Keeping the Christmas spirit while apart
By Corrie Lynne Player
12-19-07

Thank you to all who sent me ideas for keeping an absent spouse part of your Christmas or holiday celebration. Karen, from Panguitch, summarized several good points, so I’m starting with her thoughts (which I’ve edited quite a bit):
“Your articles on absent spouses are wonderful. Since it’s the holidays, I’d like to tell you about how my family deals with our deployed son-in-law. He’s a captain out of Hill Air Force Base. My son-in-law says, ‘Please do not forget us’ every message home; I know he has friends looking over his shoulder who feel the same way. So, I take every opportunity to send him current events, news and boxes of goodies to remind him of how much we love him and are praying for him. I just sent a box on Monday of personal items, magazines and snacks, and I try to include something to make them smile.
We’ve learned from past deployments that not every family has the means or time to send packages to the guys in the Middle East countries. Therefore, we try to include enough to share with all, nothing expensive. All the children write notes and draw pictures, which are a big hit. Phone cards and disposable cameras are good to send, giving them a chance to bring you into their world for a time. I’m constantly searching for items they may use. I have enough stuff for probably two more boxes by Christmas.
If your readers want to send things to their service men and women, they should remember that the soldiers are not allowed to speak of their religion to the country people. Believe me, though, they do pray, and often. Also, note that all packages to the troops must go to a specific name; things addressed to ‘Any Soldier’ won’t be delivered.”
Peggie, whose husband is on his second deployment for the Marines, wrote “Buy a bag of Hershey Kisses; set a jar on the counter or table or whatever and every time your child misses Daddy, he can put a kiss in the jar. When the jar is full, you can send it to Daddy, or if he’s coming home in a few weeks, they can eat the kisses together. Before Daddy leaves again, have him write a bunch of tiny notes and put them in the jar. When your child misses Daddy, he can take out a note and read it, and put a kiss in.”
Also, pick out a big, bright star. Every night at the same time, have Daddy and your child look at the star to say goodnight.
Jenn suggested, “Make paper chain links that count down the days until they are together again. Read them notes from your hubby in the mail. Have him videotape himself reading his child’s favorite stories and you can play the tape for her.”
Kim wrote, “Print a picture of him and tape it to the head of their beds. When they go to bed each night, they can blow kisses at the picture. Make a small calendar together of how many days it is until they get to see each other, and each night cross the day off. Put a picture of balloons and a cake in the space before he’s due home and tell your child that you can make a welcome-home cake or cookies for Daddy. Let him sleep with one of Daddy’s tee-shirts that smell like him.”
Amber, who has experience with a husband who travels for several weeks at a time, wrote, “We always write notes and hide them in Daddy’s bag before he leaves. The kids like to do this, and then they like to be able to talk to Daddy about which ones he found. You could maybe even have Daddy hide notes around the house before he leaves the next time and have the kids go on a hunt to find them when they are missing him really badly.”
Again, thanks for the great ideas! May help from above comfort all of you whose spouses, sons, daughters, and friends are deployed during this special season of the year.