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Sparrowhawk
12-25-02, 04:36 PM
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Far from home: A sailor watches the sun rise on Christmas Day from the deck of the USS Constellation in the Persian Gulf.

Sparrowhawk
12-25-02, 04:39 PM
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Armed in Afghanistan
U.S. soldiers stationed on a rooftop dress for Christmas at Bagram Air Base near Kabul. U.S. soldiers serving in Afghanistan celebrated the birth of Christ with prayers and hymns and Christmas dinner.

Sparrowhawk
12-25-02, 04:44 PM
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Christmas Comes to Kuwait
Marines training in the Kuwaiti desert took a break on Tuesday for a visit from Santa.

Santa Claus Visits U.S. Forces in Kuwait
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS


Filed at 3:13 p.m. ET

CAMP COMMANDO, Kuwait (AP) -- Rolling past a camouflaged Humvee mounted with a .50-caliber machine gun, Santa Claus paid a Christmas Eve visit to U.S. Marines in the Kuwaiti desert.

Some 12,000 American servicemen are in Kuwait, preparing for a war with Iraq. For many, the holidays are the first they are spending away from their families.


``You are the nation's true patriots,'' Lt. General James T. Conway boomed in a speech to several hundred troops at Camp Commando on Tuesday. ``The Christmas of 2002 in Kuwait is one that will remain deeply in your minds.''

Set up just weeks ago, Camp Commando is the headquarters for Marines in the Persian Gulf. Most of the troops hail from the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, based in Camp Pendleton, Calif.

The troops stood to attention in a concrete-walled obstacle course called ``the Coliseum'' as Conway, the commander of the expeditionary force, praised their sacrifice and patriotism.

Colonel John T. Cunnings, the headquarters' commandant, then took the microphone and announced the imminent arrival of ``someone with lots of hair -- something that is not normally associated with a Marine.''

A pickup truck with sirens and flashing lights then arrived in the Coliseum and parked next to a Humvee. A Santa Claus appeared waving to the soldiers and yelling ``Ho! Ho! Ho!'' from the back.

A few gag gifts were distributed to senior sergeants, and a selection of special presents -- a television, camp stove, and the like -- were presented to four women Marines who had wrapped gifts for the other soldiers.

Lance Cpl. Peachetta Reid, 20, of Killeen, Texas, got a stereo.

``I wasn't expecting this,'' she said. ``We don't have much electricity in our tents, but it is good for when we get home.''

For her, this Christmas is her first away from home, and takes place at what would likely be the front line of any invasion into Iraq if President Bush gives the order.

Though Kuwait is a Muslim nation where Christmas is a foreign tradition, a local organization prepared 17,000 gift packages for U.S. soldiers, Marines, sailors and airmen here.

Some were distributed to the other forces and included caps, playing cards, and writing paper.

Many soldiers were looking forward to watching classic Christmas films. In the back of an Army Bradley Fighting Vehicle, during the biggest live fire exercises since the Gulf War last weekend, soldiers debated which video they would watch first when they returned to camp-- ``It is a Wonderful Life,'' ``How the Grinch Stole Christmas,'' or a ``Miracle on 34th street'' -- the original not the remake.

Others spent Christmas Eve calling home or sending e-mails to their families, something soldiers couldn't do during the 1991 Persian Gulf War. Now they have access to the Internet, and they treasure it because of the bad connections and time limits that can hamper use of the telephone.

Pfc. Max Guerra, 25, of the army's armored 3rd Infantry Division, said that he wouldn't try calling home until Dec. 26 because ``the line will be too long.''

But his brother, Gonzalo, 23, who serves in a different company, said that he would try to get through to their mother in Miami.

``She hates it that we are over here,'' Gonzalo said. ``I will just talk to her for a few minutes. Any longer than that and she will cry.''

Sparrowhawk
12-25-02, 05:07 PM
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It's summer down under

Irish tourists Tina McLaughlin, left, and Catriona Doherty cool off in the surf on Christmas Day, as temperatures reach 86 degrees F at Bondi Beach, Sydney

Sparrowhawk
12-25-02, 05:25 PM
Got up early this morning, put on a Santa suit and came downstairs to wake up my daughter’s. They all get together on Christmas Eve and spent night, talking, so it was hard to get them up.

The oldest is 23, 22, 21, 19, 17----- You would think they would know by now, there is no Santa...LOL
LOL

I rang the Jingle bells, and tossed out candy canes but they didn’t stir…. finally they got up and we opened presents. I got lots of soft sweaters, and new pants and shirts. They figured if I was going to be presenting myself before the board of education and yelling at them, I should at least be wearing new clothes.

Family is cooking dinner right now, Ham and smashed potatoes, and greens, home made biscuits and, I’m still in my PJ’s no use in getting dressed today, everyone agreed, except one daughter figured she shaved one of her legs trying out her new shaver so, she’s getting dressed for Christmas dinner.