A Kabul Christmas
Greetings all and please let me take this opportunity to wish everyone that tunes in to read my drivel a very joyous holiday season and my wishes for a prosperous 2007.
Having served in so many places around the world at this time of year I've learned to adapt to the different ways the world celebrates Christmas with still being able to maintain my sense of holiday spirit. This year will be the hardest.
My first long distance duty station away from home was on a small base in Japan. The Japanese, although not exactly Christian, are infatuated with every commercial aspect the holiday season has to offer and it was very hard not to notice the lights and Christmas Trees in every store window. Japanese people exchange cakes with their friends at Christmas and even though the tradition was very different to what I'd grown up with, it still felt like a festive time of year. I celebrated four Christmases in Japan and came home to New York for one during my nearly six years there.
Next was Panama. Panama is a Catholic country and with that comes most of the same traditional aspects of Christmas that one would find in the United States. Nativity scenes mid-night mass, “feliz navidad” being wished to every passer-by. Even a couple Santas dressed to the “T” and ringing their bell for donations. The only difference in Panama besides the language was the weather. Never does it fall below 85 during the day or 70 at night which made "I'm dreaming of a White Christmas" just that - a very far fetched dream. I celebrated two Christmases in Panama and even though the weather was HOT, it was great to be able to go swimming in the ocean on Christmas Day. My boss had property right on the coast and I still have photos taken with the date stamp 12/25/94 stamped in the corner.
After Panama I came back to the states for training and spent Christmas 1995 in the beautiful state of New York. Nothing says Christmas like the freshly plowed roads of Mohawk and frozen Fulmer Creek. Not to mention lights on all the houses and the big Christmas Tree in front of the Fire Station.
I moved to Germany not too long after that and my first Christmas there was incredible. No one does Christmas like the Germans. The Christmas Markets are a great way to really get into the season and nothing warms you up like a warm mug of Gluh Wein with a dollop of Amaretto. Each town has its own unique market and people come from all over the country to experience the better ones. Bonn, the town where I lived, had a great market and was crowded right up until they closed a couple days before Christmas. My second Christmas in Germany was not spent in Germany since I'd met my soon-to-be wife that spring and we decided to get married in Thailand just before Christmas. She traveled in late November and I arrived on the 9th of December - just in time to get over my jet lag and say "I do" on the 13th. We spent the following 11 days leading up to Christmas on the Thai Island of Samui and returned to Bangkok on Christmas Eve. Like Panama, Thailand is very tropical so there was no way we were going to have a traditional “white” Christmas but with the foreign influence in Thailand and spending the holiday with my new family - it was probably one of the best I've had.
Back to Germany we went for one more Christmas (so we thought) and all the wonderful traditions Germany has to offer. We left Germany in the summer and moved back to the states where we celebrated Christmas in our little apartment in Alexandria, Virginia. I was on a plane the day after Christmas en route to the lovely winter village of Ft. Rucker, Alabama. That could be a story all by itself but I won't tell it here.
The next year we had an even more special Christmas since over the summer we'd moved to Seoul, Korea and in November welcomed the arrival of our daughter. We insisted on no visitors so that we could have her all to ourselves over Christmas and that's exactly what we had. Her first Christmas was in Korea and even though I'm sure she doesn't remember much - it was pretty fantastic. The following Christmas I was lucky enough to manage to go to Berlin for work and took the family along since my father-in-law was posted there and we'd planned on having my daughter Christened in the Anglican Church in Berlin just after Christmas. Back to the Christmas Markets and the Gluh Wein with of course a hearty dollop of Amaretto. What a great time and Berlin offers probably one of the best Christmas Markets in all of Germany. Berlin itself is incredible but the Christmas Markets in this rebuilt capital are absolutely amazing. The Christening went well too and I think we actually had snow at one point because I remember dragging the kids around the back yard in plastic sleds.
Another Christmas in Seoul and then it was on to London. We never spent Christmas in London though since the first year there we went back to Berlin - I just can't pass up the Gluh Wein. My younger brother managed to come over from the states and enjoy the Royal hospitality of my in-laws and a good time was had by all. The next year was Christmas in Yorkshire visiting relatives which was a great experience except walking around the cold wintry streets looking for a pub that wasn't having a "private party" and could provide a coolie to warm my heart.
Last year was Christmas in Maryland and even though we didn't have the snow, or even the temps really - it was the first Christmas in a home that I actually owned. I spent hours buying lights and then more hours putting them up around the outside of the house. We couldn't be outdone by the old retired guy across the street. I was very proud of our home and it was a great Christmas.
Which brings me to this year. Kabul - the land of Muslim destitution. The Embassy has really gone out of their way to spruce the place up and make it look Christmassy in an American kind of way. We've got not one but 3 Christmas Trees in the lobby. These were sent down from the Embassy in Dushanbe as a return favor for the Thanksgiving Turkeys. (Way to go Chief H.) But despite the attempts of many - it just will not be a Christmas to remember here in Kabul. There's snow on the mountains all around the city and the last of the snowmen are melting on the compound (we had a good 8 inches fall not too long ago). Christmas is about one thing to me - good times with great family. I'm sure I'll probably be able to find the good time - pass him a coolie, he'll be fine - but the rest just isn't here.
To the whole gang celebrating in Maryland - wish I was there but fret naught - I will be back before you know it and we'll have our own Christmas who cares what the calendar says.
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to all and be kind to each other - especially at this time of year. Keep on Keepin on. - OUT.
Having served in so many places around the world at this time of year I've learned to adapt to the different ways the world celebrates Christmas with still being able to maintain my sense of holiday spirit. This year will be the hardest.
