Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays

[John]

Best wishes to all the GreekChatters for a Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

[tld221]

because i DO believe that there is someone out there celebrating Kwanzaa (i havent met them yet, but perhaps theyre lurking on GC?)... Happy Kwanzaa!

And Happy Holidays to all!

[jon1856]

I too wish everyone here a very Happy, Healthy, safe and sane holiday season.

I also wish to remind everyone that there are people who are celebrating this year while missing their Husband or Wife.

That there are families celebrating with an empty chair or two.

The following are links which I have collected over the past few years.
They are for sites/groups/organizations that help our service members and their families.

If one wishes and cares to, please look them over. One may find, as others here have, one or two that interests you.
Jon
http://mrmom.amaonline.com/asoldier.htm

http://mrmom.amaonline.com/asoldierschristmas.htm

Sites which help Support our Troops:
http://www.americasupportsyou.mil/americasupportsyou/index.aspx
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6568316/
http://anysoldier.com/index.cfm
http://www.oidelivers.org/http://www.adoptaplatoon.org/
http://www.gi-bracelet.org/GIBracelet/index.html
http://www.uso.org/
http://www.letssaythanks.com/Home1024.html
http://www.defendamerica.mil/
http://www.centcom.mil
AFES Gift Certificates
www.aafes.com/docs/homefront.htm
<http://www.aafes.com/docs/homefront.htm>
The Army and Air Force Exchange Services is where most servicemen and
women do their shopping. You can purchase gift certificates for those
in Iraq and those hospitalized.

Appreciate Our Troops
www.appreciateourtroops.org <http://www.appreciateourtroops.org>
Purchase a Support Our Troops mug and a free personalized mug will be
given to a current or former service member.

Blue Star Mothers
www.bluestarmothers.org <http://www.bluestarmothers.org>
The Blue Star Mothers was founded by service members' moms during World
War II. Any mother with a son or daughter in the military can join.

Books For Soldiers
www.booksforsoldiers.com/ <http://www.booksforsoldiers.com/>
Help the troops escape boredom by donating some books. You can also
donate DVDs and CDs requested by soldiers.

Camp Doha
www.campdoha.org/ <http://www.campdoha.org/>
Camp Doha provides valuable information for those about to deploy, their
friends and families and anyone who wants to support the troops.

Cell Phones for Soldiers
www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com/pages/1/index.htm
<http://www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com/pages/1/index.htm>
Donated cell phones are recycled and turned into cash. The cash is used
to purchase calling cards for soldiers in Iraq.

Defend America
www.defendamerica.mil/nmam.html <http://www.defendamerica.mil/nmam.html>
Thank any service member stationed throughout the U.S. and the world
with
an e-mail.

Fisher House
www.fisherhouse.org <http://www.fisherhouse.org>
The Fisher House Foundation donates comfort homes, built on the grounds
of major military and VA medical centers. These homes enable family
members to be close to a loved one during hospitalization for an
unexpected illness, disease, or injury.

Freedom Calls
www.freedomcalls.org <http://www.freedomcalls.org>
The Freedom Calls Foundation is helping families video conference with
their loved ones in Iraq. You can donate money to help keep this project
going.

Groceries for Families
www.commissaries.com/certificheck
<http://www.commissaries.com/certificheck>
The men and women who lay down their lives for us are terribly
underpaid.
Help a family by purchasing gift certificates to the commissary.

Homes for Our Troops
www.homesforourtroops.org <http://www.homesforourtroops.org>
Homes for Our Troops assists injured veterans and their immediate
families by building new or adapting existing homes with handicapped
accessibility.

Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund
www.intrepidmuseum.org/pages/intrepidfoundation
<http://www.intrepidmuseum.org/pages/intrepidfoundation>
The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund provides grants to the families of
servicemen and women who died in Iraq. You can donate online, through
mail or by calling a toll-free number.

Military Moms
www.militarymoms.net <http://www.militarymoms.net>
This site provides support to all of the moms out there who has a son or
daughter in the military.

MarineParents
www.marineparents.com <http://www.marineparents.com>
MarineParents is a place for parents of Marines to meet up. You'll find
advice, support and information.

Operation: A Bit of Home
www.operationabitofhome.com <http://www.operationabitofhome.com>
Operation: A Bit of Home supports over 150 different soldiers per day by
providing necessary and hard-to-get toiletries.

