swans a swimming, six geese a laying, five golden rings. four calling birds, three french hens, two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree. you can do this. on the 12th day of christmas my true love gave to me 12 drummers drumming. 11 pipers piping. 10 lords a leaping, nine ladies dancing, 6 geese a laying, five

golding rings. four calling birds, three french hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree. ♪ sandra: we'll have much more from the west point band holiday concert as well as a look at the historical significance of the band. stick around.

[♪] sandra: welcome back to fox news

chance's "west point holiday show." at cress hall at the academy for the us army. america's oldest active duty band is a piece of history. here is a look at its humble beginning in the 18th century. the west point band's roots can be traced back to the american revolutionary war. also known as america's great musical war. the term band comes from george washington's banding a phifer and drummer. they were used to signal when to fire their guns.

following america's independence only one fifer and drummer would remain to keep the tradition of military music at the academy. as west point grew, so did the demand for military music. fifers, drummers and buglers would become instrumental in daily military life. throughout history west point cadets marched to the beat of field music. in 1817 it was officially named the west point band. but this time they were using a full range of instruments. two basoons, a tenor bugle.

three french horns. 8 flutes and two trumpets. over time the iconic group played at historical events worldwide with a sense of pride to the army and the nation. >> listen up boys and girls, if you want to hear santa on the roof this christmas, take my advice. you better not cry, i'm telling

you why. santa claus is coming to town. he's making a list, checking it twice, he will find out who's naughty and nice. ♪ he sees you when you are sleeping ♪ ♪ and he knows when you are awake ♪ ♪ he knows if you have been bad or good so be good for goodness sake ♪ ♪ you better watch out you better not cry you better not pout i am telling you why, santa claus is coming to town ♪ ♪

♪ he sees you when you are sleeping ♪ ♪ he knows when you are awake ♪ he knows if you have been bad or good so be good for goodness sake ♪ ♪ you better watch, you better not cry, you better not pout i'm telling you why, santa claus is coming to town ♪ ♪ you better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, i'm telling you why, santa

claus is coming to, i mean the big fat man with the long white beard, he's coming to town ♪ sandra: we'll have much more of the west point holiday show with the band's performance of o come o come

[♪] sandra: to continue our west point holiday show let's go back inside eisenhower hall and rejoin the west point band for o come o come emanuel.

[♪]

sandra * much more from the west point band holiday concert including its rendition of "the little drummer boy."

sandra: let's rejoin the west point band as it performs "little drummer boy."

sandra: that brings to a close our west point holiday show. we would like to thank everyone

at west point, especially the west point bands in allowing us to join them in this holiday season. happy holidays to you and yours. good night for christians around the world, christmas is one of the most important religious holidays of the liturgical year. now, that's a pretty obvious statement, but in our culture, it's actually easy to forget that jesus is the reason for the season, and celebrating his birth is the purpose of all of these beautiful traditions. many traditions such as cookie exchanges and watching rudolph the red-nosed reindeer may be secular, but they do similar things to what