CHRISTMAS IN KOREA

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27224, 16 December 1953, Page 6

CHRISTMAS IN KOREA

U.N. TROOPS PREPARE FOR CELEBRATIONS PARTIES FOR DESTITUTE CIVILIANS (From a Reuter Correspondent) TOKYO. As Christmas draws near, United Nations units all over South Korea are making final preparations for the holiday—and as in previous years the emphasis will be on parties for Korea’s thousands of orphans, war widows and destitute old people. The Bth Army and the Commonwealth Division will try to make the holiday a happy one for the troops, and the troops will try to make it a happy time for Koreans. Hundreds of tons of turkey, cranberry sauce, shrimp cocktail, puddings, cakes and other delicacies are already in Korea. Christmas dinner menus were drawn up weeks ago. For the first time since United Nations troops entered Korea, Christmas will be an official holiday the same as it is at home. This year, the troops will celebrate the occasion without a background of gunfire. Only skeleton staffs will work.

Many British Commonwealth units will start Christmas Day celebrations in a traditional manner. The men will ■get a cup of tea in bed on Christmas morning brought to them by the sergeants and officers. Most units will have sporting events during the day and film shows and amateur stage shows in the evening. According to Commonwealth messing officers, there will be plenty of “beverages” as usual. United Nations frontline units which have been digging into new’ positions since the armistice have bought decorations to brighten up theij- drab tents and huts. Some units have started putting up decorations already. .Most troops—particularly those in rear areas—will be concentrating on making it a happy Christams for Korean children. More than 125,000 Korean children, widows and old people will be entertained at 275 Christmas parties sponsored by the troops. There will be between 2000 and 3000 guests at each party who will be given dinner and presents of candy, fruit, nuts, toys and clothing.

Each orphanage or other institutions being sponsored by a unit will get permanent gifts such as sewing machines for women’s homes, playground equipment for orphanages and medical supplies for hospitals. Children and troops will entertain each

other at parties. The children will sing Christmas carols in Korean and perform native dances and sketches for the troops. The troops in turn will sing and show films —with emphasis on cartoons. Santa Claus has not been forgotten. Now peace has returned to Korea, there will be transport available for him. Troops disguised in the familiar

white beard and red clothes will arrive at many of the parties aboard helicopters. At other parties they will arrive in jeeps decorated like sleighs. Many units are competing with each other to provide “the biggest Christmas treet in Korea” for their parties. However big they may be the trees will be laden with toys, clothes and other useful items —the result of weeks and months of hard work by organisers of collections and drives among units here and relatives at home.