Dec. 24 - Growing up, one of my favorite Christmas customs was hanging up our stockings. When I was very small, my sisters and I each designed a stocking made out of felt that my Mom then sewed up for us. Mine was green and yellow (these are not Christmas colors, but I was only five years old when we made these, and I selected this unusual combination for my stockings.) On Christmas morning, my sisters and I would wake up and race to our stockings to see what Santa had left us. When we went to bed, they were empty, but when we woke up, these stockings were stuffed with chocolate, candies and some small presents! Even as we grew up and no longer believed in Santa, we still enjoyed our stockings each Christmas.

Most American Embassy employees will enjoy time with their families on Christmas Day, and the Embassy is closed. However, our Marine Corps security guards are on duty in Tokyo far from home and their families. To brighten their holidays, my wife Ann and some Embassy volunteers gathered recently at our home to design holiday stockings for each of our 13 Marines. Ann told me that the volunteers had a good time gluing decorations on the stockings. Later some volunteers solicited donations from Embassy employees so that each stocking was stuffed with candy and gift certificates for our Marines.

When Ambassador Roos and his wife Susie hosted a holiday party for Embassy employees last weekend, "Santa Claus" appeared and gave each Marine a stocking. Ann and I hope that this gesture will help them enjoy their holidays away from home. Ann made a short movie of her stocking party, and if you would like to see it, please click here.

Ann and I wish all of this blog's readers a Happy Holiday Season!

Until next time,

Jim