Operation Air Conditioner
www.operationac.com <http://www.operationac.com>
Operation Air Conditioner provides not only air conditioners but space
heaters (the desert is cold in the winter) for soldiers in Iraq and
Afghanistan.

Operation Dear Abby
www.anyservicemember.navy.mil <http://www.anyservicemember.navy.mil>
The U.S. Navy and Dear Abby have teamed up. Their site allows you to
send e-mail messages of support to service members.

Operation Give
www.operationgive.org <http://www.operationgive.org>
Operation Give provides toys, clothing and school supplies primarily to
the children of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Operation Gratitude
www.opgratitude.com <http://www.opgratitude.com>
Operation Gratitude provides a way for you to show your respect and
appreciation for the troops. It sends care packages and letters to
troops stationed overseas.

Operation Hero Miles
www.heromiles.org <http://www.heromiles.org>
You can donate your unused frequent flier miles to help soldiers travel
on emergency leave. They are also used to help families fly to
hospitalized soldiers.


Operation Iraqi Children
www.operationiraqichildren.org <http://www.operationiraqichildren.org>
Many soldiers are rebuilding schools in Iraq and scrounging around for
school supplies. Help by donating a school supplies kit.

Operation Kids for Troops
www.kids4troops.com <http://www.kids4troops.com>
Write directly to men and women serving overseas in combat areas. Or
place the names of loved ones serving overseas on the "OKFT Hero List"
to receive encouraging mail.

Operation Uplink
www.operationuplink.org <http://www.operationuplink.org>
Donate money to Operation Uplink. The money is used to purchase phone
cards so servicemen and women can call home.

Packages From Home
www.packagesfromhome.org <http://www.packagesfromhome.org>
Packages From Home sends personal care and comfort items to U.S. troops
deployed overseas. Find out how to donate time, money or items to this
non-profit organization.

Soldiers' Angels
www.soldiersangels.org/heroes/index.php
<http://www.soldiersangels.org/heroes/index.php>
Become some soldier's angel by adopting a service member.

Treats for Troops
www.treatsfortroops.com <http://www.treatsfortroops.com>
Treats for Troops helps get you provide packages to your loved ones
overseas. If you don't know anyone, the Foster-A-Soldier Program matches
you with a registered soldier by branch of service, home state, gender,
or birthday - or you can choose to sponsor a group of soldiers.

USO Cares
www.usocares.org <http://www.usocares.org>
You can sponsor care packages provided by the USO with a $25 donation.

Voice from Home
www.voicesfromhome.org/home.html
<http://www.voicesfromhome.org/home.html>
Voices From Home allows military members and their families and friends
to send and receive immediate voice e-mail messages in remote locations
around the world.

[deadbear80]

I hope everyone has had a better Christmas than I.

Being the lovely Jew that I am...I met the folks, my brother and his family at our favorite Chinese restaurant. On the way out there, I hit a small crater in the road but thought nothing of it (other than my car seemed to hit it kind of hard). We come out of the Chinese restuarant, I pull out of the parking lot and thing "Hey, my car sounds funny". I pull down a side street and low and behold...FLAT TIRE! Luckily my folks weren't far away (and thank G-d for cell phones!!!) so they picked me up and brought me to their place with my stuff so I could call Honda roadside assistance. I call...and...my roadside assistance (that was paid for 7 years ago) apparently expired on January 17 of this year . But wait...they can send someone; I just have to pay out of pocket.

So $85.50 dollars later ($65.50 for the tire change and a $20 tip because it's cold out and it's Christmas) my tire gets changed to my donut, and I get home about an hour later than expected.

Oh well. At least it's 'fixed' for the time being (until I can get a real tire on my car that is) and at least someone could come out on Christmas.

I think what I need for the holidays is a lesson on how to change a tire so the next time this happens I can save $80!

[Buttonz]

[1908Revelations]

Merry Christmas GC Family!!!

[aideclaire]

Happy Christmas and Merry New Year Everyone...extra ((((hugs)))) and kisses to keep you warm and safe for the year to come.

[Taualumna]

Merry Christmas!

[jojapeach]

Merry Christmas, good people!!!

Am I the only one who needed a quick break from the madness of Christmas morning but will be glad to return to it after the quick break?

[chitownxo]

Merry Christmas, Greekchatters! Hope everyone's holidays are the best ever!!

[ThetaDancer]

Merry Christmas GCers! Hope everyone is having a happy and healthy holiday