Called Detsember in Estonian, Decembro in Esperanto, Prosinec in Czech o Tlamahtlācōnti in nahuatl, it’s a very special month in different cultures. Several unusual events occurred caused by this part of almanac. Christianity left a deep mark at the end of month, where habits from many years allow to people to let out some of our hidden feelings.
-Santa from the lighthouses
In the ‘20s, pilot William Wincapaw was already an experimented man from aviation. He flew many different kinds of planes, including hydroplanes at the northeast part of North America.
Many times he had to fly in awful weather conditions and not few times his craft returned safe home, thanks to the invaluable help of the lighthouses and people who live there. These guardians stay in those lone places every day of year. They use to stay alert when an airplane comes near their positions, and keep on watching them until they got lost in the horizon, just then they feel calm again.
Capitan Wincapaw landed several times to meet them and talk. He felt deeply grateful with these people, so far from everywhere, giving their lives and their family’s to watch over the pilots. So that was how one day in 1929, he decided to do something about it.
25th of December, he put many boxes in his airplane with: newspapers and magazines, candies and chocolates. Things we take for granted at city, but luxury stuff at those lonely lands. He took off with these treasures and dropped them at many lighthouses, one by one. After that flight, he came back home, not knowing what happened then.
Some days later he was told that families from lighthouses were more than happy with those presents. Not only for the objects, but because someone remembered them on such day. Capitan Wincapaw promised himself he would do it again next year.
This was how he began to make a wider route on his Xmas trips and some years later, his son Bill went with him too. In the 30s, they visited 91 lighthouses through the entire coast.
At year 1939, Capitan Wincapaw travelled to Bolivia, working there the whole year. Because of this, his son Bill called an ex professor to going him on the December missions. In the years to come, young Wincapaw got some sponsors and a bigger plane and also joined professor’s wife, Anna-Myrle. After a break cause second war, they continued with tradition. In time, they began to use helicopters instead of airplanes. Cose they were more accurate in the moment to dropping boxes. In July of 1947, Capitan Wincapaw died in an accident with his plane. In his funeral, besides relatives, arrived many families from lighthouses.
Bill professor, Edward Snow, took his place and made next flight. In the following years, he and his wife made more routes to reach a total of 176 lighthouses. And at 1953, they went also to west coast.
In 1981, Mister Snow had a very delicate health, but Hull lifesaving Museum, offered help to him. So they decided to continue trips at any cost. In 1982, Snow died, leaving more than 90 books. He was besides professor, historian, photographer, treasure hunter and Santa Claus.
With the help of Museum, the new pilot, George Morgan, made the new trips, with the help of Snow daughter. Since middle of 80s the Santa Flying Museum began to work. Almost in the 90s, modern times made most of lighthouses automatic, so these places were left alone. New modality was to land at the area and encounter with kids of houses or towns.
In October of 2006, “Friends of Flying Santa” put a placket in honour of Capitan Wincapaw at Rockland Lighthouse Museum. Also was present William Wincapaw 3th.
Even today, 2008, the Flying Santa helicopters are still making those trips, carring presents and greetings. Im sure that, Capitan Wincapaw will be, from somewhere, watching and taking care of his pilots.
-Xmas soldiers
In December of 1914, the british-german front was a butchery. It was the trench warfare, they moved some meters to east then some others to west. Always depending on the amount of bodies. The night of December 24th at the area of Ypres, current Belgium, Germans started to decorate their trench and sing xmas songs. Those villancicos were heard by everybody around, even by the british soldiers. That was how also singings came from the other side of barbwires. British soldiers shouted some greetings to germans and these answered. And that way, some one proposed a meeting in the midland. Mood was the best and all men agreed. Soon, no man’s land was full with a crowd of soldiers, greeting and exchanging their most valuable possessions: chocolate, brandy and even addresses.
This spontaneous truce spread through all the area. There weren’t any shots, no dead. They agreed to allow the recovery of bodies, which were still in the battle field. Some of them were buried there, with both sided soldiers praying for them.
Next day, there weren’t any shots either. In many kilometres around, soldiers were still talking and behaving like friends. We have known from letters, british as well as german, that it was played at least one football match. All letters say that the winning squad (if someone cares) was the germans.
Even when it was denied by the officers, its said that soldiers in charge of cannons, gave to their colleges, the coordinates of desert areas, so the other one could shoot their bombs where nobody could get hurt. So, next day, many cannon shoots were heard, but nobody was touched. They didn’t want that command officers knew they didn’t want to fight anymore, that they couldn’t fight any more. It’s difficult to stop fighting, but even more difficult to attack again someone you consider your friend.
And situation went so far, that after weeks and even months without casualties, generals from both sides decided to remove all soldiers and put other in their place. Christmas soldiers were spread in other fronts, where they could fight without feeling guilty.
This story was told in several places, like the song by Paul McCartney “pipes of piece”
In November 2008, there was a meeting at the same place, with the presence of the current same battalions that fought and stop fighting at ’14. Also were present some of the grandchildren of those soldiers and again they made a football match. It must be said that, again germans won the match. They exchange again personal and military objects, like flags and souvenirs.
Ball used that day was signed by players and today is at Militärhistorisches Museum der Bundeswehr, Germany.
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