Yank Christmas
Dec. 19th, 2007 08:39 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stephbgOur clan Christmas Days tend to follow much the same pattern of presents, food and noise, with the notable exception of the year we hosted an American sailor. I'm pretty sure his name was Wade and he was an aircraft mechanic from Iowa. How was it that we came to entertain a member of the miltary of a foreign power?
The reason he was with us was quite simple really - he was a penpal of my sister's, his ship was in port, it was Christmas, we apparently had some kind of treaty with his country, and the locals were encouraged to take a sailor home.
It added a certain something to have a loud, but admittedly extremely friendly and amazed stranger at our table. He couldn't believe how hot it was.
The highlight for world relations was the afternoon game of backyard cricket-baseball, played with a spade for a bat and lemons for balls. We have a great action shot of one of us taking a swing and pulverising aforementioned lemon in midair. Mmmmm. Citrusy.
I think he eventually proposed to my sister, but she got that a lot.
***
Another Christmas event that has passed into family lore was the year Mum asked if anyone wanted more asparagus. No? Icecream? Yes, announced Big Brother, who was and remains a Growing Boy, I'll have everything. Right, said Mother, and duely presented to her eldest child a bowl of tinned asparagus and neopolitan icecream.
He ate it, to the sound of squeals of horror from his four younger sisters.
What was your most unusual Christmas?
The reason he was with us was quite simple really - he was a penpal of my sister's, his ship was in port, it was Christmas, we apparently had some kind of treaty with his country, and the locals were encouraged to take a sailor home.
It added a certain something to have a loud, but admittedly extremely friendly and amazed stranger at our table. He couldn't believe how hot it was.
The highlight for world relations was the afternoon game of backyard cricket-baseball, played with a spade for a bat and lemons for balls. We have a great action shot of one of us taking a swing and pulverising aforementioned lemon in midair. Mmmmm. Citrusy.
I think he eventually proposed to my sister, but she got that a lot.
***
Another Christmas event that has passed into family lore was the year Mum asked if anyone wanted more asparagus. No? Icecream? Yes, announced Big Brother, who was and remains a Growing Boy, I'll have everything. Right, said Mother, and duely presented to her eldest child a bowl of tinned asparagus and neopolitan icecream.
He ate it, to the sound of squeals of horror from his four younger sisters.
What was your most unusual Christmas?
