The Carpenter's Christmas Recollection

From the journal of Jas. Apple, Ship's Carpenter:

While serving as ships carpenter onboard the HMS Acasta, Capt. Freymann and our Doctor would gather the bo’sun and myself with detailed instructions on how to decorate the ship for Christmas day. We would set about then in the black of night, tying any manor of festive things above deck and aloft, and if by chance we had made land in recent time, and that not being very often as I remember, any sort of greenery would be taken aboard by a select landing party, hand picked for being almost mute to gossip, the trophies to be taken bellow.

The Bo’sun, Mr. Cullen and myself would store it all upon the orlop deck, those prizes to be festooned on Christmas eve. And all those below, broken into their messes, would take all manners of trifles, hair ribbons. Colored cloth tied in bows and the like, trying to not be out smarted and anything that could was gleefully bespangled.

Our Gun Capt. Mr. Dubbeld would always get a cross look on his face when discovering that his crews had dressed the cannons for the occasion, but that soon lifted after the third toast was made. And at times it was as if we were, at least for a moment, back home with those that bore us. But I must confess that from all my Christmas’s before and since, those are some of the ones that sing in my heart still.