Show Hey Culligan Man Holiday New or Old J JIM CULLIGAN Early in the history of the Roman Roman Roman Ro Ro- Ro- Ro man Christian Church church leaders felt a need to take some action to suppress the effects of the pagan winter feast of the which resulted in several several several sev sev- eral days of orgies It was decided decided decided de de- de- de to create a Christian holiday holiday holiday holi holi- day of sufficient importance to counteract the effect of the pagan pagan pagan pa pa- gan feast and so December 25 the first day of the was chosen as the feast of the incarnation incarnation incarnation nation the coming of Christ Many people today feel that Christmas time has returned to its it's pagan equivalent only that it is an orgy on spending and buying Most people dont don't agree with the cynics and view Christmas Christmas Christmas Christ Christ- mas as a time of joy and mutual generosity No other Christian holiday is so widely observed around the world and the spirit of Christmas variously represented represented represented by Santa Claus Glaus Papa Frost or St. St Nicholas is just as real today as it has ever been I spoke to Toby Valerio an electronics student a about b o 0 u t Christmas in Vietnam 2 years ago when he was serving with witha a signal company at Dam Ba Sa Tien Tien We were all pulling 12 hour shifts at the time he said and there was no time for any t fr i real real- c celebration T The h e boys boy b o y s 0 whose families had sent Christ- Christ F s packages shared with their friends but Christmas was a time which we dreaded The V V. V C. C knew that it was a special day for us and so they stepped up their assaults and kept us on red alert for days at a time It was impossible to sleep even after you had finished your 12 hour shift because on red alert everyone is supposed to be prepared prepared prepared pre pre- pared to fight Christmas in Vietnam was most by its it's absence and it was particularly particularly particularly hard for those whose families families families fam fam- had always made a special celebration of Christmas I asked former U. U S. S Navy Commander Dallis Christensen about Christmas aboard ship He said that every sailor looked forward to having liberty at Christmas time Ume and especially if they were stationed state side and could get home at that time But a ship cannot be completely completely completely com com- because of a holiday and so about half the crew would still be aboard It was a common practice he said for the crew to go ashore and invite some local children to share Christmas with them aboard ship You can imagine what an experience it would be for little children to be ferried out to the ship shown around the different sections and then treated to a fine meal and presents presents presents pres pres- from the sailors sailor's own funds The food was food that normally would go to the crew members who were on liberty and so the meal was courtesy of the Navy This is typical of the kind of spirit which expresses Christmas Christmas Christmas Christ Christ- mas everywhere even I wish for YOU what I would wish for myself a peaceful private private private vate time to share with your loved ones far from outside in intrusion intrusion intrusion in- in and filled with the real spirit of generosity that makes the season memorable |