This Holiday Season, Connect with military families, active duty troops, or veterans

Holidays: a time to spend with family and friends. You eat too much food, swap tales from the past year, and retell stories that everyone fondly remembers.

Except, many military families will spend this holiday season far from those they hold near and dear.

Personally, I have spent less than six of the last 16+ major holidays with my family. Not because I didn’t want to. Oh, no. I desperately wanted to wake up on Christmas morning back home.

But plane tickets are pricey for just one person this time of year. When you add in your spouse and your children, and maybe petsitting fees, it can add up fast! Just going home would have been more money than we budgeted for gifts.

Other troops are deployed overseas.

Those folks couldn’t get home, even if they wanted to. The brave men and women overseas are missing holiday traditions more than most. They are from even from their spouses and children.

But you can help!

Use these easy tips to help military troops and families have a touch of home this holiday season.

Send a care package:

Reach out to your local base, Guard or Reserve unit, or even a VFW post. All of these organizations probably know a unit who might need a little holiday cheer! They can share addresses with you, or give you some guidelines for items to include.

Not up for a DIY care package? There are many options to send some love to the troops, near or far.

The USO hosts an annual holiday care package program. A great way to help make this happen is to donate to them!

Or you can send a gift basket or box through KOAH and our Cause Network. There are a lot to choose from! Just make sure that the basket is non-perishable and can be shipped to APO and FPO addresses.com

You can work with your church, community group, Girl or Boy Scout troop, and even just your friends, to send out big batches of cards to whole units. Or send personal notes to military friends you already know.

Send a Touch of Home:

Know a military family? Send them a personalized gift box with treats from home! Fill a flat rate USPS box with local snacks and treasures. Whatever your friend might be craving, try and fit it in. Stick to non-perishable foods, and maybe stay away from chocolate (it melts). But fancy holiday cake kits, regional snacks or dry drink mixes are great ideas! For liquids, stay away from carbonation and alcohol. Wrap it tightly in a ziplock bag and tape it shut to prevent accidental leaks.

Invite a Service Member to Dinner:

Everyone loves a home cooked meal, especially for the holidays. Many troops stateside will be eating at the chow hall. And while turkey and all the fixings will probably be served, it will be a made-for-the-masses meal.

Reach out to your local base or VFW to invite a single Soldier (or Marine, Sailor, Airman, or Coastie) to your home for the holidays.

You could also team up with your church or other community group to host a bigger meal for more service members.

If you know that a local military family will be celebrating solo, reach out and let them know that they have a place at your table, too.

Don’t Forget the Kids:

Many military kids will be missing a parent (or two) this holiday season, plus their grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Often these families are on a tight budget. Military salaries are not super cushy!

Check with local units both Guard/Reserve or active duty, and the VFW to see if they know of any needy military families.

You should also consider donating new, unwrapped toys to Toys for Tots. These gifts are distributed to needy children around the country, both military connected and civilian.

With a little planning on your part, you can help military troops and their families make merry this holiday season!

Meg Flanagan M.Ed and K.O.A.H. Military Education Specialist

I'm a teacher, blogger, writer, runner, mother, and military spouse. I am passionate about helping ALL children learn, offering tips to guide parents through the K-12 education world, and providing useful advice to teachers of all ages and stages.

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