Christmas Marked by U.S. Troops in Afghanistan

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, December 25, 2001

Christmas Marked by U.S. Troops in Afghanistan

U.S. troops stationed in Afghanistan marked Christmas with improvised celebrations while the hunt for Osama bin Laden continued.

U.S. troops stationed in Afghanistan marked Christmas with improvised celebrations while the hunt for Osama bin Laden continued.

At a special service in a newly constructed makeshift chapel at a U.S. base near the southern Afghan city of Kandahar, some U.S. Marines celebrated a midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. The service followed carol singing in the cold Afghan winter as U.S. troops heard a message from Gen. Tommy Franks, commander of U.S. Central Command, wishing them a Merry Christmas.

In the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e-Sharif, U.S. and French soldiers gathered in the cafeteria of a school they are currently stationed in to sing carols and receive special food rations.

From Washington, President Bush made telephone calls to nine U.S. soldiers in various overseas posts Monday, assuring them that Americans were grateful for their services and sacrifices during the holiday season.

Secret Santa Gives Away Money to People in NYC

A USA TODAY story Thursday told readers about Secret Santa, a Kansas City-area businessman who gave out $100 bills to needy people on the streets in New York City. Over a three-day period the first part of last week, he gave away $25,000 to people in New York. On Saturday and again on Monday, he doled out more than $30,000 in his home community.

Santa, who has been giving away money anonymously for 22 years in the Kansas City area, says he has been overwhelmed by the response to the article. He has received more than 700 e-mails from all over the nation and the world. Many thanked him profusely and said that, after learning about his generosity, they plan to do more charitable acts this Christmas and all year long.

One person said he had left a $50 tip for a waitress in a coffee shop. An out-of-work computer programmer in Boise is planning to give $100 to a family down the street that is being evicted.

Many people blessed Santa and his family. "I'm sitting here with tears in my eyes, and I can feel their blessings," Santa said on Sunday from his home.