Let’s make this a very merry Christmas for our armed forces

The holidays are in full swing, and you are either happy to say you are finished with your Christmas shopping or - if you’re more like I am - you are frantically running around trying to grab those last minute gifts. The radio plays well-known holiday songs and the stores are illuminated with beautiful lights and decorations.

Maybe you joined your family in picking out a Christmas tree, caroling or decorating the house to the nines. Maybe you paid a visit to Santa at the mall already, took festive family photos or sat down together to watch “Frosty the Snowman” or “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

In the meantime, NATO supply trucks are being attacked in Pakistan, U.S. equipment is being downed by Iranian forces and our government is working hard to get the troops out of the Middle East.

Our service men and women are still out there fighting for our freedom. Many of them - the reason we are able to celebrate our holidays safe and warm at home - won’t see their families this Christmas and will spend their holiday season in a foreign country.

We might not be able to get them all home this Christmas, but there are ways for us to make this year’s holiday season a special one for these men and women. Whether you have a loved one serving in active duty or not, consider taking some time out of your day to make this a merry Christmas for someone who is not as lucky as you or I.

The Red Cross is sponsoring its fifth annual Holiday Mail for Heroes endeavor, by which anyone can send cards to the troops. Visit www.redcross.org/holidaymail for more information, or send Christmas cards to Holiday Mail for Heroes, P.O. Box 5456, Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456.

Other organizations are taking a personal approach to this endeavor, as well. Check out page 2 for an overview of Jammies for GIs, an organization dedicated to giving our troops a good night’s sleep. Soldiers Angels gives civilians the opportunity to send care packages or Christmas cards to soldiers or adopt a military family for the holidays. Helpasoldier.org arranges for Christmas presents to be sent to military personnel, and also allows individuals to donate air miles to help bring a soldier home.

There are many other wonderful organizations out there that have the same goal as the ones listed above. Let’s work together to make sure that our armed forces get the same enjoyable Christmas holiday that we are able to celebrate here at home.

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