My first long distance duty station away from home was on a small base in Japan. The Japanese, although not exactly Christian, are infatuated with every commercial aspect the holiday season has to offer and it was very hard not to notice the lights and Christmas Trees in every store window. Japanese people exchange cakes with their friends at Christmas and even though the tradition was very different to what I'd grown up with, it still felt like a festive time of year. I celebrated four Christmases in Japan and came home to New York for one during my nearly six years there.
Next was Panama. Panama is a Catholic country and with that comes most of the same traditional aspects of Christmas that one would find in the United States. Nativity scenes mid-night mass, “feliz navidad” being wished to every passer-by. Even a couple Santas dressed to the “T” and ringing their bell for donations. The only difference in Panama besides the language was the weather. Never does it fall below 85 during the day or 70 at night which made "I'm dreaming of a White Christmas" just that - a very far fetched dream. I celebrated two Christmases in Panama and even though the weather was HOT, it was great to be able to go swimming in the ocean on Christmas Day. My boss had property right on the coast and I still have photos taken with the date stamp 12/25/94 stamped in the corner.
After Panama I came back to the states for training and spent Christmas 1995 in the beautiful state of New York. Nothing says Christmas like the freshly plowed roads of Mohawk and frozen Fulmer Creek. Not to mention lights on all the houses and the big Christmas Tree in front of the Fire Station.
I moved to Germany not too long after that and my first Christmas there was incredible. No one does Christmas like the Germans. The Christmas Markets are a great way to really get into the season and nothing warms you up like a warm mug of Gluh Wein with a dollop of Amaretto. Each town has its own unique market and people come from all over the country to experience the better ones. Bonn, the town where I lived, had a great market and was crowded right up until they closed a couple days before Christmas. My second Christmas in Germany was not spent in Germany since I'd met my soon-to-be wife that spring and we decided to get married in Thailand just before Christmas. She traveled in late November and I arrived on the 9th of December - just in time to get over my jet lag and say "I do" on the 13th. We spent the following 11 days leading up to Christmas on the Thai Island of Samui and returned to Bangkok on Christmas Eve. Like Panama, Thailand is very tropical so there was no way we were going to have a traditional “white” Christmas but with the foreign influence in Thailand and spending the holiday with my new family - it was probably one of the best I've had.
Back to Germany we went for one more Christmas (so we thought) and all the wonderful traditions Germany has to offer. We left Germany in the summer and moved back to the states where we celebrated Christmas in our little apartment in Alexandria, Virginia. I was on a plane the day after Christmas en route to the lovely winter village of Ft. Rucker, Alabama. That could be a story all by itself but I won't tell it here.
The next year we had an even more special Christmas since over the summer we'd moved to Seoul, Korea and in November welcomed the arrival of our daughter. We insisted on no visitors so that we could have her all to ourselves over Christmas and that's exactly what we had. Her first Christmas was in Korea and even though I'm sure she doesn't remember much - it was pretty fantastic. The following Christmas I was lucky enough to manage to go to Berlin for work and took the family along since my father-in-law was posted there and we'd planned on having my daughter Christened in the Anglican Church in Berlin just after Christmas. Back to the Christmas Markets and the Gluh Wein with of course a hearty dollop of Amaretto. What a great time and Berlin offers probably one of the best Christmas Markets in all of Germany. Berlin itself is incredible but the Christmas Markets in this rebuilt capital are absolutely amazing. The Christening went well too and I think we actually had snow at one point because I remember dragging the kids around the back yard in plastic sleds.
Another Christmas in Seoul and then it was on to London. We never spent Christmas in London though since the first year there we went back to Berlin - I just can't pass up the Gluh Wein. My younger brother managed to come over from the states and enjoy the Royal hospitality of my in-laws and a good time was had by all. The next year was Christmas in Yorkshire visiting relatives which was a great experience except walking around the cold wintry streets looking for a pub that wasn't having a "private party" and could provide a coolie to warm my heart.
Last year was Christmas in Maryland and even though we didn't have the snow, or even the temps really - it was the first Christmas in a home that I actually owned. I spent hours buying lights and then more hours putting them up around the outside of the house. We couldn't be outdone by the old retired guy across the street. I was very proud of our home and it was a great Christmas.
Which brings me to this year. Kabul - the land of Muslim destitution. The Embassy has really gone out of their way to spruce the place up and make it look Christmassy in an American kind of way. We've got not one but 3 Christmas Trees in the lobby. These were sent down from the Embassy in Dushanbe as a return favor for the Thanksgiving Turkeys. (Way to go Chief H.) But despite the attempts of many - it just will not be a Christmas to remember here in Kabul. There's snow on the mountains all around the city and the last of the snowmen are melting on the compound (we had a good 8 inches fall not too long ago). Christmas is about one thing to me - good times with great family. I'm sure I'll probably be able to find the good time - pass him a coolie, he'll be fine - but the rest just isn't here.
To the whole gang celebrating in Maryland - wish I was there but fret naught - I will be back before you know it and we'll have our own Christmas who cares what the calendar says.
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to all and be kind to each other - especially at this time of year. Keep on Keepin on. - OUT.
posted by Jamie at 2:36 AM
2 Comments:
Jamie -- great rundown on the Christmas' past... can't wait for the "New Years Eve" edition!!! Hope all is well... stay safe and have Merry Christmas. By the way, temps here today (12/23) are in the 60s -- no white Christmas in out nation's capital.
Bob High
The Mohawk Valley will not be seeing a White Christmas either. Temps are in the 40's!!They are promising sun for Christmas Day--so that is a bonus. Have a Merry Christmas. Stay safe. Love, Heidi
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