I think each person has a favorite Christmas song. Mine has changed over the years, but the one that now has a special place in my heart is “I’ll Be Home For Christmas.” The song is from the perspective of a soldier at war who knows he won’t be home for Christmas. I know it sounds sad, and it is a little bit, but it’s really beautiful. My mother’s father, who I refer to as Poppy, told me a story from when he was in Vietnam.

Larry Marvin (Poppy) was drafted into the United States Army at the age of 19. He left his home in Ohio for the Vietnam War. He worked as a radio teletype, doing morse code and things like that. He spent about two years over there, typing away and fighting a war. He flew in a helicopter, drove around in an army jeep, and couldn’t really contact anyone except with letters, which took a while. One Christmas Eve, he and his squadron were having a Christmas party on the helicopter pad, listening to a radio and drinking, cause what else can you do in a war. They were having a pretty great time, and the night began to wind down. “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” Began to play on the little radio as they sat in silence, and Poppy said “You could look at every soldier and see the look on their face. In their minds, they were home for Christmas.”

The first time I heard this story, I started to cry a little, thinking about not being able to see my family on Christmas. Being alone and scared in a war-stricken country must have been terrifying. Then I remembered that he and both his brothers were all in the military, the other two were in the navy, one in the Philippines, and I forgot where the other was. Thinking about his parents knowing all three of their boys were alone in the war on Christmas must have been heartbreaking.

Every time I hear this song, I think about that story. I don’t know why it stuck with me, but it has for a few years. “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” May just always be my favorite Christmas song. For everyone who has family in the military this Christmas Season, I hope that you can see them soon, and if not, I am really sorry. May all your Military relatives come home safely.

Merry Christmas

Madison signing off.