OH CHRISTMAS TREE, OH CHRISTMAS TREE - BY GINO

It may have been around 1944. On a previous Christmas my mother (Ada Campioni) had decorated a very small tree. I can remember it well. It was only about a foot high and had a wooden cube for a stand, which was white with colored bells and candles painted on.

The decorations were glass globes of silver or gold color. Some were half-globes with
the hollow side painted in shiny colors of red, blue, and silver. (I still have the last one which survived my playing with them as a child.)That was the same tree that my mother set up for me in June one year, when I was ill with the
measles. That helped me so much to take my mind of my discomfort.

This particular year I so much wanted a real tree. Naturally, my dad “Baffi” was against buying something so expensive, especially since one could not eat a Christmas tree. In later years I realized that he was right. His entire life was devoted to feeding his family. Now at my age, I appreciate him all the more for his choices.

After a short session of grumbling about my request, he took a walk to the top of the hill North of our house.
(near the present site of the University of California, Santa Cruz) He returned with a few mushrooms and
a Redwood branch. “That’s no Christmas tree!” I wailed. “Be quiet and watch.” was my mother’s suggestion.
She produced some thread, and carefully tied the branches, which all grew in the same plane, as Redwoods do.
She pulled them into a spiral shape, and fastened them in place. When that tree received its ornaments, it was
a work of art! I got over my dislike of a redwood tree. Indeed it is the only Christmas tree which I have remembered
for my entire life. It was not so much the tree itself, but that my father had taken the time to do me such a much appreciated favor. I have told this story to some local friends, one of which said, “He must have loved you a lot.” He did indeed.

Saluti e Buon Natale, Gino

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IVANO SAYS: Thanks Gino for reminding us what Christmas is really about. Merry Christmas everybody e Sempre Avanti.

DECEMBER 7, 1941, "A DAY THAT WILL LIVE IN INFAMY'

IVANO SAYS: JUST IN CASE SOME OF US MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN WHAT DECEMBER 7, 1941, WAS ALL ABOUT, I'M PUBLISHING KRISTIAN'S (MY 13-YEAR OLD GRANDSON) CLASS ASSIGNMENT FOR TODAY.

December 7, 1941, ‘A DAY THAT WILL LIVE IN INFAMY’

On December 7, 1941, Japan, without declaring war, made a ’sneak attack’ on Pearl Harbor, in Hawaii, bombing our ships. Many ships were sunk and many American lives were lost. This ’sneak attack’ caught our armed forces stationed in Hawaii completely by surprise.

On December 8, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt went before Congress and declared that “December 7, 1941, was a day that will live in infamy .” By that he meant that the ‘sneak attack’ by Japan was a disgraceful and dishonorable act and would always be remembered that way. He demanded that Congress declare war on Japan.

Congress did declare war on Japan. Japan’s partners (Germany and Italy) declared war on the United States. The United States then declared war on Germany and Italy. The United States became fully involved in WW II.

Because many of the ships had been sunk, the United States could not attack back. It was also not prepared to defend itself. Many people thought that Japan would launch another attack on the west coast of the United States. Coast Guard Units and Army soldiers were set up all along the coast to look for enemy Japanese submarines and airplanes. Blackouts were ordered at night so the enemy could not see us. Laws were passed to make Japanese, German and Italians who lived in the United States to stay away from the Coast. Some lost there jobs and property; Some were forced to move inland.

To win the war, the United States called up many, many young men to serve. Some were volunteers, but most were drafted. This left many jobs without men to do the work at home. The women filled in and did most of those jobs. Factories that turned out cars, trucks, etc. were made to turn out war things such as airplanes and tanks. Restrictions were put on the amount of food, gasoline and other products you could buy at one time or not at all. Everybody was involved one way or another in this war.

The United States soon became strong enough to attack back. We became so strong that we beat the Germans in the first part of 1945. Later in 1945, we dropped Atomic bombs on Japan ending the war there. By doing so we began the Atomic Age.

The United State began the War as a nation that didn’t want to get involve in other nation’s wars. At the end of the War, we became the leader of the free world. We supported the United Nations and to this day are deeply involved in international affairs some involving undeclared wars in foreign nations. What would the founders of the Constitution think of this?

IVANO SAYS (CONT'D) I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT KRISTIAN GOT THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE COAST FROM THE BOOK"LA NOSTRA COSTA" (OUR COAST) BY YOURS TRULY . SEMPRE AVANTI.