But...'tis the season. We have always celebrated Christmas well. We decorate, bake, sometimes we "Secret Santa", we sing, attend Church, visit friends, and try to find joy in the season. I don't like the mall at any time, let alone this time of year...sometimes you have to do things you hate. But I digress. Being in the Army put a crimp in Christmas a time or two. Like the Christmas in 1969 when I was literally sitting down to Christmas dinner when I got a call from my unit that I was supposed to be on Courtesy Patrol. Just because no one had posted a roster or notified anyone doesn't mean you ain't got duty...apparently. Then there were the Christmases spent in far away places, far from family and home; there were six of those, which is not a lot considering I spent 26 years in green...but that doesn't count the Christmases spent at a CQ desk, Staff Duty desk, in a Courtesy Patrol jeep, or various and sundry places not located in my living room. After almost ten years of having duty every single Christmas or New Years, I started taking a short leave every year, to protect that season as much as possible.

We established a policy in the Stone house: Thanksgiving was for friends and company, Christmas for family only. We stuck to that most of the time. We rarely traveled to in-laws' or out-laws' homes (a few exceptions); we liked to stay home and enjoy each other's company. We started a tradition many years ago of having a simple dinner on Christmas Eve, just the kinds of food that Joseph and Mary might have had available to them. To set a spirit. We have made substitutions, they wouldn't have had a spiral-cut, honey-baked ham and I would never eat lamb, but for the most part we tried to stay in the spirit of it. Nuts, seeds, sprouts, cheese, pita-bread, dates, figs, you get the idea. Nowa- days the simplicity has kind of drifted off in favor of everyone bringing their favorite finger food. But that is okay; they are all grown up and I still enjoy their company. And I think Joseph and Mary would really like Tammy's cheese ball or Jamie's seven layer dip. Somehow in the last couple years the tradition has spread to include grandchildren opening a present or two. Again, that's okay with me...it's Christmas. Each year we have been blessed by having all but the Wanderer's crew here. In this day and age that is remarkable...eleven out of thirteen grandkids here on Christmas Eve. And Dana and her two will be here the day after so that is way cool, too.

MamaCharlie does a bang-up job decorating. We have a great tree every year, covered with collector ornaments from Hallmark, Kathe Wohlfarht's, lots of others, and of course, China...heheheee. Nutcrakers from East Germany, Pyramids and Advent Wreaths, stuffed snowmen and women, half a dozen Nativities, and lots of other stuff. We are serious about it. The whole house reflects our seriousity.

I have enjoyed Christmas here in the frozen Swirl, in Germany a lot of times, in California, Texas, Virginia, Arizona, Missouri, Hawaii, Japan, Saudi and Vietnam. I feel very fortunate to have been in one place now for almost seventeen years, the longest I have ever lived anywhere in my whole life. Just a couple more days and the whole thing sets in motion...I can't wait.

It is too bad that such a potentially happy time of year has become such a political football. A couple years ago, HBW wrote a letter to us about Christmas in Iraq. He was surprised to find, as was I, that many of the local nationals that he worked with (Muslims, all) put up Christmas trees and decorated. They enjoy the fun part of the traditions and don't pay any attention to the Christian part. Too bad so many "Americans", concerned with the Constitutionality of having a religion, can't take a similar approach to the holidays. Come on, people, take the stick out of your fourth point of contact and enjoy the season...the season to be jolly!