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36 Celebrating Christmas In The Military

Celebrating Christmas In

The Military

Continued from Page 36

Plan Your Endgame: Sometimes during a
holiday deployment you are having a good
time.Sometimes you have just had enough
holiday fun. Sometimes you get tired of trying to
make everyone feel better about your holiday
situation. Sometimes all this happens within the
course of a single hour.Cheryl Gansner, one of
our SpouseBuzz bloggers, says that the most
positive thing you can do for yourself is to set a
boundary for when it is OK to leave the
festivities. Telling people you are going to head
up to the shower (and then sneaking off to bed)
is usually socially acceptable. Keeping up
appearances does not have to last 24/7.

Talk To Your Servicemember: Our
Military.com readers report that when they were
deployed over the holiday, the command went
all out to provide a nice meal and holiday cheer.
Still, it was just another day, which meant they
could sometimes be short on the phone. Or a
little irritable. Or hungry for every single detail
of home. Be open to whatever spirit your
servicemember brings to the phone or Skype or
email that day. You are “home” to them and this
is a great day to celebrate that.

It Is Only One Day: Our readers say that the
loneliest moment in military life is when you
deliver a baby on your own. The only thing that
is lonelier is Christmas Day on your own. The
last time we did a deployment holiday, I invited
our usual houseful of guests -- our kids, the
boyfriends and girlfriends, our friends the
Petersons, the Petersons' visiting mother-in-law.
I had them all. I talked to my husband twice that
day. Everything was beautiful. The food was
perfect ... and I found myself lingering in
hallways, as if I could slip around unnoticed,
uninvolved. I secretly wanted the holiday to be
over and I didn’t want anyone else to know
about it. I wanted to get to my bed and call Brad
and have him tell me that I had done a good job.
That he was proud of me. That we would be
together next year.

Your Turn Next Year: December holidays roll
around every year without fail. This time next
yearm your servicemember will most likely be
home. The cookies will taste a little crisper. Your
tree will shine a little brighter. Your holiday hugs
will be a little warmer. Use this holiday apart to
bring your family closer than ever. []

From Everyone at

CHANNEL 365

www.xzbnchannel365.com

MERRY CHRISTMAS

and

HAPPY NEW YEAR