Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
This is kind of long but I feel it is appropriate.
'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
>> > > > HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
>> > > > IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
>> > > > PLASTER AND STONE.
>> > > >
>> > > > I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
>> > > > WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
>> > > > AND TO SEE JUST WHO
>> > > > IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.
>> > > >
>> > > > I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
>> > > > A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
>> > > > NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
>> > > > NOT EVEN A TREE.
>> > > >
>> > > > NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
>> > > > JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND
>> > > > ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
>> > > > OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.
>> > > >
>> > > > WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
>> > > > AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
>> > > > A SOBER THOUGHT
>> > > > CAME THROUGH MY MIND.
>> > > >
>> > > > FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
>> > > > IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
>> > > > I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
>> > > > ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.
>> > > >
>> > > > THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
>> > > > SILENT, ALONE,
>> > > > CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
>> > > > IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.
>> > > >
>> > > > THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
>> > > > THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
>> > > > NOT HOW I PICTURED
>> > > > A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.
>> > > >
>> > > > WAS THIS THE HERO
>> > > > OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
>> > > > CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
>> > > > THE FLOOR FOR A BED
>> > > >
>> > > > I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
>> > > > THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
>> > > > OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
>> > > > WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.
>> > > >
>> > > > SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
>> > > > THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
>> > > > AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
>> > > > A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.
>> > > >
>> > > > THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
>> > > > EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
>> > > > BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
>> > > > LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.
>> > > >
>> > > > I COULDN'T HELP WONDER
>> > > > HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
>> > > > ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
>> > > > IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.
>> > > >
>> > > > THE VERY THOUGHT
>> > > > BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
>> > > > I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
>> > > > AND STARTED TO CRY.
>> > > >
>> > > > THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
>> > > > AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
>> > > > "SANTA DON'T CRY,
>> > > > THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;
>> > > >
>> > > > I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
>> > > > I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
>> > > > MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
>> > > > MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS. "
>> > > >
>> > > > THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
>> > > > AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
>> > > > I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
>> > > > I CONTINUED TO WEEP.
>> > > >
>> > > > I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
>> > > > SO SILENT AND STILL
>> > > > AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
>> > > > FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.
>> > > >
>> > > > I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE
>> > > > ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
>> > > > THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
>> > > > SO WILLING TO FIGHT.
>> > > >
>> > > > THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
>> > > > WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
>> > > > WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA,
>> > > > IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE. "
>> > > >
>> > > > ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
>> > > > AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
>> > > > "MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,
>> > > > AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT. "
>>
>> "This poem was written by a Marine stationed in
>> Okinawa Japan. The
>> following is his request. I think it is
>> reasonable..... PLEASE.
>>
>> Would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as
>> many people
>> as you can?
>>
>> Christmas will be coming soon and a lot of credit is
>> due to our U. S.
>> service men and women for our being able to celebrate
>> these
>> festivities.
>>
>> Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what
>> we owe.
>>
>> Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and
>> dead, who
>> sacrificed
>> themselves for us.
>>
>> Please, do your small part to plant this small seed
'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
>> > > > HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
>> > > > IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
>> > > > PLASTER AND STONE.
>> > > >
>> > > > I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
>> > > > WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
>> > > > AND TO SEE JUST WHO
>> > > > IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.
>> > > >
>> > > > I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
>> > > > A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
>> > > > NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
>> > > > NOT EVEN A TREE.
>> > > >
>> > > > NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
>> > > > JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND
>> > > > ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
>> > > > OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.
>> > > >
>> > > > WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
>> > > > AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
>> > > > A SOBER THOUGHT
>> > > > CAME THROUGH MY MIND.
>> > > >
>> > > > FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
>> > > > IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
>> > > > I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
>> > > > ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.
>> > > >
>> > > > THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
>> > > > SILENT, ALONE,
>> > > > CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
>> > > > IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.
>> > > >
>> > > > THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
>> > > > THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
>> > > > NOT HOW I PICTURED
>> > > > A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.
>> > > >
>> > > > WAS THIS THE HERO
>> > > > OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
>> > > > CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
>> > > > THE FLOOR FOR A BED
>> > > >
>> > > > I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
>> > > > THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
>> > > > OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
>> > > > WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.
>> > > >
>> > > > SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
>> > > > THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
>> > > > AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
>> > > > A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.
>> > > >
>> > > > THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
>> > > > EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
>> > > > BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
>> > > > LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.
>> > > >
>> > > > I COULDN'T HELP WONDER
>> > > > HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
>> > > > ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
>> > > > IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.
>> > > >
>> > > > THE VERY THOUGHT
>> > > > BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
>> > > > I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
>> > > > AND STARTED TO CRY.
>> > > >
>> > > > THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
>> > > > AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
>> > > > "SANTA DON'T CRY,
>> > > > THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;
>> > > >
>> > > > I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
>> > > > I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
>> > > > MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
>> > > > MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS. "
>> > > >
>> > > > THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
>> > > > AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
>> > > > I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
>> > > > I CONTINUED TO WEEP.
>> > > >
>> > > > I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
>> > > > SO SILENT AND STILL
>> > > > AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
>> > > > FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.
>> > > >
>> > > > I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE
>> > > > ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
>> > > > THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
>> > > > SO WILLING TO FIGHT.
>> > > >
>> > > > THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
>> > > > WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
>> > > > WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA,
>> > > > IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE. "
>> > > >
>> > > > ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
>> > > > AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
>> > > > "MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,
>> > > > AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT. "
>>
>> "This poem was written by a Marine stationed in
>> Okinawa Japan. The
>> following is his request. I think it is
>> reasonable..... PLEASE.
>>
>> Would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as
>> many people
>> as you can?
>>
>> Christmas will be coming soon and a lot of credit is
>> due to our U. S.
>> service men and women for our being able to celebrate
>> these
>> festivities.
>>
>> Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what
>> we owe.
>>
>> Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and
>> dead, who
>> sacrificed
>> themselves for us.
>>
>> Please, do your small part to plant this small seed
