My Second Favorite Christmas
I am the youngest of nine. Six girls followed by three boys. Dad was a World War 2 veteran, US Navy South Pacific, USS Alhena. Google it sometime.
Christmases were always a fun time. We nine kids understood the meaning of Christmas, no, not the “Spirit of Christmas” crap that is pawned off on the world today. The Story of the Virgin Birth , of the coming of the Savior of the World.
Dad always got us gifts for Christmas. He was a Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that did not compromise his principles nor his belief that the Bible was the infallible Word of God. Preachers like that (the ones that will make sure you get to heaven or at least know about each and every pitfall that can stop you) do not get large congregations and work a real job during the week to earn a living. He worked hard for a living and the earliest Christmases I remember had few gifts for every one of us kids. They were never expensive, they were what we could afford. But the thought was there.
The first gift I remember receiving was around the time I was 5 or 6 it was a dart gun. You know with the plastic darts with suction cups I even remember where they bought it and snuck it out to the car, on the square in Marion from Woolworths if I remember correctly. My first gun was a blue plastic dart gun.
But my Second Favorite Christmas was the one I’ll never forget. It was in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, 900 miles from where I grew up. I was in the Marine Corps getting ready to deploy to Operation Desert Shield, which would become Desert Storm. When I say getting “Ready to Deploy” I mean 2-3 days after Christmas I was to be on a plane flying to Killragheadistan. We were advised a few days before Christmas that we would be given a 36 hour liberty starting around 1200 Christmas Eve to show up back at the Camp by 0000 hours December 26. I called home and mentioned that I had l a 36 and would be going somewhere with some other Marines. (Probably getting in the Christmas spirits, but I left that detail out.) I do not know how the plans back home came together so quickly, but my mom and dad decided to drive to Camp Lejeune and spend Christmas with me, Apparently the rest of the family was going to postpone Christmas until they returned.
One thing a Marine Grunt does not watch is the Weather Channel , or TV, for that matter. It doesn't;’t matter what the weather is doing, if you are outside it is what it is. If I had been near a TV, I would have seen the ice storm they would have had to drive through and called and told them some story about my squad’s liberty being yanked and we had to pull duty or something to keep them from braving the ice. The braved it anyway, and looking back, I am glad they did.
We, the entire battalion, were returning from a 6 mile run, when I saw their car arrive, I ran to change into my civvies, or civilian attire, sign out and go to town. I ran to meet them. I told them I had a small list of items I would need before deployment. We went to Kmart and I rounded up the batteries and electric razor and toiletries, I think the bill was around 20 bucks. Dad paid for it and said,” Merry Christmas!” We then went to a North Carolina local eatery and had dinner. We had to drive around 40-50 miles to find a hotel. Dad and mom got a room and they got me my own room. Shortly after I was in my room, the phone rang, it was the front desk, “Hello, are you the Marine going to Desert Shield?” I replied in the affirmative, “Well, thank you, and please enjoy any and all movies In the room free of charge. Merry Christmas!” I stayed awake most of that night watching free movies.
Christmas Morning broke early. We headed back in to Jacksonville , the car had some small problem and we found a garage that was open. As we were driving through the Carolina Pines on a sunny Christmas morning we listened to the Charlie Daniels Christmas Special. We stopped and had breakfast somewhere, then went to Saigon Sam’s Surplus Salvage, yes; it was open on Christmas Day. Dad and Mom bought themselves some team colors "Chocolate Chip” Desert Camouflage and bumper stickers. We went back to Camp Lejeune and I checked back in. They started back on their 20 plus hour ice storm laden drive.
I, the youngest of nine , had my parents to myself for one Christmas. I did not intend to be selfish and keep them to myself, it just happened that year by circumstance. Thank you to the rest of my family for that Christmas.
That is the story of my Second Favorite Christmas, “What is your Most Favorite Christmas?” you ask.
That’s easy; I wasn’t there. My favorite Christmas is the First Christmas, The Birth of my Dear Savior, when He was deployed to save the world from an evil tyrant.
